Study reveals major shift in how eczema develops
Friday, December 17, 2010 - 11:32
in Health & Medicine
Like a fence or barricade intended to stop unwanted intruders, the skin serves as a barrier protecting the body from the hundreds of allergens, irritants, pollutants and microbes people come in contact with every day. In patients with eczema, or atopic dermatitis, the most common inflammatory human skin disease, the skin barrier is leaky, allowing intruders pollen, mold, pet dander, dust mites and others to be sensed by the skin and subsequently wreak havoc on the immune system.