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How to Tell the Difference Between Dermatitis and Eczema

These days, it sometimes feels as if eczema is just as ubiquitous as acne. (For the record, it’s not: An estimated 60 million Americans have active acne, while eczema affects an estimated 32 million people). Regardless, it’s a very common condition that, akin to acne, can impact people’s lives both physically and emotionally. Despite being so widespread, though, there’s still so much we don’t know about the condition. For instance, many people are unaware that eczema is actually an umbrella term — as is dermatitis — used to describe a gamut of skin inflammations. They are commonly confused and thought of as two totally different afflictions.

To set the record straight once and for all, we tapped a few trusted dermatologists to get the facts. Keep scrolling for answers.

So eczema and dermatitis are the same?

More or less. The two conditions are often used interchangeably by dermatologists when speaking about a variety of skin rashes and irritations. “Eczema and dermatitis are generic terms used to indiscriminately describe many types of skin inflammation,” says New York City-based dermatologist Neil Sadick, who adds that the most common types we encounter are contact, seborrheic, and atopic dermatitis. “Often, atopic dermatitis is considered a severe form of eczema,” says Sadick. According to Sejal Shah, dermatologist and founder of Smarter Skin Dermatology, most people don’t realize that both terms are generic (similar to alopecia), but that the specific types can have different causes and locations.

How can you differentiate the two?

Sure, eczema and dermatitis refer to the same types of skin conditions, but just like with the different forms of acne, there are discrepancies among them. “Different types of dermatitis have different causes and appear in different locations of the body,” says Sadick. “For example, atopic dermatitis is a chronic condition that begins at infancy, which usually affects the elbows, knees, and neck, and is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.”

 

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