Eczemas

Eczema is a common final cutaneous reaction to a variety of environmental insults to the skin. The patient's iminunoregulatory system may be normal as in classic delayed-type hypersensitivity or dysfunctional as in atopic dermatitis. A more complete understanding of etiologic agents (i.e., Pityrosporum ovale in seborrheic dermatitis and flbrin leak as a result of venous hypertension in stasis dermatitis) has led to improved treatments for these diseases. Likewise, explanation of the abnormal immune response in atopic dermatitis has resulted in new approaches to therapy. Here we review the “state of eczema.”