Birth Announcements Create a web page to send to your family and friends. Eczema is a condition affecting the skin.
Most doctors use the terms dermatitis and eczema to describe the same thing.
There are different types of eczema, depending on the root causes of the problem. The areas most affected are the hands, face, elbows and knees. Atopic eczema often runs in families. Atopic conditions, which include eczema, asthma and hay fever, are on the increase but no-one is completely sure why. Eczema may also be triggered by an irritation of the skin caused by chemicals, such as the detergents in washing powders and fabric softeners.