Atopic Dermatitis and Other Types of Eczema In Pictures

This is a localized skin reaction to a substance in the environment that causes the skin to develop an itchy rash, according to the National Eczema Association (NEA). People with white skin may experience dry, cracked, and scaly skin, while people with darker skin tones may experience hyperpigmentation, meaning leathery patches of skin that are darker than the surrounding skin, per Mayo Clinic.

Often the skin immediately reacts to irritants, such as chemicals (acids, cleaning agents, soaps), abrasion, or heat, and is thus known as irritant contact eczema. Other times, the skin reacts slowly (usually about 48 to 96 hours, but also up to three weeks) after contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign or that you’ve become allergic to, such as poison ivy, nickel, or latex — this is called allergic contact eczema, according to Mayo Clinic.