Eczema duration: how long does the skin condition last?

Eczema is an inflammatory dry skin condition, which leaves skin feeling raw, cracked and sore. The most common form of eczema, atopic eczema (dermatitis), is thought to affect as many as 1 in 5 children and 1 in 10 adults in the UK and 10% of the world’s population.

Whether you’re born with it, or develop it a bit later on in life, how long can you expect eczema to last? Well, in one word – forever. However, whereas some sufferers experience regular or occasional flare-ups – known as chronic – there are a few lucky ones, who have had eczema since birth or as a young child, who may see an improvement in the condition as they get older.

Here at HappySkin®, we dedicate our life’s work to helping babies and children up to the ages of 10, by offering a clothing range coated with a unique coating that triggers the skin to repair naturally.

Let’s take a look at some of the types of eczema that can affect children – and adults – so you can best identify the kind of eczema with which you are dealing. It’s also important to get the opinion of a medical professional such your child experience any red, dry or itching skin.

Different types of Eczema

As mentioned, atopic eczema is the most common of the eczema family – let’s take a look at the other kinds of eczema and what they might mean for you:

 

• asteatotic eczema

Commonly known as xerotic – dry – eczema, this is another common form of dermatitis which is mainly found on the shins but could also appear on upper limbs or the trunk.

 

• contact eczema

Usually triggered through contact with particular substances, contact eczema – or contact dermatitis – usually improves once the substance causing the problem has been identified and avoided.

 

• ear eczema

As it says on the tin, ear eczema appears on the ear. This particular eczema can flare up often without any warning but can be triggered by things such as shampoos, conditioners, soaps, hair dyes etc.

 

Often with this, you or your child can develop oozing of clear liquid and if not addressed, inflammation can increase, and with it, infection of the inner ear.

 

• discoid eczema

This particular kind of eczema causes skin to swell, crack and become itchy, as with other eczemas, but it generally presents in circular or oval patches.

 

Without treatment, it can reoccur in the same place time-and-time again.

 

• eczema around the eyes

Eczema around the eyes can often come on very sudden, after the use of anything that could be classed as an irritant. You or your child may have more chance of having eczema around your eyes if you also suffer with eczema on other parts of your face or body.

 

It’s important to find the right treatment for this eczema, as you don’t want it affecting any other part of the eye – causing problems such as conjunctivitis.

 

• facial eczema

As with eczema around your eyes, you or your child may also experience it on the face. The skin may be red and itchy, and if scratched, this can lead to a lot of dry skin. There may also experience blisters, which can bleed or ooze.

 

• hand eczema

Hand eczema is one of the most common eczemas you can have. It mainly affects the palms of the hand but can also spread up fingertips and into the nails. When this happens, nails can appear ‘wavy’ and the skin can blister, bleed and ooze.

 

You may need to apply treatments more regularly when eczema is on the hands in order to keep them supple and moisturised so the skin is less likely to crack and bleed, but it’s important to find creams and ointments which best suit the hands, as some can lead to increased symptoms due to allergies you may not have previously been aware of, for both you and your child.

 

• seborrheic dermatitis

Common in children as well as adults, seborrheic dermatitis ranges from mild flaxy skin and a redder, scalier and sometimes weeping rash, mainly presenting on the scalp and in the hairline.

 

To find out the cause of the flare-up of seborrheic dermatitis, you would need to eliminate each of the hair products being used to see which react and which don’t.

 

Here at HappySkin®, we are taking a revolutionary approach when it comes to the early intervention and treatment of infant eczema through the development of an innovative clothing line coated with our unique Dreamskin® technology which includes products such as:

 

• bodysuits
• sleepsuits
• baby leggings
• baby socks
• baby head masks

 

Coated with our clinically-tested DreamSkin® technology, our HappySkin® products are proven to soothe and reverse the effects of irritated skin. Working closely with the NHS to treat moderate and severe eczema and atopic dermatitis, our eczema solutions were previously only available on prescription.

But now we are able to help any parent with a child who suffers with this painful and uncomfortable condition, by ensuring that they are soothed and able to start the healing process.

If you are interested in our HappySkin® products, then please don’t hesitate to contact us on (0)1707 260 505 or email us at hello@happy-skin.com.