Many babies improve before two years of age. Proper treatment can help until time solves the problem. After infancy, the skin tends to be less red, blistering, oozing, or crusting. Instead, the patches are dry, red to brownish-gray, and may be scaly or thickened. The intense, almost unbearable itching can continue, and may be most noticeable at night.
Some patients scratch the skin until it bleeds and crusts.
When this occurs, the skin can get infected. In teens and young adults, the patches typically occur on the hands and feet. Although these are the most common sites, any area such as the bends of the elbows, backs of the knees, ankles, wrists, face, neck, and upper chest may also be affected. An itchy rash as described above, along with a family history of atopic problems, may indicate atopic dermatitis. Proper, early, and regular treatment can bring relief and may also reduce the severity and duration of the disease.