May 7, 2007

Why Does Your Body Develop Eczema?

In order to understand eczema, you have to understand your skin. The skin is a protective covering over the entire body; it is the largest organ you have and the most exposed as well. This combination of expanse and exposure give your skin that chance to be affected by a multitude of things that can cause it irritation. Trauma (scrapes, cuts, etc), environmental allergens, and caustic substances are the main irritants of skin.
The skin is composed of three main layers: the epidermis (outside layer), the dermis (middle layer), and subcutaneous tissue (inner layer). These all have the ability to react to irritants by inflaming (swelling, often becoming fevered).
Your skin and how it works
In the Epidermis, you will find keratinocytes. These are cells harboring a variety of chemicals which are released when triggered by various irritants. Appropriate chemicals are released depending on the trigger, such as the cells that react when bacteria comes in contact with the skin or pigment being released from sunlight contact. Inflammation is often another result of the release of these chemicals (for example, too much sunlight and you have slight swelling, redness and fever).
Another cell you will find in the epidermis is the Langerhans cells. These […]

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