Eczema is a chronic skin condition that affects millions of Americans.  Although each of these individuals is plagued with sensitive and easily irritated skin, there are different types of eczema.  A few of the most common diagnoses made are outlined and briefly reviewed below.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis is the most common type of eczema.  Luckily, the condition is rarely constant.  Instead, those who suffer from this type of eczema experience outbreaks or flare-ups.  Trigger factors, which may include certain foods and chemical irritations, are the leading cause of atopic dermatitis.  Patients who determine their trigger factors and work to eliminate them tend to experience fewer and less severe flare-ups.

Contact Eczema

Contact eczema is similar to atopic dermatitis, but it results in a localized reaction.  A common cause of a contact eczema outbreak is direct skin contact with chemicals.  For example, some women may experience flare-ups on their risks, hands, or face after applying makeup.  Although anyone can suffer from contact eczema, those with a history of allergies are more prone.

Seborrheic Eczema

Seborrheic eczema, like other forms of the condition, is an inflammation of the skin.  The skin is irritated. This eczema, however, is used to describe flare-ups and outbreaks that don’t have a cause.  Many areas of the body are targeted, but the face and scalp are most commonly affected.  A common example of this type of eczema is cradle cap in babies and infants.

Nummular Eczema

Although relatively rare and uncommon, nummular eczema is another type of diagnosable eczema.  The most noticeable and distinguishable feature is patches of irritated skin that are coin shaped.  It is a chronic condition.  Allergies, family history of eczema, and asthma lead to an increased risk.  While anyone can have nummular eczema, it is most common in elderly males.

There are other types of eczema that men, women, and children suffer from.  Although the names are different, the treatment options are usually the same.  Medical professionals recommend avoiding skin irritants, keeping the body well moisturized, and making the switch to all-natural products.  For an accurate diagnosis on what type of eczema you suffer from, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider.

 It’s a good idea to discuss your child’s eczema diagnosis with the  plan helps children with atopic dermatitisher at the start of the school year. A teacher who is familiar with eczema can help your child cope with the practical aspects of the condition and any social or emotional issues that may arise in the classroom.

To help the teacher make your child’s school experience as normal as possible, set up a meeting to discuss your child’s eczema and what you have learned about coping. Below are some topics you may wish to cover in your meeting.Eczema treatment

If your child is taking prescription medications, consider meeting with the school nurse

Some states may only allow a nurse or the child (under adult supervision) to apply topical steroids. Therefore, if topical steroids need to be applied in school, it is best for the child to apply the medication themselves. Check with the school administration about the rules governing application of topical medication. For anyone who applies topical steroids, they must be sure to wash their hands before and after application, as topical steroids can be absorbed through the skin.

If thehelp your child  with eczema at school teacher will be giving your child oral medication, discuss when the medication should be taken and details such as whether it should be taken with food.
School activities

Your child may have to limit certain activities, such as sports, or take special precautions.

You can suggest alternative activities to the teacher for your child that don’t involve sweating, such as: music, art, writing, acting, filmmaking, or computer work.

For a child with eczema interested in sports, sports reporting may be an alternative to prevent discomfort.
Social issues

Sometimes children with eczema experience problems at school (teasing is one possibility). Talk to the teacher about your child’s experiences and ways to avoid and prevent problems from recurring.

The symptoms of eczema may impact your child’s behavior. For example, nearly 30 percent of children with atopic dermatitis experience disrupted sleep five or more nights a week, which can lead to daytime irritability, inattention and moodiness. Explain to the teacher that this is possible and may contribute to tardies, absences, and sleepiness in class.
Scratching

If your child scratches let the teacher know and share distraction strategies you find helpful.help kids with eczema cope with school Understanding and sympathy from your child’s teacher can minimize emotional distress.

Ask the teacher to avoid telling children not to scratch — encourage rubbing or pinching instead so as to not damage the skin and increase the potential for infection

Let the teacher know that applying moisturizer or a cool washcloth to the itchy area or drinking a glass of cold water may provide the child some relief.

Set up a signal and action plan — for many students it is helpful to have a signal that the teacher can give to them (or they to the teacher) during a particularly itchy period. The teacher can give the agreed upon hand signal to the student which reminds the student that they can take a previously agreed upon action to help bring relief (such as applying moisturizer, going to the school nurses’ office for 10 minutes to place a covered ice pack on a particularly itchy spot, or taking another previously agreed upon action to help lessen the itch).
Eczema school care kit

You can make eczema less of an issue — and make school easier — by putting together a kit with everything your child may need during the school day.

Suggestions for an eczema school care kit include:

    Gloves (for handling materials that may irritate skin)
    Moisturizing cream or ointment
    Antibiotic ointment
    Mild cleanser (if your child cannot tolerate the hand soap in school bathrooms)
    Alcohol-free hand sanitizer
    Adhesive bandages
    Gauze pads
    Spare bandages
    Protective clothing
    Written instructions on medications your child may be taking at school, triggers to avoid, limitations or special precautions on activities such as sports
Source:nationaleczema.org

Though you may be aware that you are suffering from eczema, chances are that you are probably less aware aware of the different types of eczema that there are.

Though this information will not help you in any way to get relief from the constant itching, but there is no harm in increasing your general knowledge about this skin condition, especially since you are suffering from it.

Most people who are suffering from eczema tend to be reserved and avoid their friends. They sometimes avoid going out because they will often feel embarrassed if they have to start scratching in front of other people. Or they may think that others are looking at their skin.

It can be difficult to discuss your eczema problem with other people, but the chances are that they or someone that they know will probably be suffering from one of the different types of eczema that there is. So if you can educate yourself on the various types of eczema, you might be able to help someone. You may not believe this but there are many people that suffer from eczema, but don't know much about it. They just apply the creams that the doctors give them, and hope for the best.

They may even be thinking that they are just suffering from some skin ailment and will not pay any attention to it. In such circumstances you might be able to diagnose the cause of the itching that they are suffering from and enlighten them with this knowledge, so that they can get themselves treated. But you can only do this if you have the basic knowledge about some of the different types of eczema. Basically there are a few variations but here is a brief outline of a few of them.

Atopic eczema is one of the most common types of eczema and occurs due to the sufferer being sensitive to different types of allergens. Children suffer from this form of eczema the most and some of the allergens that trigger this ailment are dust mites and animal hairs.

Varicose eczema is another form of eczema which affects varicose veins situated in the lower part of the legs and is due to poor blood circulation. This form of eczema targets the elderly and middle aged people. If you observe that there are dry, red, and itchy circular patches on your feet or on the lower part of your legs, you can be sure that you are suffering from Varicose eczema.

Then there is the contact eczema which occurs when a particular type of substance (medically referred to as the `trigger’) contacts the skin and resulting in a red colored rash that tends to spread around the body. If you too are suffering from any of the above symptoms, you should take preventive action as quickly as possible.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what type or types of eczema you have. The point is that you don't have to live with it, as a lot of natural eczema treatments have worked really effectively for plenty of people.