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WHAT IS DERMATITIS?

Dermatis is an inflammation of the skin. Depending on the type of dermatitis, areas of skin may become red and itchy with some acute attacks causing crusty scales or blisters that ooze fluid.

Dry, reddish, itchy skin indicates some kind of dermatitis, or skin inflammation, of which there are many types: for example, contact dematitis, which is a reaction against an irritant.

Symptoms may include: 

  • Red, itchy, circular patches of weeping, scaly, or encrusted skin suggest nummular dermatitis, common in older people who have dry skin or live in dry environments.
  • Greasy, yellowish scales on the scalp and eyebrows, behind the ears, and around the nose indicate seborrhoeic dermatitis; in infants it is called cradle cap.
  • Scaling, sometimes ulcerated skin appearing inside the lower legs and around the ankles, may indicate stasis dermatitis.
  • Extreme, persistent itchiness may signal atopic dermatitis (atopic eczema). Very often, however, itchiness results simply from dry skin.

Source: WebMD

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