A prevailing misconception is that eczema is only a childhood skin condition. Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is common in kids, but it also happens to adults.
Atopic dermatitis is a sensitivity disease of the skin, similar to asthma in the lungs, hay fever in the sinuses and food allergies in the gut.
"It's a multisystem disorder. Inflammation affects the skin, and the skin is more sensitive than usual," says Dr. Dawn Davis, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist.
