About Eczema | What is Eczema?

Eczema (from the Greek word meaning "to break out or erupt") or atopic dermatitis (AD) follows no format or formula. More baby boys than girls get these red patches, a statistic that reverses in later childhood. Atopic dermatitis can appear at any age, although it's most prevalent in babies and children. It can affect any area of the body but usually starts on the face or over elbows and knees in babies. About 85 percent of infant eczema cases clear up spontaneously during childhood.

Adults are more likely to find patches on the arms, legs, feet, and scalp, behind the ears, and especially on the hands.

If eczema is confirmed, your doctor may suggest an OTC topical corticoid ointment, or a stronger, prescription cortico­steroid (CCS) cream. These are potent drugs; 1.4 percent of pa­tients become allergic to the creams and ointments themselves.

A strange case came to light in July 1999, when the French newspaper Le Monde reported that traces of corticosteroid had been found in the urine of cycling champion Lance Armstrong. Many people immediately assumed that Armstrong was puff­ing himself up on steroids, but it turned out that he had used a prescription cortisone cream to treat a skin allergy and that's how tiny traces of corticosteroids had found their way into his urine. (Sport champs, beware!)

If you're using a cortisone cream on your skin, follow in­structions: apply sparingly, rub in well, and don't use medica­tion prescribed for one rash on the next skin irritation. Short-term use should cause no problems, but long-term use of topical steroids can cause thinning of the skin and easy bruising.