As the cause of eczema is still not fully understood it makes dealing with the condition a problem as some believe that genetic factors are involved; the belief it is caused by an outside influence still remains to be proved. This skin complaint causes the sufferer many problems but the constant itchiness must cause considerable irritation plus the skin becomes very red and extremely dry. Some unfortunate victims exhibit other symptoms including blistering and skin that appears to be ‘crusty'.

Whilst a number of forms exist, the most common is the form of atopic eczema; like all the other types, this one is characterized by itching as well. Scratching helps, especially with atopic eczema but this is guaranteed to worsen the situation and make it flare up. A side effect to this condition is how hypersensitive it makes the skin; sufferers usually have reactions to washing detergents, soaps and even makeup.

The situation in small children doesn't look as severe at first as the patchy red skin is not on the skins surface but below it. Although the primary factor with eczema is itching you might still be susceptible to normal rashes; the disorder is not responsible if the itching is not present. If the rash itches and reacts well to eczema treatment but the rash does not disappear then there is a good chance the rash is unrelated to the itchy feeling.

The diagnosis of the skin disorder is not that simple because there are other medical conditions which cause itchy skin. All eczema conditions have a rash but it is the associated itching sensation that is not understood yet. The blood flow in the area affected is the reason the rash looks so red and this can be made worse when the same area or areas are scratched by the sufferer.

With eczema, the skin can become inflamed for many reasons because it is already highly sensitive; even slight bacterial infections can cause inflammation. Most blisters seen as part of the symptoms are quite small but large blisters can also occur; this could be caused sufferers that have developed an infection in that area or as a result of their genes. These blisters may contain small amounts of fluid and in some cases a pus; blisters are likely to become infected if broken which will just exacerbate the condition further.