Who Gets Atopic Dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is most common in babies and children. But it can happen to anyone. People who live in cities and dry climates may be more likely to get this disease. When children with atopic dermatitis grow older, this problem can improve or go away. But the skin may stay dry and easy to irritate. At other times, atopic dermatitis is a problem in adulthood. You can’t “catch” the disease or give it to other people. Other Types of Skin Problems Atopic dermatitis is often called eczema. “Eczema” is a term for many kinds of skin problems. Atopic dermatitis is the most common kind of eczema. Other types include: Allergic contact eczema. The skin gets red, itchy, and weepy because it touches something that the immune system knows is foreign, like poison ivy. Contact eczema. The skin has redness, itching, and burning in one spot because it has touched something allergy-causing, like an acid, cleaner, or other chemical. Dyshidrotic eczema. The skin on the palms of hands and soles of the fe
