Also called dermatitis, eczema is a noncontagious skin inflammation that produces itchy, red, rashlike areas. These occur on the face, scalp, wrists, and hands, as well as at the crease of the elbows, in back of the knees and sometimes elsewhere on the body. The word eczema means "boiled" in Greek, because in its early stages, the skin does indeed have a bubbly appearance. Eczema can spread or worsen if you scratch the affected areas. And persistent scratching or rubbing can bring on chronic eczema, with its distinctive dark, thickened, scaly red patches.

Most causes of eczema is unknown. Food allergies play a large part in most instances. Frequently eggs, wheat cereals, milk and certain fruits or berries. Lack of sunshine, fresh air, and constipation may be contributing factors.

There are different types of eczema, some classified by causes, others by specific symptoms. Atopic dermatitis is marked by a hypersensitivity, or allergy, to a food, inhalant, or other common substance that doesn't bother most people. It tends to be genetically linked, affecting individuals with a family history of hay fever, asthma, or eczema. Flaking and scaling on the face and scalp are typical of seborrheic dermatitis, while contact dermatitis produces an acute local rash after someone sensitive to it comes in contact with an irritant (say, the nickel in jewelry or the oil on a poison ivy leaf).

Many cases of eczema respond to soothing moisturizers and various nutrients, but sometimes secondary bacterial infections can invade the irritated skin, and these may have to be treated with prescription antibiotics. A separate type of eczema, stasis dermatitis, affects the lower legs and ankles and is associated with insufficient circulation of blood in those areas.

Size: 4.25 oz.

Ingredients: Sweet Almond Oil, Nigella sativa oil (black Seed oil), Flax seed Oil, Calendula, Witch hazel, Oatmeal Powder, Vitamin E.