Interpreting Disorders: What´s Skin Eczema?

The term skin eczema is generally applied to a variety of unrelenting skin conditions. Although many people consider this ailment as a skin problem, others are still confused about the term since its indications are also manifested in atopic dermatitis. In fact either the term eczema or atopic dermatitis can either be used for this condition. Eczema is commonly described as a group of skin ailments which results in irritated, swollen, and itchy skin.

Skin eczema is actually a general term for different skin ailments. One of the skin conditions which is associated with eczema is atomic dermatitis itself. Along with atomic dermatitis are seborrheic dermatitis, hand dermatitis, and nummular dermatitis. Even the presence of a rash on the skin can be associated with eczema.

Even though dermatologists have made major efforts to …show more content…
So where is the justification for associating them together? It is appropriate to use the term "dermatitis" for all kinds of inflammatory skin ailments, whereas "Eczema" should be used for a particular and unique dermatitis pattern. Thus dermatitis is a general term, while eczema refers to a particular dermatitis. Another way of looking at this, is that all kinds of eczema are a form of dermatitis but not all dermatitis can be considered to be eczema.

Given this definition, why is it that so many people still diagnose all forms of dermatitis as eczema? Probably through a lack of proper education. Generally, people from the United States use the term 'dermatitis', while Europeans tend to mostly used the term 'eczema'. Nevertheless, from a wider prospective both the terms eczema and dermatitis are still used in order to ensure that there is no doubt in the minds of the people being treated. Skin eczema has three clinical divisions, namely: sub acute, acute, and chronic eczema. How do we characterize each of them? How do they differ from one