Eczema
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a common chronic condition that makes skin dry, itchy, and inflamed, with flares that come and go. It often starts in childhood, and many kids improve over time, but it also affects teens and adults. There is no cure, yet daily moisturizing, gentle skin care, and treatments for flares keep most cases well controlled.
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What is eczema?
Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a common, long-term skin condition that makes the skin dry, itchy, and inflamed. It tends to come in flares, periods when symptoms worsen, separated by calmer stretches. Eczema is most common in babies and children, and many improve as they grow, but it can continue into adulthood or start later in life. It is not contagious, and it often runs in families alongside asthma and hay fever. While there is no cure, eczema can usually be well controlled with the right daily care.
What are the symptoms of eczema?
The hallmark of eczema is itchy, dry skin, and the itch can be intense, often worse at night. Common signs include:
- Dry, sensitive skin that may look red, brown, or grayish depending on skin tone
- Intense itching that can disrupt sleep
- Patches of inflamed skin that may ooze or crust during a flare
- Thickened, leathery skin from long-term scratching
- Skin that flares and calms in cycles
Scratching makes eczema worse and can break the skin, so easing the itch is a key part of care. Where the patches appear tends to change with age.
Where does eczema appear at different ages?
Eczema can look different and show up in different places depending on age:
| Age group | Where it usually appears | What it often looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Babies | Cheeks, scalp, and the outer arms and legs | Red, weepy, or crusted patches |
| Children | Creases of the elbows and knees, plus the neck, wrists, and ankles | Dry, scaly, itchy patches; skin may thicken |
| Teens and adults | Hands, eyelids, neck, and skin folds | Dry, thickened, intensely itchy patches |
These patterns are typical but not absolute, and many people have eczema in more than one area.
What causes eczema and what triggers it?
Eczema comes from a mix of factors including genetic tendencies. Many people with eczema have a skin barrier that does not hold moisture well and an immune system that overreacts, which leaves skin dry and prone to inflammation. It is not caused by poor hygiene and is not contagious. Flares are often set off by triggers, which vary from person to person but commonly include:
- Dry skin and cold, dry weather, or heat and sweating
- Irritants like fragranced soaps, detergents, and rough fabrics such as wool
- Allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, or pollen
- Stress, and skin infections
Learning your or your child’s triggers and reducing them is an important part of keeping eczema calm.
When should I worry about an eczema flare?
Most eczema is managed at home and with routine visits. Sometimes eczema-damaged skin gets infected, and that needs prompt attention. If you notice any of the signs below, call your primary care team. They treat most eczema infections and can usually get you a same-day or next-day appointment.
Call your primary care team promptly, the same day when you can, if you or your child have:
- Widespread painful blisters or punched-out sores, especially with fever and feeling unwell (this can be a serious herpes infection of eczema skin called eczema herpeticum)
- Eczema that is increasingly red, warm, swollen, oozing, or crusted with yellow or honey-colored scabs, with or without fever (signs of a skin infection)
- A child who is very unwell, feverish, or whose rash is spreading quickly
Eczema herpeticum is rare, but it needs same-day care. Bacterial skin infections also need prompt treatment, often with antibiotics. When you are not sure, it is safer to be seen. Call your primary care team first. For these signs they can usually get you in quickly, often the same day, and start the right treatment.
How is eczema diagnosed?
Eczema is usually diagnosed by a provider based on the appearance of the skin, the pattern of where it occurs, the itch, and a personal or family history of eczema, asthma, or allergies. There is no single test for it. Sometimes allergy testing is considered if specific triggers are suspected, and an allergist can help identify them. For difficult or unclear cases, a dermatologist can confirm the diagnosis and rule out other skin conditions. For most people, the diagnosis is straightforward and the focus moves quickly to managing it.
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How is eczema treated and managed?
There is no cure for eczema, but a consistent routine keeps most cases well controlled. Treatment focuses on repairing and protecting the skin barrier, calming flares, and avoiding triggers:
- Daily moisturizing with a fragrance-free cream or ointment, the cornerstone of eczema care, applied generously and often, especially right after bathing
- Gentle skin care: short, lukewarm baths or showers, mild fragrance-free cleansers, and patting skin dry before moisturizing
- Topical medications for flares, such as prescription corticosteroid creams or non-steroid options, used as directed to calm inflammation
- Managing the itch, including measures to protect sleep, since scratching worsens eczema
- Identifying and reducing personal triggers
For moderate to severe eczema that does not respond to these steps, a dermatologist can offer additional options, including phototherapy (light treatment) and newer systemic medicines such as biologic injections, which are now available for both children and adults. The right plan depends on age, severity, and how much eczema affects daily life.
