Daily Vocabulary for Better Conversation

Although rashes are seldom dangerous, self-diagnosis is not usually a goodidea. Proper evaluation of a skin rash requires a visit to a doctor or otherhealthcare professional. The following guidelines may help you decide what categoryyour rash falls into.

Scaly patches of skin not caused by infection
Scaly, itchy skin patches usually represent one of the conditions referred toas eczema.
Atopic dermatitis: Atopic dermatitis is perhaps the most common form of eczema. This is an hereditary skinproblem that often begins in childhood as chapped cheeks and scaly patches onthe scalp, arms, legs, and torso. Later in childhood atopic dermatitis may affect the inneraspects of the elbows and knees. Adults get atopic dermatitis on the hands, around theeyelids, on the genitals, as well as on the body as a whole.

The word dermatitis means inflammation of the skin. Atopic refers to diseases that are hereditary, tend to run infamilies, and often occur together. These diseases include asthma, hay fever,and atopic dermatitis. In atopic dermatitis, the skin becomes extremely itchyand inflamed, causing redness, swelling, cracking, weeping, crusting, andscaling.

Atopic dermatitis comes and goes, often for no obvious reason. It is oftenworse in the winter months, when the air is cold and dry, however, moisturizing alone does nothelp much.

Patients with atopic dermatitis may have allergies, but most cases of atopic dermatitis are notthemselves allergic. In general foods, soaps, and detergents do not play ameaningful role in producing this condition.

Atopic dermatitis is not contagious, even though patches may appear on various parts ofthe body. For more information, please read the Atopic Dermatitis article.

Contact dermatitis: Contact dermatitis is an often-misused term which refers to a rash brought onby contact with a specific material which causes allergy on the skin. Commonexamples are poison ivy and reactions to costume jewelry containing nickel.Contact dermatitis affects just those parts of the skin touched by whatevermaterial causes the allergy.

Related Links on MedicineNet.com

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