Eczema

Eczema or dermatitis. The word ‘eczema’ comes from a Greek word meaning to ‘bubble through’. The word ‘dermatitis’ means ‘inflammation of the skin’. The two words, eczema and dermatitis, are used interchangeably for a condition in the skin in which fluid accumulates in and between prickle cells of the epidermis.

There are many different types of eczema - the most common is atopic eczema (also called endogenous eczema).

About 1 in 6 children get atopic eczema in the UK, but most grow out of it by their teens. However for some people, it can continue into adulthood.