Dermatitis is often used as a general term to describe inflammation of the skin, but it’s actually composed of eight distinct subtypes. Start a search today to learn more about this skin condition and take control of your skin health.
Today, we’re going to look at the symptoms and types of dermatitis, as well as the common causes and some well-known treatments. Understanding these aspects is crucial for effectively managing this common skin condition.
Symptoms of Dermatitis
Dermatitis can cause pain, and even create a burning sensation in some people. More generally, dermatitis is associated with itching, red rashes and bumps, rashes that look and/or feel like a burn, dry skin, fluid-filled blisters, thickening, hardening, and swelling skin, painful ulcers, as well as crusting, scaling, and creasing skin.1
Atopic Dermatitis
Common in children, atopic dermatitis is a chronic condition that can flare periodically, causing patches of red and itchy skin. Most of us know atopic dermatitis as eczema, an incurable and sometimes insufferable skin condition.
Other types of dermatitis include:
- Contact dermatitis
- Dyshidrotic dermatitis
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Neurodermatitis
- Nummular dermatitis
- Stasis dermatitis
- Dermatitis neglecta
Causes
There are a lot of elements working together to create a perfect environment for the development of dermatitis. In the case of atopic dermatitis, a patient’s immune system overreacts to cause skin inflammation.
Changes to a person’s physical environment can cause changes to a person’s immune response too and may lead to the development of dermatitis in some children and adults.2 Genetics may also play a factor. Though there’s still much to learn, many attribute an increased dermatitis risk factor to a family’s medical history.3
Risk Factors
Risk factors can vary slightly based on the subtype of dermatitis, though most subtypes share a few common risk factors. Age can play a factor, with eczema typically developing in infancy. As can their occupation, provided that their job has them regularly interacting with solvents, cleaning supplies, and other irritants.
Treatment
Receiving treatment for your type of dermatitis starts with a professional consultation. Treatment options can vary, but they often include one or a combination of corticosteroid ointments, calcineurin inhibitors, phototherapy, pills, and even injectable treatments.
Prevention
There isn’t much a person can do to eliminate the increased risk of developing dermatitis that comes with having a genetic predisposition or an occupation that forces them to interact with irritants. Dermatitis is a pain but protecting yourself against it starts with a better understanding. We hope that today’s exploration into the symptoms, types, causes, and treatments of dermatitis scratched that itch.
