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DERMATITIS |
Dermatitis is a general term refering to the inflammation of the skin in its various forms.
In order to understand what causes dermatitis, it is very important early on to know the difference between a healthy skin condition and an irritated one.
The skin protects the body from infection and irritation on through three layers; all of which contain skin cells, water, oils and fats:
• The Epidermis » The thin outer layer of the skin
• The Dermis » The more elastic middle layer of connecting tissue
• The Subcutis » The deepest region containing loose layers of fatty tissue
Within healthy skin, the skin cells are full of water to create protective barriers against damage and infection. Fats and oils in the skin help retain moisture and stop bacteria from entering the body.
An effective illustration of how your skin works, is like that of a 'brick wall'. It's been said that if the the outer skin cells are the bricks, then the fats and oils are like the mortar which hold everything together. It is essential for the skin cells to absorb and hold water in, while the fats and oils help to retain the water inside.
If you have a form of dermatitis such as eczema, your skin may not produce as much fats and oils as other people’s, and will be less able to retain water. The protective barrier is therefore not as good as it should be. Gaps open up between the skin cells because they are not sufficiently plumped up with water. Moisture is then lost from the deeper layers of the skin, allowing bacteria or irritants to pass through more easily. Some everyday substances contribute to breaking down the skin. Soap, bubble bath and washing-up liquid, for example, will remove oil from anyone’s skin, but if you have eczema your skin breaks down more easily, quickly becoming irritated, cracked and inflamed.
Because it is prone to drying out and is easily damaged, skin with eczema is more liable to become red and inflamed on contact with substances that are known to irritate or cause an allergic reaction.
Sometimes known as 'acute eczema', it usually manifests as a rash in the abdominal and chest areas.
Also known as atopic dermatitis, or atopic eczema. This can often be associated with food allergies. The skin is extremely itchy and prone to scratching.
Contact dermatitis can be triggered due to external compounds, preservatives, fragrances, or plants.
Seborrhoeic dermatitis - a condition that causes the flaking of the skin. Otherwise known as dandruff.
Or psoriatic dermatitis is a pattern of dermatitis with distinct relationship to the speeding up of the usual replacement processes of the skin.
Also known as Pompholyx. This is a type spongiotic dermatitis (acute eczema) which can be observed as small fluid filled or pus filled bumps on the hands and feet. It has been highly associated with contact dermatitis (see Allergic Contact Dermatitis).
A type of skin rash known as hives. This form of allergic dermatitis shows up as intense red raised itchy bumps.
This can be caused by drug reaction or auto immune diseases. Examples includes the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome where cell deaths cause the Epidermis to separate from the Dermis layer of the skin. Bullous dermatitis of the foot can be caused by athlete foot fungus.
A pattern of dermatitis often presenting itself after insect bite reactions.
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