Is eczema contagious?

Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
Updated on September 05, 2024
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Infectious diseases are communicable diseases caused by the infection of pathogenic microorganisms or parasites, whereas eczema is an allergic reaction of the body itself and thus is not contagious. In daily life, whether it is through conversation, sharing utensils or bath items, or even direct contact with the rash of an affected individual, transmission does not occur, and family members of the patient do not need to take any protective measures. If you are around someone with eczema, there is no need for caution or discrimination, which is completely unnecessary. Some might worry whether scrotal eczema can be transmitted sexually. Sexually transmitted diseases are primarily transmitted through sexual contact or activities similar to sexual behaviors, while scrotal eczema is a common inflammatory reaction of the scrotal skin, triggered by a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction due to both internal and external factors, and it is not contagious. Therefore, scrotal eczema is not a sexually transmitted disease.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
1min 13sec home-news-image

How to treat infant eczema?

Infant eczema is a common skin problem in infants and toddlers, also known as atopic dermatitis. The first thing to pay attention to when a child has eczema is to moisturize the affected skin. Eczema is caused by dry skin, so moisturizing is particularly important. On top of moisturizing, under the guidance of a doctor at the hospital, we can use some mild corticosteroid creams. Through such measures, eczema can generally be well controlled. However, the biggest characteristic of eczema is that it is particularly prone to recurrence, so for children, we must treat it through diet and allergens. For children who drink formula, depending on the severity of the eczema, the child should be fed amino acid formula or hydrolyzed protein formula. For breastfed children, the diet of the nursing mother needs to be controlled – beef, lamb, nuts, seafood, and foods containing distiller's grains should be avoided. (The use of medications should be conducted under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by He Da Wei
Dermatology
1min 57sec home-news-image

Symptoms of eczema

Eczema is an intensely itchy skin inflammation reaction caused by various internal and external factors. It is categorized into three phases: acute, subacute, and chronic. 1. Acute eczema: Initially, the skin lesions appear as numerous, densely packed millet-sized papules, vesicopapules, or small vesicles with a reddish base that gradually merge into patches. Due to scratching, the tops of the papules, vesicopapules, or vesicles break open, leading to distinctive punctate exudation and minor erosion with unclear margins. If secondary infection occurs, the inflammation becomes more pronounced, possibly forming pustules, crusts, folliculitis, and boils. There is severe itching. Commonly affected areas include the head, face, behind the ears, extremities, scrotum, and perianal region, often symmetrically distributed. 2. Subacute eczema: Following the reduction of acute eczema inflammation, skin lesions primarily consist of small papules, crusts, and scales, with only a few vesicopapules and erosions, yet intense itching persists. 3. Chronic eczema: Often, chronic eczema results from reoccurring episodes of acute and subacute eczema that do not resolve, or it may start as chronic eczema. Characteristics include thickened, infiltrated skin at the affected sites, which tend to be brownish-red or have pigmentation, a rough surface covered with scales, or crusting caused by scratching. There is severe itching. Common sites include the lower legs, hands, feet, elbows, knees, genitals, and anus. The duration of the disease is variable, it is prone to relapse, and is often long-lasting without resolution.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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Can eczema spread?

Generally, based on the distribution characteristics of eczema rashes, we can divide it into localized eczema and generalized eczema. Localized eczema occurs in specific areas, such as the hands, ears, vulva, perianal area, breasts, elbow pits, popliteal fossae, and lower legs. These eczema cases generally do not spread but are relatively fixed. Generalized eczema, however, can be locally scattered or spread throughout the body. When care is improper, due to excessive scratching, scalding with hot water, failure to treat promptly or incorrectly, excessive use of steroids, or if it is accompanied by other internal diseases (such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, etc.) that are not well controlled, then the range of the eczema rashes might spread throughout the body.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Eczema is caused by what?

The causes of eczema are relatively complex, often resulting from the interaction of internal and external factors. Internal causes mainly include certain gastrointestinal diseases, insomnia, fatigue, emotional stress, and also include infections, metabolic disorders, and endocrine imbalances. External causes, for example, include food, living environment, and climate changes, all of which can lead to eczema. Additionally, external stimuli such as cold, heat, hot water scalding, cosmetics, and synthetic fibers can also trigger eczema.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
1min 7sec home-news-image

Is eczema contagious?

Infectious diseases are communicable diseases caused by the infection of pathogenic microorganisms or parasites, whereas eczema is an allergic reaction of the body itself and thus is not contagious. In daily life, whether it is through conversation, sharing utensils or bath items, or even direct contact with the rash of an affected individual, transmission does not occur, and family members of the patient do not need to take any protective measures. If you are around someone with eczema, there is no need for caution or discrimination, which is completely unnecessary. Some might worry whether scrotal eczema can be transmitted sexually. Sexually transmitted diseases are primarily transmitted through sexual contact or activities similar to sexual behaviors, while scrotal eczema is a common inflammatory reaction of the scrotal skin, triggered by a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction due to both internal and external factors, and it is not contagious. Therefore, scrotal eczema is not a sexually transmitted disease.