Skin Facts

What is Eczema ?

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a recurring, non-infectious, inflammatory skin condition affecting up to one in three people at some stage throughout their lives. The condition is most common in people with a family history of an atopic disorder, including asthma or hay fever.

Atopic eczema is the most common form of the disease. The skin becomes red, dry, itchy and scaly, and in severe cases, may weep, bleed and crust over, causing the sufferer much discomfort. Sometimes the skin may become infected. The condition can also flare and subside for no apparent reason.

Although eczema affects all ages, it usually appears in early childhood (in babies between two-to-six months of age) and disappears around six years of age. In fact, more than half of all eczema sufferers show signs within their first 12 months of life and 90 per cent of people develop eczema before the age of five.

Although most children grow out of the condition, a small percentage may experience severe eczema into adulthood. The condition can not only afflict the individual sufferer, but also their family, friends and health practitioners.

Symptoms of Eczema.

• Moderate-to-severely itching skin (this symptom separates eczema from other skin rashes).
• Recurring rash - dry, red, patchy or cracked skin. (In infants and toddlers, the rash usually appears on the face, elbows or knees. In older children and adults, the rash appears less often on the face, and more commonly on the hands, neck, inner elbows, backs of the knees and ankles).
• Skin weeping watery fluid.
• Rough, "leathery," thick skin.
• Lesions which may be infected by bacteria or viruses.

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What is Psoriasis ?

Psoriasis is a relatively common skin disease affecting 1% to 2% of the population. The main feature of psoriasis is a red scaly area or patch. The patches appear particularly on the knees, elbows and scalp and sometimes on other parts of the trunk, and legs. Psoriasis affects both sexes and all races. It can occur at any stage of life although it starts most frequently in young adults.

Psoriasis only rarely affects general health apart from arthritis. Itching is usually mild. Once the problem starts, it usually continues although it may get better or worse over time and even seem to disappear for prolonged periods.

Although no one single cause for psoriasis has been found, it is known that factors inherited from ones parents are important. An abnormal immune response to some part of the skin is now thought to be central. Involved skin is replaced much more rapidly, and has a more vigorous blood supply. This can lead to redness, scaling, thickening and itching of involved areas of skin.

In a person pre-disposed to get psoriasis, psoriasis can be brought out by emotional stress, scratching, rubbing, injury, certain medications and some infections. All of these factors can also aggravate existing psoriasis.

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= Weight: 4 kg. (8 3/4 lbs) - around 7% of total body weight.

= Thickness: 1.5 - 4 mm (1/18 - 1/8 in.).

= 1 sq. cm. (3/20 sq.in.) of skin contains 70cm (28 in.) of blood vessels, 55cm (22 in.) of nerves, 100 sweat glands, 15 oil glands, 230 sensory receptors and 500 cells.

= The average person sheds 18 kg. (391/2 lbs.) of skin cells in a lifetime.

= The skin contains 5% of the body's blood supply.

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