The word eczema comes from the Greek term ekzein, which means to boil out or ferment. Eczema can be either acute or chronic.
Acute eczema is characterized by red skin with small oozing and crusty blisters.
In chronic eczema the skin becomes thickened and begins to scale and flake. Itching and skin discoloration are common to both forms of eczema. It does not always present with acute symptoms first, but may begin with thickened skin and flaking. Although contact dermatitis is often considered eczema it is caused by another factor and will not be discussed here. The following are a description of the most common types of eczema.