A condition where patches of skin become inflamed, itchy, red, cracked, and rough is known as eczema, and blisters may also occur sometimes in this condition. Babies and children are more prone to eczema as it usually develops in the first year of life, although it can occur at any point in an individual’s life. Some people outgrow the condition, while others continue to suffer from it. Starting from the face, the disease usually spreads to the hands and feet. Older children tend to be affected on the elbow and knees, the neck, wrists, ankles, and feet.

Causes
The specific cause of eczema remains unknown, but it is believed to develop due to genetic and environmental factors. This is not a contagious disease. It can run in families, and if a parent is suffering from this disease, the child is more likely to develop it too.

Also, when family members have hay fever, asthma, or other allergies, the child can become more prone to it. Allowing moisture out and germs in due to problems in the skin barrier could also be a cause of eczema. It is caused by the body’s inability to repair damage to the skin’s barrier, due to a mutation in the gene called filaggrin, which is important for skin formation. Normally, every cell in the skin has two copies of the filaggrin gene, but people who are susceptible to this disease have only one copy of the gene. There are other common causes of this condition as well:

• Environment : Having grown up in a developed country can increase the risk of developing the disease. It is also called the hygiene hypothesis, which means the living conditions are too clean and kids are not exposed to germs that train their immune system to tell the difference between harmless and harmful irritants.
• Dry skin : It can make the person suffering from the disease uncomfortable due to the resulting itchiness. Low humidity, especially during winters, when the homes are well heated and the air is dry, can be the cause of this.
• Irritants : Things like scratchy woolen clothes, polyester, perfumes, body soaps, and laundry soaps can also lead to this disease.
• Stress : People with this disease may react to stress by flushing. This can lead to itchy, irritated skin, which, in turn, aggravates eczema.
• Hot and cold temperatures : Very hot or cold weather, high and low humidity, and perspiration from exercise can cause this disease since it can dry out the skin and make it more susceptible to irritation.
• Allergens : Eczema is not an allergy, but allergies can trigger it. Apart from environmental factors and emotional stress, dust mites, pets, pollens, and dandruff can cause it.
• Microbes : These include bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus virus and other fungi.
• Foods : Dairy products, eggs, nuts and sweets, soy products, and wheat can cause eczema to flare up.
• Hormones : Women may experience worsened eczema symptoms at times of changes in hormone levels, for example, during pregnancy and at certain points during the menstrual cycle.

One should keep an eye out for the symptoms of eczema and consult a dermatologist at the earliest to get the right treatment.