Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewSymptomsCommon TriggersHome RemediesTreatmentTreating a Flare
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Overview
Symptoms
Common Triggers
Home Remedies
Treatment
Treating a Flare
Atopic dermatitis(AD), also calledatopic eczema, is the most common form of eczema. It is an inflammatory skin condition that can cause symptoms such as itching, dryness, redness, scaling, swelling, and oozing or weeping.
AD affects up to 25% of children and 4%–7% of adults.About 85% of cases begin before 5 years of age. Up to 70% of children with AD go into clinical remission before they reach adolescence.
AD is a chronic condition that relapses and remits (goes into periods of remission). Symptoms can flare up, go away for a time, and flare up again.Approaches to treating AD typically include skin care routines such as bathing and moisturizing and topicalcorticosteroids. Sometimes, other medications or treatments are necessary.
This article will discuss what atopic dermatitis is, symptoms of AD, common triggers, home remedies for mild AD, treatment for severe and/or recurrent AD, and what to do during an AD flare.
Elena Popova / Getty Images
Atopic Dermatitis: A Disease and Type of Eczema
Though there is no way to know whether the condition will go away or persist, the more severe the AD, the more likely it will continue into adulthood.Early diagnosisand proper treatment can help prevent the condition from worsening.
Often, adults who have outgrown AD still have skin that is easily irritated and may struggle with activities that involve regularly getting their hands wet.
AD is more common in people of African, Asian, and Pacific Islander descent.In the United States, Black children are estimated to be twice as likely as White children to develop AD.
Symptoms: What Atopic Dermatitis Looks Like
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ www.dermnetnz.org 2022
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ www.dermnetnz.org 2022
AD can occur anywhere on the body but often affects areas such as:
Age can affectwhere and how AD occurs. Babies and young toddlers often have raised, reddish patches or plaques on their face,scalp, trunk, and extremities. Older children typically get patches on the inside of joint creases, such as elbows and knees, and can have affected areas on the neck, hands, or feet.
Adults may have dry, scaly patches on the hands,eyelids, orgenitals.
Symptoms can vary but may include:
AD can look different on different skin tones. AD on darker skin tones is more likely to present with small bumps, extremely dry skin, and dark brown, purple, or grayish areas where the AD is.AD on lighter skin tones is more likely to present with a red rash.
AD flare-ups may:
Atopic Dermatitis StagingAD can be categorized intothree clinical phases:Acute: Vesicular (fluid-filled bumps), weeping, and crustingSubacute: Dry, scaly, reddish papules and plaquesChronic: Lichenification (thickened, leathery skin) from repeated scratchingIt can also be categorized as:Persistent: AD at every follow-up until age 7Intermittent: Early AD that doesn’t fit the criteria for persistent or remissionRemission: No AD after 2 years old
Atopic Dermatitis Staging
AD can be categorized intothree clinical phases:Acute: Vesicular (fluid-filled bumps), weeping, and crustingSubacute: Dry, scaly, reddish papules and plaquesChronic: Lichenification (thickened, leathery skin) from repeated scratchingIt can also be categorized as:Persistent: AD at every follow-up until age 7Intermittent: Early AD that doesn’t fit the criteria for persistent or remissionRemission: No AD after 2 years old
AD can be categorized intothree clinical phases:
It can also be categorized as:
Triggers for AD flare-ups depend on the individual, but may include:
Home Remedies for Mild Atopic Dermatitis
Home care for AD is essential whether or not medication is also necessary. People who have mild AD may find they canmanage their conditionwith home remedies alone.
Education
Talk to your healthcare provider about how to care for your skin with AD. Learn how to look for and avoidthings that trigger flare-upsor worsen your symptoms.
Bathing
Bathing once a day for five to 10 minutes inlukewarm watercan help hydrate and cleanse the skin. It also helps to remove crusts, scales, allergens, bacteria, and irritants.
Make sure to use cleansers that are:
After bathing, pat dry skin and apply emollients (moisturizers) within three minutes. This helps to seal in the moisture from bathing.
Moisturizing
Using emollients regularlyand in liberal amounts is essential for preventing and treating AD flare-ups. They are important for both flare-up treatment and regular skin maintenance.
