What Is Eczema?

If you have eczema, you probably know the pattern by heart: the itch builds in the evening, you scratch without quite deciding to, and by morning the patch looks angrier than it did the day before. Eczema — most often atopic dermatitis — is a long-term condition that makes skin red, dry, and intensely itchy. The video above, "Eczema" (6 minutes 21 seconds), puts the basics plainly: it is common in children but can occur at any age, it is long lasting, and it tends to flare periodically and then subside. Here's what to expect if it is part of your life.

Expect a barrier that lets too much out — and in

Think of healthy skin as a well-sealed wall. In eczema, that wall leaks. Moisture escapes more easily, so skin dries out, and everyday irritants — fragranced products, harsh soaps, wool, sweat, cold dry air — get in more easily and stir up inflammation. That is why the same patch can look calm one week and flare the next without anything dramatic changing. It also explains why eczema often travels with hay fever and asthma in the same person or family: the tendency toward this kind of immune reactivity tends to run together. Eczema is not an infection and you cannot catch it, a point worth remembering because the visible redness sometimes worries other people unnecessarily. It also differs from psoriasis, where skin cells build up into thicker, silvery plaques — the two are often confused, but they behave differently and are treated differently.

Expect flares, quiet spells, and a lot of itch

Where eczema shows up shifts with age — the cheeks and scalp in babies, the creases of elbows and knees in children, and often the hands, neck, and eyelids in adults. The itch is usually the hardest part, and it is more than a nuisance: broken, scratched skin can become infected, so new weeping, crusting, or rapidly spreading redness is a reason to contact a clinician promptly rather than wait it out. If you have ever wondered why itch feels so impossible to ignore, the site's "Why Do You Get Itchy?" video (just under two minutes) explains what that urge to scratch actually is.

Expect everyday care to do much of the work

At an appointment, expect your doctor to look closely at the pattern — where it appears, when it flares, what seems to set it off — because diagnosis is usually made from the appearance and history rather than a single test. Day-to-day care then does much of the heavy lifting: regular moisturising to support the leaky barrier, gentler washing habits, and learning your own triggers so you can sidestep them. When flares need more than that, clinicians can add treatments applied to the skin to calm inflammation, and more widespread or stubborn cases can be discussed for further options. Bring notes on what you have already tried — it helps your clinician choose the next step instead of repeating the last one.

MedicalVideos.com has published trusted medical videos since 2007. The site was founded by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician and researcher.

Educational only — this article is general information about eczema, not medical advice and not a diagnosis. If you have persistent itchy, red, or broken skin, discuss it with your own clinician or a dermatologist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eczema contagious?
No. Eczema is a long-term inflammatory skin condition linked to a leaky skin barrier and immune reactivity. It is not an infection and cannot be passed on by touch.

Does eczema only affect children?
No. It often starts in childhood and is common in children, as the video above notes, but it can occur — and persist or return — at any age, including in adults.

When should eczema be checked promptly?
If skin becomes weepy, crusted, painful, or rapidly more red and swollen, that can signal infection in broken skin. Those changes are worth prompt medical attention rather than watchful waiting.