Prompted for details by host Jay Leno, Applegate explained that the skin disorder was confined to her hands and triggered by stress. She made light of the revealing moment by singing Eczema , a self-penned ditty about the disease. But for millions who suffer from it, eczema is no fun. Flare-ups, which can occur weekly for some, turn the skin red and itchy. The rashes can cover only a few square inches or most of the body.
Severity ranges from mild irritation to a painful scaly crust that oozes bacteria-charged fluid.
Children are particularly susceptible, but most outgrow the disease by the age of two. For a child, the pain, taunting, and inability to play in the schoolyard can combine to make their lives almost unbearable. Anxiety, stress, and depression can bring on the disorder or make it worse. Hereditary factors play an important role. Eighty percent of those with eczema have family members with the disease.