How does eczema care differ for children and adults?
The principles are the same at every age, but the day-to-day differs. For children, a parent or caregiver usually leads the routine: daily moisturizing, gentle bathing, keeping nails short, managing nighttime itch, and working with the pediatrician on a flare plan, with reassurance that many children improve over time. For adults, eczema often appears on the hands, eyelids, or skin folds, can be tied to work or frequent hand-washing, and sometimes begins in adulthood; care centers on the same skin-barrier routine plus identifying workplace or lifestyle triggers, with a primary care provider or dermatologist guiding treatment and any step up to systemic options.
Who treats eczema, and where can I get care?
Eczema is treated by several types of providers, and where to start depends on age and severity. For children, a pediatrician is the right first stop to diagnose eczema, set up a skin-care and flare plan, and guide families. For teens and adults, a primary care provider in internal medicine or family medicine can do the same. If an allergy seems to be triggering flares, an allergist can test for specific triggers like foods, dust mites, or pet dander and help you manage them. For eczema that is moderate to severe, hard to control, or unclear, a dermatologist offers specialized care, including advanced and systemic treatments, for all ages.
Some flares need same-day attention rather than a routine visit, like skin that looks infected (increasingly red, warm, oozing, or crusted) or widespread painful blisters with fever. For these, call your primary care team, since they handle most skin infections and can get you in quickly. Most of the time, though, eczema is managed with routine visits and a consistent home routine.
At Duly Health and Care, pediatrics, internal medicine and family medicine, dermatology, and allergy work together across the Chicago suburbs, so children and adults can move easily from a primary care visit to specialized care when eczema needs more. That coordination matters for a long-term condition like eczema, where steady management prevents most flares and quick access helps when one gets out of hand. If you are unsure where to begin, a pediatrician for children, or a primary care provider for adults, is the right starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Will my child outgrow eczema?
Many children do improve as they get older. Eczema often begins in infancy or early childhood, and a good portion of kids see it become milder or clear by the teenage years, though it can return later or persist. Even when eczema continues, a consistent daily skin-care routine keeps most cases well controlled. There is no way to predict for certain, but staying on top of moisturizing and triggers gives the best chance of fewer and milder flares.
Is eczema contagious?
No. Eczema is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person through touch or contact. It comes from a mix of genetics and an overactive skin and immune response, not from an infection. The exception to keep in mind is that eczema-damaged skin can become infected with bacteria or viruses, and those infections can sometimes spread, which is why an infected-looking flare should be seen promptly. The eczema itself, though, is not catching.
What is the best way to manage eczema day to day?
The foundation is moisturizing, applying a fragrance-free cream or ointment generously and often, especially right after a lukewarm bath or shower while skin is still damp. Beyond that, use gentle, fragrance-free cleansers, avoid known irritants and triggers, keep nails short to limit scratch damage, and treat flares early with the topical medication your provider recommends. Consistency matters more than any single product; a steady routine prevents most flares.
Can adults get eczema, or only children?
Adults get eczema too. While it most often starts in childhood, eczema can persist into adulthood, return after years of being clear, or appear for the first time as an adult. In adults, it frequently affects the hands, eyelids, and skin folds, and can be linked to work, frequent hand-washing, or specific triggers. The management is the same skin-barrier routine, with a primary care provider or dermatologist guiding treatment, including newer options for more severe cases.
Where can I get eczema care in Chicagoland?
Duly Health and Care offers pediatric, primary care, and dermatology care for eczema across the Chicago suburbs. Children can start with a pediatrician and adults with an internal medicine or family medicine provider, with dermatology available for moderate to severe or hard-to-control eczema, for all ages. You can book a visit online, and for a flare that looks infected, please reach out to your primary care team.
Eczema Care at Duly Health and Care
Eczema can be frustrating and uncomfortable for children and adults alike, but with the right routine and support, most people keep it well controlled and live comfortably. Duly Health and Care brings together pediatrics, primary care, allergy, and dermatology across the Chicago suburbs to diagnose eczema, build a daily plan that fits your or your child’s skin, and step up to specialized treatment when flares need more. Whether eczema is new, lifelong, or somewhere in between, the team helps keep skin calm and itch under control.
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Medically reviewed by Duly Health and Care pediatrician, Allison Croucher, DO — Last reviewed June 2026
