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What Is Atopic Dermatitis?

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Atopic dermatitis is a long-term skin disease. "Atopic" refers to a tendency to develop allergy conditions. "Dermatitis" means swelling of the skin.

The most common symptoms of atopic dermatitis are:

  • Dry and itchy skin
  • Rashes on the face, inside the elbows, behind the knees, and on the hands and feet.

Scratching the skin can cause:

  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Cracking
  • "Weeping" clear fluid
  • Crusting
  • Thick skin
  • Scaling

Often, the skin gets worse (flares), then it improves or clears up (remissions).

Last modified: August 2005
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases