Neurodermatitis (Neurodermatitis is understood as a chronic skin)

Neurodermatitis is understood as a chronic skin disease from the atopic group (skin diseases associated with allergies). Neurodermatitis manifests in dry skin, itching, and a predisposition to eczema. The onset of the disease is usually recorded at the age of 3 years, but even newborns can be susceptible. The local placement of eczema changes depending on age. The causes of the disease are not yet fully known, but the genetic factor and additional triggers (allergies, stress, dry air in heated rooms) play a huge role. Therefore, it is very important to avoid individual provoking factors and consistently care for the skin to avoid skin dryness and itching. Usually, with increasing age, a general improvement in the condition of the disease is recorded in patients.

Causes

As stated above, the occurrence of the disease has not been fully clarified. It is precisely known that this is the result of the coincidence of many factors and inherited predispositions. In any case, the consequence is hypofunction of the sebaceous and sweat glands, which, through a still incomprehensible intermediate stage, flows into an allergic skin reaction, explaining the intense itching.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on the age of the patient, but severe itching and dry skin and hair are diagnosed at any age.

Worsening of the disease may follow mental stress, from cold water or excessively heated rooms, from certain detergents, materials, primarily wool, and certain foods, for example, nuts, milk, etc. Significant improvement is observed with a change in climate, for example, to a mountain climate, especially at altitudes above 1500 m, and a marine climate.

Age-related symptoms

Infancy: begins on the cheeks and scalp, then transitions to the entire face, torso, primarily in the diaper area and the inner sides of the limbs. First, redness with vesicles and papules appears, and from scratching, there is a transition to inflammatory-weeping or crusted skin symptoms, externally resembling burnt milk ("milk crust"). A high predisposition to secondary bacterial infection is created.

Childhood, youth: rashes on the elbows and popliteal cavities, the back of the neck, the lower part of the feet and hands with subacute chronic skin symptoms such as inflammatory redness, papules, itching with crust formation.

Adults: the same as in youth, but with additional rashes on the face and upper torso. Loss of eyebrows, double fold under the lower eyelid, cracked corners of the mouth, dry lips and cracks at the base of the earlobe, fragmentation of the skin, primarily on the hands, reduced sweating, tendency to dandruff, corneal deformation, and clouding of the eye lens.