Have you ever heard of eczema? Eczema is a skin condition that occurs in a variety of forms. What all these forms have in common, however, is the most problematic symptom: itchiness. The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis. It affects somewhere between 10% and 20% of all children and infants. And the National Institute of Health estimates that about 15 million people in the U.S. have symptoms of atopic dermatitis. That’s a whole lot of scratching going on!

It seems like anyone can get atopic dermatitis. The majority of cases start before a child’s fifth birthday, but sometimes people develop symptoms as adults. And it affects both men and women. The strange thing about who gets this disease? Doctors and scientists have linked AD with developed countries and especially with urban areas. Locations with low-humidity environments also tend to have more AD sufferers.

So what’s the good news? In the case of many infants and children, the symptoms may go away permanently or at least until puberty. Plus there are many ways to treat eczema, including simple changes in your lifestyle. And finally, eczema is NOT contagious (so if your friend has it, don’t worry about spending time together!!)

Do you think you or someone you know has eczema? Read on to learn what the symptoms and treatment are for this disease!