This is a common condition that causes itchy, dry, and inflamed skin. It usually begins in childhood but can start at any age.

Atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, usually begins early in life. It often appears between 2 months and 5 years of age. While most people develop atopic dermatitis by 5 years of age, this condition can also start during puberty or later.

Is atopic dermatitis contagious? No. This condition cannot spread from person to person.

When something that touches your skin either irritates it or causes an allergic skin reaction, you develop this skin disease. The first sign is often itchy skin, followed by a rash. You may also see blisters.

Contact dermatitis is not contagious, so you cannot give it to anyone else.

Because so many things can irritate our skin or cause an allergic skin reaction, contact dermatitis sends many people to see a dermatologist.

Dermatologists help their patients to get rid of contact dermatitis by:

Finding out what irritates the skin or causes an allergic reaction

Treating the itchy skin and rash caused by contact dermatitis

Helping their patients avoid what causes the contact dermatitis

Only by avoiding the cause can you get rid of contact dermatitis.

This type of eczema causes tiny, intensely itchy blisters on the hands or feet. It is also called pompholyx.

While dyshidrotic eczema may look contagious, you cannot catch it from someone.

Neurodermatitis is a skin condition characterized by chronic itching or scaling. You'll notice raised, rough, itchy areas of skin — typically on the neck, wrists, forearms, legs or groin area. Neurodermatitis is a skin condition that starts with an itchy patch of skin.

To find out if you have neurodermatitis, your dermatologist will:

Examine the itchy patches of skin: This allows your dermatologist to look for signs of neurodermatitis.

Ask you questions: It’s important for your dermatologist to have some information about you, including when the itch began, whether the area itches all the time or the itch comes and goes, and what you do to relieve the itch.

Take a swab (if the skin looks infected): This helps tell your dermatologist if you have an infection, so you can receive the right treatment.

Perform (or refer you for) allergy testing: If your dermatologist thinks the itch could be due to an allergic reaction, this can help find what you’re allergic to.

This type of eczema often causes round, itchy spots on the hands, forearms, or lower legs. The can grow together to form large, slightly raised patches.

Is nummular eczema contagious? No. You cannot catch nummular eczema or give it to anyone.

This type of eczema tends to:

Develop on extremely dry skin

Appear after an injury like a cut, bug bite, or scrape

Be more common in people who already have one of these eczemas: atopic dermatitis, stasis dermatitis, or contact dermatitis

When caught early and treated properly, nummular eczema can heal within 3 to 4 weeks.

Swelling and faintly discolored skin, especially over varicose (enlarged, bulging) veins, are often the first signs of this disease.

This is a common type of eczema that develops in people who have poor blood flow. Because poor blood flow usually develops in the lower legs, stasis dermatitis often appears near your ankles.

Stasis dermatitis can occur in other areas of the body aside from the lower legs, but that’s rare.