These three factors must be present for the diagnosis to be made. First off, the sufferer must be atopic. They may come from a family that has similar allergic diseases. The patient must also experience pruritis or the medical term for itching. This is the only way to trigger the rash and if one doesn t experience any kind of itching, then it is very likely that they don t have this kind of skin problem. An example of this is what we usually call the Seborrhoeic dermatitis. Ordinarily, this form of eczema features dryness of the scalp, the eyebrow area and even the face itself. It all depends on the extent of the problem. Remember that eczema can be exacerbated and infected and that one case can easily infect another person. Scratching can make the condition worse in the event that the skin is punctured or abraded allowing the entry of bacteria and germs. Keeping fingernails short can also help. To preclude of accidentally or unconsciously scratching yourself while asleep, having short fingernails is a must. Wearing cotton gloves also helps. Hydrating the skin would need taking short daily baths in warm (not hot) water, using mild or non-irritating soap. This daily bathing hydrates the skin, which can reduce flare-ups. For severe cases, patients should even take 3 short baths daily. After some initial discomforts (open skin sores are painful when touched by water), patients tend to get relief. 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. This condition is often inherited. Prevalence Based on the latest findings, atopic eczema is increasing and presently afflicts around 9 to 30% of the population in the U. What You Need to Know if Your Child has Eczema Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a skin condition that often frustrates parents and kids. Not only is it difficult to manage because of the lack of cure but parents also get confused with how different doctors treat the problem. Eczema may start with ordinary itchiness that may graduate to extreme redness of the skin, scaling and even oozing.