ABSTRACT
The term ‘‘dermatitis’’ is used to denote a cutaneous inflammation producing a minimal level of redness, whereas‘‘eczema’’ implies in addition specific epidermal damage visible microscopically as intercellular edema with sites of cell breakdown and subsequent vesicle formation. These can grow to a large enough size to be apparent to the naked eye. They also produce fissures in the epidermis, which allow the tissue fluid to flow to the surface, seen as oozing and crust formation. Itching is always associated. Eczema is a non-specific syndrome, the cause of which may be constitutional, bacterial, irritative, or allergic.
