Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is a form of eczema that often begins in early childhood. It is frequently associated with allergic rhinitis or asthma. Half the cases disappear by adulthood.
We don’t know what causes atopic dermatitis. The symptoms in infants include itchy red patches on the face, torso, and lower parts of the limbs. These patchy areas crust, scale, and ooze. A child between the ages of two and four may develop clusters of red or flesh-colored scaly patches or bumps on the elbows, knee creases, ankles, neck, wrists, and feet. The rash becomes more concentrated during adolescence, appearing on the sides of the neck, hands, and face, and the skin becomes more thickened.
People with atopic dermatitis are prone to bacterial skin infections that produce itching and redness. Oozing, crusting ulcers may also occur in some cases.
Allergic contact dermatitis may be caused by poison ivy, oak, or sumac, as well as by exposure to nickel, chrome, mercury, certain cosmetics, and drugs applied to the skin.
Poison ivy produces redness, bumps, and blisters, as well as swelling after the initial contact. The blisters burst after a few days, releasing a watery liquid, and healing begins. Treatment includes trying to prevent a rash by promptly washing the affected area with soap and water–within five minutes of contact, if possible.