• Patches of affected skin are dry, scaly, red and itchy. Fluid-filled blisters may also be present.
• Skin may crack and weep, especially if it is scratched. This makes the affected area susceptible to infection.
• Symptoms are changeable, and may improve or worsen on a daily basis.
• In babies, the rash tends to occur on the face and the backs of the arms and legs. In childhood and adulthood, it usually occurs in the folds of the elbows, knees and ankles, and sometimes on the face, neck and head. 
• Symptoms tend to decline with age, and many people are only affected in infancy and/or childhood. In adults, symptoms tend to decline during middle age. It is rare for elderly people to be affected.
• There is a strong association between atopic eczema and other allergic conditions, and it is common for sufferers and/or members of their immediate family to also experience hay fever, asthma and/or food allergies. Even if these issues do not occur in childhood, they may develop later in life .
  

Atopic eczema is caused by a skin dysfunction in which the skin barrier is unable to be repaired properly when it is damaged. It is a genetic problem, which results in the skin of susceptible people having a lower than optimal content of water and oil . Consequently it becomes dry, scaly and easily irritated.

Since the skin barrier doesn’t operate effectively, allergens are able to penetrate the skin surface and trigger the immune system, making the affected skin red and itchy. Scratching exacerbates the situation and increases the inflammation, and may also allow infection to occur. The infectious organism involved is usually Staphylococcus aureus.

Contributing factors may include:

• Allowing the skin to become dry.
• Inhaling environmental allergens, such as dust mites, grass pollens and pet hair. (Dust mite allergy is common in people with eczema, and even if they are not allergic to dust mites when they initially develop eczema, many sufferers become allergic to them later).
• Contact with substances that irritate the skin, including perfume, and synthetic or woollen fabrics.
• Food allergies don’t cause eczema, but may trigger or aggravate it, especially in children. Foods that are most likely to be involved include dairy products, soy protein, seafood, nuts and seeds, eggs, and wheat. In many cases, the allergies resolve during early childhood.
• Becoming over-heated.
• Abrupt changes in temperature or humidity.
• Stress, which may trigger or aggravate eczema.

• Dermatitis may be caused in part by an imbalance in the body’s ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and in particular by relatively low levels of the omega-6 fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). The issue may be related to a reduced ability to convert linoleic acid into GLA. Evening primrose oil is a rich source of GLA, and taking evening primrose oil supplements may help to correct the low levels of GLA that have been documented in adults and children with atopic eczema and dermatitis.
• The omega-3 fats found in fish oil have anti-inflammatory actions in the body, and may help to relieve inflammatory disorders such as eczema and dermatitis.
• Zinc levels tend to be low in people with atopic eczema. Zinc is involved in essential fatty acid metabolism, and taking zinc supplements may help to relieve minor skin disorders such as dermatitis.
• Taking probiotic supplements may decrease the severity of atopic dermatitis in children. Similarly, when a family history of allergies is present, women may be able to decrease their baby’s risk of developing the condition by taking probiotic supplements during the late stages of pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The probiotic strains used in this research include Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. 
• Taking a combination of B-group vitamins, vitamin C and relaxing herbs may be beneficial during times of ongoing stress.