Look for emollients that:
There is nobrand of over-the-counter (OTC) emollientsthat research has found superior.Go with what works for you. The same is true for how often to apply it. Generally, emollients are applied one to three times a day, but you can tailor this to your individual needs.
Prescription emollients are also available, but there doesn’t appear to be a difference in effectiveness between OTC and prescription emollients.Talk to your healthcare provider if you feel prescription emollients may be right for you.
Diluted Bleach Baths
Diluted bleach bathscan help reduce the number ofStaphylococcus aureusinfections (a type of staph skin infection) and reduce the need for systemic antibiotics in those who have skin that is heavily colonized with this bacteria.
The concentration of a diluted bleach bath is similar to the amount of chlorine in a swimming pool.
Talk to your healthcare provider before implementing diluted bleach baths and follow their directions.Diluted bleach baths may involve:
Your healthcare provider can tell you how often and for how long to take these baths, but one recommendation is twice weekly for a period of three months.
Wet Wrap Therapy
Healthcare providers sometimes recommend wet wrap therapy, but research into how effective they are and whether they have the potential for complications such as infections is conflicting. A systemic review found no quality evidence to show they are better than conventional topical therapies like corticosteroids.
Wet wrap therapy is typically recommended forpeople whose AD is difficult to manage, especially during flare-ups.
Wet wrap therapymay involve:
Avoiding Scratching
Everyday SkincareHaving a daily skin care routine is essential for people who have AD, with daily bathing and generous application of moisturizers among two of the most important steps.Other tips for caring for your skin include:Keep baths and showers short (five to 10 minutes) and always moisturize afterward.Choose products that say fragrance-free, not just unscented.Test new skin products on a small area every day for seven to 10 days before applying them all over to see ifa reactionoccurs.Wear loose-fitting (not tight) clothing.Choose 100% cotton clothing and never wear wool next to your skin.Wash new clothes before you wear them.Choose fragrance-free and dye-free laundry detergents.Remove tags from clothing, or choose ones without tags.Cover irritating clothing seams with silk.Protect your skin from extreme hot or cold temperatures.
Everyday Skincare
Having a daily skin care routine is essential for people who have AD, with daily bathing and generous application of moisturizers among two of the most important steps.Other tips for caring for your skin include:Keep baths and showers short (five to 10 minutes) and always moisturize afterward.Choose products that say fragrance-free, not just unscented.Test new skin products on a small area every day for seven to 10 days before applying them all over to see ifa reactionoccurs.Wear loose-fitting (not tight) clothing.Choose 100% cotton clothing and never wear wool next to your skin.Wash new clothes before you wear them.Choose fragrance-free and dye-free laundry detergents.Remove tags from clothing, or choose ones without tags.Cover irritating clothing seams with silk.Protect your skin from extreme hot or cold temperatures.
Having a daily skin care routine is essential for people who have AD, with daily bathing and generous application of moisturizers among two of the most important steps.
Other tips for caring for your skin include:
Treating Severe, Recurrent Atopic Dermatitis
Depending on the severity of the AD and the age of the person,AD treatmentmay include prescription medications and/or other medical treatments.
What to Do During an Atopic Dermatitis Flare
If you don’t already have a treatment plan in place for AD flare-ups, talk to your healthcare provider. What works for some people doesn’t work for others, and each plan shouldbe individualized.
In addition to keeping up your skin care routine, your healthcare provider may recommend using topical corticosteroids. This is the typical first-line treatment for AD flare-ups. These medications can have side effects, so it’s important to speak to your healthcare provider before using them and to follow their instructions for use.
Make sure to apply topical corticosteroids directly to the affected areas before applying emollients, not after. This helps the medication work effectively.
Summary
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes symptoms such as itching, dry skin, and skin rash. AD is most common in childhood but can persist into or begin in adulthood.
AD can often be managed at home with measures such as avoiding triggers, daily bathing, moisturizing, avoiding scratching, and if necessary, diluted bleach baths. Wet wrap therapy may help some people with AD during a flare-up.
