For some reason, no one cares whether the cirrhosis is contagious, whether it is possible to get sinusitis, or arthritis with close contact with a person suffering from this disease. But as soon as it comes to any chronic skin disease, people immediately have a fear of infection and an unwillingness to communicate. And everything is explained quite simply. All other diseases, with the exception of skin diseases, do not have such unpleasant external manifestations. And in healthy people who are little aware of the causes of psoriasis, neurodermatitis, or eczema, naturally, an internal protective mechanism works: “Caution – it is dangerous!”
But is eczema contagious or not? Is it possible to communicate, contact, live under the same roof with an eczema patient without fear? To dispel all your fears and doubts, we will talk about this inflammatory skin disease in detail, identify the causes of eczema and describe the mechanisms of its development.
Causes of Eczema
Eczema is a multifactorial disease. This means that the disease can occur due to many factors or in combination. The main causes of eczematous manifestations include:
1. Factors external and internal. External irritants in this case can be skin injuries (mechanical, thermal), skin contact with toxic chemicals (household chemicals, building materials, varnishes, paints, etc.), an allergic reaction of the body to certain foods. Internal factors provoking the occurrence of chronic dermatosis are caused by disturbances in the endocrine, digestive, vascular, nervous systems, as well as infectious or chronic diseases of internal organs.
2. Stress factor. Yes, a nervous breakdown, depression, stress, severe fear or nervous strain can cause the onset of the disease. Unfortunately, this fact is established precisely, but why the cranky nerves are the impetus for the occurrence of eczema, scientists still can not answer. Saying that eczema is contagious, in this case it is impossible – it is clear to everyone.
3. Weakened immunity. Indeed, it is worth the protective mechanisms of the body to fail, as a variety of diseases, including skin diseases, begin to attack it. In this case, the person does not have enough strength to fight, so any diseases progress and develop unhindered. Get weakened by immunity? Impossible! Which again proves the unreality of infection with eczema in contact with the patient.
4. The factor of heredity. Yes, a person’s genetic predisposition to eczema exists. It should be understood that there may not be direct inheritance from parents to children. At the same time, eczema can occur in a child whose parents have never had this disease. The mechanisms of the formation of heredity are so complex that anyone can be at risk of getting one or another chronic skin disease. But everyone can also avoid it. That is, drawing a line, we can say that the disease itself is not inherited, but the probability of its occurrence.
Development mechanism
What happens when eczema appears and develops? Under the influence of the above, adverse factors disrupt the function of the immune system of the object. As a result, antibodies begin a massive attack on the skin cells and cause their increased division, as a result of which specific inflammatory rashes begin to develop on the skin surface. Outwardly, this is manifested by the appearance of erythema, peeling of the skin, unaesthetic erosive lesions, other clinical symptoms of the disease.
Often, fungal and viral infections fall into the lesions, thereby provoking the development of severe forms of eczema. But even in this case, there is practically no danger of infection for a healthy person.
There is only one conclusion – to argue that eczema is not contagious is by any means impossible, erroneously and without foundation. Healthy people have a much greater chance of contracting any other disease, but not a skin disease with a chronic course. Therefore, do not refuse to communicate with people suffering from eczema – you will not do any harm to yourself, but let the patient feel not as an outcast, but as a completely normal member of society.