Eczema Basic Causes, Symptoms & Treatments Eczema is the generic term used to name a group of medical conditions that show the skin being inflamed or irritated. The most common of this group is atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema. Atopic is used to refer to a group of diseases that comes with a tendency to develop other allergic conditions, such as asthma and hay fever. Scratching Avoid scratching the rash, or cover the area with a dressing. If the allergen (those that cause allergic reactions) cannot be removed (or worse, identified), try to minimize the allergic inflammatory response. Apply some non-prescription steroid creams together with anti-itching lotions. Apply the cream as often as possible until the rash disappears. Care must also be taken to avoid the eye part. That is why corticosteroids are not given for long periods of time. This is to prevent the side effects from happening. However recent studies show much promise on topical corticosteroids. Topical medications do not seem to affect the skin and does not result in thinning. Having Seborrhoeic dermatitis isn t really something that people lose sleep over. As mentioned before, it is harmless unless the condition turns into something worst because of infection. Usually, these forms are treated with moisturizers and oil to lessen the disadvantages. Those who have dandruff turn to commercial products to solve their problems. Emotional support Skin diseases like eczema may dampen a person s enthusiasm for life. Doctors had long noted that persons with atopic dermatitis most of the time possess such low self-esteem. The top reason is that their skin disease is visible and that they feel embarrassed and isolated. A support group or a camp created for people living with eczema can help. Other occupations with higher-than-average risks include janitors and maids, florist, bakers, caterers, bartenders, cooks and agricultural workers. Other factors include age (it decreases with age), gender (women are more prone), industry (agriculture and manufacturing are riskier), atopic conditions (people with allergic histories are susceptible), and environment (low humidity can damage the skin s protection).