IfAD is more severe or persistent, prescription medications and/or light therapy may be necessary. Treatment plans should be individualized.Talk to your healthcare providerto determine what is right for you.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chovatiya R.Atopic dermatitis (eczema).JAMA. 2023;329(3):268. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.21457Facheris P, Jeffery J, Del Duca E, Guttman-Yassky E.The translational revolution in atopic dermatitis: the paradigm shift from pathogenesis to treatment.Cell Mol Immunol. 2023;20(5):448-474. doi:10.1038/s41423-023-00992-4Kapur S, Watson W, Carr S.Atopic dermatitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018;14(S2):52. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0281-6Frazier W, Bhardwaj N.Atopic dermatitis: diagnosis and treatment.AFP. 2020;101(10):590-598.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis.Kaufman BP, Guttman‐Yassky E, Alexis AF.Atopic dermatitis in diverse racial and ethnic groups—variations in epidemiology, genetics, clinical presentation and treatment.Experimental Dermatology. 2018;27(4):340-357. doi:10.1111/exd.13514American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis causes.MedlinePlus.Atopic dermatitis.American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis symptoms.Avena-Woods C.Overview of atopic dermatitis.AJMC. 2017;23.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Eczema (atopic dermatitis) overview.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chovatiya R.Atopic dermatitis (eczema).JAMA. 2023;329(3):268. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.21457Facheris P, Jeffery J, Del Duca E, Guttman-Yassky E.The translational revolution in atopic dermatitis: the paradigm shift from pathogenesis to treatment.Cell Mol Immunol. 2023;20(5):448-474. doi:10.1038/s41423-023-00992-4Kapur S, Watson W, Carr S.Atopic dermatitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018;14(S2):52. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0281-6Frazier W, Bhardwaj N.Atopic dermatitis: diagnosis and treatment.AFP. 2020;101(10):590-598.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis.Kaufman BP, Guttman‐Yassky E, Alexis AF.Atopic dermatitis in diverse racial and ethnic groups—variations in epidemiology, genetics, clinical presentation and treatment.Experimental Dermatology. 2018;27(4):340-357. doi:10.1111/exd.13514American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis causes.MedlinePlus.Atopic dermatitis.American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis symptoms.Avena-Woods C.Overview of atopic dermatitis.AJMC. 2017;23.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Eczema (atopic dermatitis) overview.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Chovatiya R.Atopic dermatitis (eczema).JAMA. 2023;329(3):268. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.21457Facheris P, Jeffery J, Del Duca E, Guttman-Yassky E.The translational revolution in atopic dermatitis: the paradigm shift from pathogenesis to treatment.Cell Mol Immunol. 2023;20(5):448-474. doi:10.1038/s41423-023-00992-4Kapur S, Watson W, Carr S.Atopic dermatitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018;14(S2):52. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0281-6Frazier W, Bhardwaj N.Atopic dermatitis: diagnosis and treatment.AFP. 2020;101(10):590-598.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis.Kaufman BP, Guttman‐Yassky E, Alexis AF.Atopic dermatitis in diverse racial and ethnic groups—variations in epidemiology, genetics, clinical presentation and treatment.Experimental Dermatology. 2018;27(4):340-357. doi:10.1111/exd.13514American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis causes.MedlinePlus.Atopic dermatitis.American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis symptoms.Avena-Woods C.Overview of atopic dermatitis.AJMC. 2017;23.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Eczema (atopic dermatitis) overview.
Chovatiya R.Atopic dermatitis (eczema).JAMA. 2023;329(3):268. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.21457
Facheris P, Jeffery J, Del Duca E, Guttman-Yassky E.The translational revolution in atopic dermatitis: the paradigm shift from pathogenesis to treatment.Cell Mol Immunol. 2023;20(5):448-474. doi:10.1038/s41423-023-00992-4
Kapur S, Watson W, Carr S.Atopic dermatitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018;14(S2):52. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0281-6
Frazier W, Bhardwaj N.Atopic dermatitis: diagnosis and treatment.AFP. 2020;101(10):590-598.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis.
Kaufman BP, Guttman‐Yassky E, Alexis AF.Atopic dermatitis in diverse racial and ethnic groups—variations in epidemiology, genetics, clinical presentation and treatment.Experimental Dermatology. 2018;27(4):340-357. doi:10.1111/exd.13514
American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis causes.
MedlinePlus.Atopic dermatitis.
American Academy of Dermatology.Eczema types: atopic dermatitis symptoms.
Avena-Woods C.Overview of atopic dermatitis.AJMC. 2017;23.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Eczema (atopic dermatitis) overview.
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