How does Exzema develop?

Although a lot of stigma is attached to skin diseases, Exzema is not a contagious disease. Still people who develop exzema may feel very socially conscious since the rash is so clearly visible to outsiders. The visible symptoms of exzema cause loss of self-esteem and confidence in some people.

Our skin is a complex organ just like the liver, lungs, heart and stomach. Just like there are many factors that affect the functioning of these organs, the skin too reacts to a variety of external substances. The skin has a very intricate and complex structure and is made of a number of different kinds of cells. The skin has three basic layers; Epidermis (the outermost layer), Dermis (the middle layer) and Subcutaneous tissue (deep layer)

Each layer of the skin shows a unique response to any agent that causes irritation. The usual cause of exzema may be a chemical, pollutant or a metal. The most common response to an irritant is the inflammation of the skin cells in that area which then leads to other symptoms like itching and scratching.

When Exzema develops  the skin produces extra red and white blood cells and the immune system releases a number of natural chemicals called “antibodies” and “cytokines.” The function of the antibodies, which is released by the white blood cells, is to fight invading objects like bacteria or viruses. For example when the skin is burnt or if there is a cut, there will be inflammation of the skin. In Exzema this reaction is triggered off even when there is no invading object. That is why the antibodies and other chemicals end up harming the skin and the skin erupts in rashes (see exzema pictures). An exzema is an over reaction of the body’s immune system and the scratching of the skin is a primitive reaction to removing the foreign body on the skin that is causing the itch.

The skin is the largest immunologic organ of our body and it performs many different functions. The outermost layer acts as a defense mechanism against any invading object and protects the external agents from entering the body. Apart from that the skin keeps the temperature of the inner body constant by sweating and radiating heat. It contains millions of sweat glands and lots of sensory cells that detect and send signals to the brain about touch, temperature and pain. When Exzema develops, it disrupts these normal functions by making the skin oversensitive to external factors, by lowering resistance, loss of skin moisture and heat and also causing the skin cells to itch and pain. When the outer layers are compromised the skin is no longer such an effective barrier that causes infections to easily enter the body.

  Who is affected by Exzema?