Eczema Causes

Eczema is caused when the body makes too few ceramides. Ceramides are the fatty cells which help provide the barrier protection to the skin. If you don’t have enough of them, the skin will lose water and become very dry.  

Heredity is a big factor in whether an infant gets eczema. If mom or dad have eczema, a baby is a lot more likely to develop it, too.

Defects in the skin barrier, allowing moisture out and germs in, could also be a factor. 

Fortunately, most children outgrow the itchy irritation of eczema before school age.

A small number of kids will have eczema into adulthood. Remissions do happen and can last for years, though the tendency to have dry skin often lingers.