Atopic Dermatitis is a disease that causes itchy, inflamed skin. It typically affects the insides of the elbows, backs of the knees, and the face, but can cover most of the body. It falls into a category of diseases called atopic (allergic), a term originally used to describe the allergic conditions like asthma and hay fever. Atopic Dermatitis was included in the atopic (allergic) category because it often affects people who either suffer from asthma and / or hay fever or have family members who do. Physicians often refer to these three conditions as the "atopic triad." Atopic Dermatitis is not contagious. Research indicates that atopic diseases like Atopic Dermatitis are genetically determined, inherited from one’s parents. A child with one parent who has an atopic condition has a one-in-four chance of having some form of atopic disease. If both parents are atopic, the child has a greater than one-in-two chance of being atopic. Atopic Dermatitis almost always begins in childhood, usually during infancy. Its symptoms are dry, itchy, scaly skin, cracks behind the ears, and rashes on the cheeks, arms, and legs. It alternately improves and worsens. During "flare-ups," open weeping or crusted sores may develop from the scratching or from infections. Often the problem fades during childhood, though people with Atopic Dermatitis have a lifelong tendency to have:

Dry skin-easily irritated
Occupational skin disease-hand dermatitis
Skin infections-Staph and herpes ("cold sores")
Eye problems-eyelid dermatitis, cataracts
Family and social relationships disrupted
Work loss