What is atopic dermatitis? Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common type of eczema, affecting more than 9.6 million children and about 16.5 million adults in the ...AtopicDermatitisWhatisatopicdermatitis?Atopicdermatitis(AD)isthemostcommontypeofeczema,affectingmorethan9.6millionchildrenandabout16.5millionadultsintheUnitedStates.It’sachronicconditionthatcancomeandgoforyearsorthroughoutlife,andcanoverlapwithothertypesofeczema.InpeoplewithAD,forcomplexreasonssciencehasn’tfullysortedout,theimmunesystembecomesdisorderedandoveractive.Thistriggersinflammationthatdamagestheskinbarrier,leavingitdryandpronetoitchingandrashesthatmayappearpurple,brownorgrayishhueindarkerskintonesandredinlighterskintones.Researchshowsthatsomepeoplewitheczema,especiallyatopicdermatitis,haveamutationofthegeneresponsibleforcreatingfilaggrin.Filaggrinisaproteinthathelpsourbodiesmaintainahealthy,protectivebarrierontheverytoplayeroftheskin.Withoutenoughfilaggrintobuildastrongskinbarrier,moisturecanescapeandbacteria,virusesandmorecanenter.ThisiswhymanypeoplewithADhaveverydryandinfection-proneskin.WhogetsADandwhy?Atopicdermatitistypicallybeginsinchildhood,usuallyinthefirstsixmonthsofababy’slife.Eventhoughit’sacommonformofeczema,it’salsosevereandlong-lasting.Whenyouoryourchildhaveatopicdermatitis,itmayimproveattimes;butatothertimes,itmaygetworse.Insomechildren,symptomsmaytaperoffastheygrowup,whileotherchildrenwillhaveatopicdermatitisflaresintoadulthood.Atopicdermatitisexistswithtwootherallergicconditions:asthmaandhayfever(allergicrhinitis).Peoplewhohaveasthmaand/orhayfeverorwhohavefamilymemberswhodo,aremorelikelytodevelopAD.WhatarethesymptomsofAD?ItchingisthehallmarkofAD,withsomedatashowingthatmorethan85%ofpeoplewiththeconditionexperiencethisdistressingsymptomeveryday.Soreorpainfulskinandpoorsleepcausedbyitchingarealsocommon.PeoplewithADcangetrashesanywhereonthebodythatcanooze,weepfluidandbleedwhenscratched,makingskinvulnerabletoinfection.Skincanbecomedryanddiscolored,andrepeatedscratchingcancausethicke