Atopic skin can appear anywhere on the body, and its location can vary according to age, but wherever it appears it is dry, red, itchy and irritable. You can read more about the areas most commonly affected by Atopic Dermatitis in Atopic Dermatitis on different parts of the body and Facial Atopic Dermatitis.
It is typified by two phases:
- The acute phase when skin flares up and is at its most itchy and irritable
- The non-acute period between flare-ups when skin is calmer
You can read more about these two phases in Understanding Atopic Dermatitis and Identifying and managing flare-ups.
The acute phase is the hardest to cope with regardless of the age of the sufferer. The natural reaction to itchy skin is to scratch, but scratching only makes things worse. It spreads bacteria, intensifies the sensations of itchiness and can damage the skin. You can find out more about the flare-up phase in Identifying and managing flare-ups.
But the physical effects of a flare-up reach beyond the skin: