The Burning Body - An Article On Eczema
- medyouthalliance
- Nov 28
- 4 min read
Written By Dilmi Bodha-Hennadige
Med Youth Alliance | November 2025
What is eczema?
Eczema is a skin condition found under the umbrella term of 'Dermatitis', since it's specifically called Atopic Dermatitis. It is quite common, affecting 1 in 5 children and 1 in 10 adults in the UK alone. It isn't at all contagious, but the effects of eczema are often seen at a young age; some children appear to 'outgrow' it.
Where does the word itself originate from?
The term Eczema comes from the Greek word 'ekzein', meaning 'to boil', which correlates to the sensation of the skin when the skin is constantly irritated and itchy.
What are the common symptoms / effects of eczema?
Extremely dry and scaly skin
Red, very dark patches
Cracking, flaking skin
Swelling and rashes
Bleeding or weeping skin
A burning or stinging sensation
The urge to itch your skin constantly
What types of eczema are there?
1) Atopic Eczema = The tendency to develop eczema along with asthma and hay fever.
2) Contact Eczema = Happens because of irritants and allergens in your surroundings.
3) Asteatotic Eczema = Extremely rough, scaly skin found on older people.
5) Pompholyx Eczema = When itchy blisters sprout on the skin and are easily susceptible to infection and inflammation.
6) Seborrhoeic Eczema = Scaly rashes that affect the scalp and face because of the number of sebaceous glands in these areas of skin.
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[There are many more types, and they affect all parts of the body, but these are the most commonly found.]
What is the biology behind eczema?
Our skin acts as a barrier against infection and damage, and it contains fats and oils to keep the moisture in, disinfect pathogens that try to enter the body and maintain normal body temperature. The cells in the skin are filled with water, and the oils also keep this water contained so that it cannot escape.
For a person who has eczema, their skin produces less of these useful fats and oils, which in turn means that less water will be retained in the skin cells. Since the barrier isn't as efficient, there are gaps between cells, and moisture is lost. Using the body washes and soaps that we use, their skin would break down easily, and crack with that same inflaming sensation, like their whole body is burning.
What are some triggers for eczema flare-ups?
Eczema flare-ups are when someone's eczema gets particularly worse in one area of the skin after a period of calm skin. Different factors in the environment can usually trigger on a flare-up. Firstly, allergens in the environment can worsen eczema when a person is in contact with them. This is especially the case for eggs, nuts, milk, dust mites, pollen, soaps and makeup, because many patients share these allergens. Polyester, nylon and even wool clothing cause irritation and intense itching, so people opt for cotton and silk so that their skin can 'breathe' easily. Dust mites you find in your home, pets, mould spores from steamy bathrooms, grass and pollen can all trigger a flare-up. Additionally, since eczema can feel like your body is on fire, a lot of extra heat added onto that causes major discomfort and scaly, bleeding skin.
What are the treatments in place?
There is no defined cure for eczema. Some people outgrow their eczema and allergies, and for some, the condition sticks around for years into adulthood. This is up to your genes, your immune system and the environment around you. Here are some treatments put in place to ease the irritation and urge to itch:
1) Ointments, creams and gels = emollients that soothe the skin by drawing out water onto the skin barrier and repairing it; these usually contain steroids, so must be used with caution, or there will be side effects.
2) Wet wraps = warm, damp bandages rolled over the emollients that were already put onto the skin to cool the skin.
3) Paste bandages = bandages with ingredients injected in them to calm irritation .
4) Topical steroids = synthetically produced hormones that reduce inflammation and increases healing of the skin by making it less itchy and hot.
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[There are more types of treatments, but they are very uncommon and don't work as well to provide that relief like the 4 above can.]
Why did I pick this condition?
I chose eczema as my topic for this month's blog because of my younger sister. She was born with a bright red patch on her forehead, which scared my mother half to death. She was diagnosed with atopic eczema in just a few days, and the doctors explained that this is very common, and is nothing to worry about. That didn't stop her condition from changing her whole life, and changing ours. She was constantly in and out of the hospital, being tested for the allergens that would trigger her flare-ups. She really caught every Pokemon she could, because as of now, she has around 9 allergies, with eggs being the most severe, which is understandable due to the type of eczema she has. She'd keep me awake with the loud scratches of her nails dragging down scabs and bleeding skin, and doctors just told her to 'rub instead of scratch', which was almost impossible to do.
At 13-years-old, she still hasn't outgrown her condition, and she's still petrified of trying new food if I haven't first tried it myself because of her severe allergic reactions in the past. She tries to cover up her patches, but that sort of heat just irritates her more. Only a few months ago, she was additionally diagnosed with seborrheic eczema, which means she now can't even use her favourite shampoo anymore. Her eczema isn't just dry skin, it's shaped out her entire life into a game of caution and resistance, and I can't begin to imagine how it must feel like to be her, lathering lotions on all day and sitting in front of the fan, even on the coldest of days.
This is why raising awareness for the integumentary system and its conditions is crucial, so that people like my sister don't feel ashamed and disadvantaged by their skin. Eczema has no cure so those who have to fight it everyday hold a testimony for strength, as they live among us with a burning body.
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