What is Eczema

ECZEMA Meaning

Eczema is a skin condition in which the skin becomes itchy, red, dry and cracked. It's most common in children but can occur at any age. The most common type of eczema, which can also be severe and long-lasting, is atopic dermatitis (AD).  The other types of eczema are contact dermatitis (inflamed, itchy and red skin due to irritating substances or allergens), dyshidrotic eczema (small, itchy blisters on the edges of the fingers, toes, palms, and soles of the feet), hand eczema (irritant contact dermatitis on the fingers and spaces in between them), neurodermatitis or lichen simplex chronicus (thick, scaly patches on skin as a result of too much rubbing and scratching), seborrheic dermatitis (redness, itching, and dry, flaky skin localized mainly on the areas of skin that are rich in sebaceous glands), nummular eczema or discoid eczema (very itchy coin-shaped spots on skin), stasis dermatitis or venous stasis dermatitis (happens when there is a problem with blood flow in the veins and pressure develops).^1,2,3

In Ayurveda, the various skin disorders are detailed under the heading of Kushta. Vicharchika is specially mentioned under the heading of Kshudra Kushta (minor skin diseases) in Ayurvedic classics and it is similar to disease eczema in modern medical science.⁴