Is eczema contagious?
No! Eczema is an atopic (allergic) condition that runs in families and primarily affects babies and children. It is not possible for anyone to “catch” eczema.
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Atopy versus eczema : what is the difference?
Atopy is a condition and eczema is a symptom. Atopy is a genetic condition with a number of symptoms that presents in the form of redness which is called atopic eczema. Eczema is an inflammatory skin disease that presents itself in the form of redness scaly skin and severe itching. This itching frequently affects the patient’s quality of life. There are two kinds of eczema: atopic eczema, which may be called genetic eczema and allergic eczema, which is a type of contact dermatitis caused by prolonged and repeated contact with a potentially allergenic substance over months or years. Applying this allergen leads to the development of eczema. Atopic eczema generally improves with time and it is estimated that three quarters of eczemas will have disappeared by adolescence.
If not correctly treated, sensitive skin is 2 to 5 times more likely to develop medically diagnosed skin allergies*.
* Source: FARAGE 2008 British Association of Dermatologists. British Journal of Dermatology 2008 159, pp231–266
Safety standards beyond international cosmetics regulations.