Eczema is a chronic skin condition that is mostly seen in children, especially during the first five years of their life, but it may occur in adults as well. It is medically known as “atopic dermatitis”. It is not contagious as opposed to the common notion. This means that the other person who comes in contact with a person who has this condition will not be infected. Read on to get the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding eczema.

• What are the symptoms of eczema?
  Rashes are the first thing that appear  in this condition, followed by extremely itchy, flaky skin. As opposed to hives which are raised bumps, the rash is flat and red in color. In kids, the rashes mostly appear on the elbows or behind the knees whereas, in adults, the rashes appear on the hands, buttocks, or back. Due to dry air and a lack of moisture, the situation worsens in the winter.
• What are the precautions that you can take to cure eczema?
  Some of the steps that you may take to treat eczema are as follows:
• Keep your skin well moisturized. For this, you may use moisturizers or cold creams available in the market.
• Don’t take a shower in extremely hot water as this may take away essential oils present in the body. Also, do not wipe the water immediately. Pat dry the body and on the damp body, apply some moisturizing lotion or cream.
• If you have been to a dermatologist and if some ointment or lotion has been prescribed to you, use that first.
• Take anti-allergy medications only when prescribed by the doctors to get rid of itchy and dry skin or allergy.
• What are the causes of eczema?
  Food items are the most prominent causes of this condition. If you are allergic to food items like peanuts, milk, etc., you may get this condition . Dust mite allergy is yet another important factor that may cause this skin condition. Also, if it’s a common condition in your family, there are chances that you too will have eczema at some or the other point in life.
• How does an eczema attack usually prevail?
  In most cases, by the time children grow, the condition goes away. Even in the case of adults, as a person ages, he or she may just outgrow the symptoms, but in a few cases, the rashes don’t fully disappear for the rest of one’s life. There is no particular way to tell if the condition will stay temporarily or permanently. In a majority of cases, the rashes go away over a period of time.
• What diet should you stick when suffering from eczema?
  It might sound cliché’ but a well-balanced diet is what you should have. Your diet should be inclusive of low-fat dairy, seasonal fruits, vegetables, and whole grain. If there is some particular food which you are allergic too, you should immediately bring it to your doctor’s notice and stop its consumption.
• What should you do if my skin flares up and bleeds?
  Use the soak-and-smear method. First, soak your hands in lukewarm water for a minimum of 5 minutes and a maximum of 10 minutes. Then, dry your hands softly and gently on a clean cloth by using the patting motion. Apply petroleum jelly or a glycerin-based ointment and then use cotton gloves to cover your hands.