# Eczema causes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812 "2018-01-30T15:51:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/1 "2018-01-30T15:51:18Z")
I was wondering if anyone was aware of any environmental connections to eczema. Just from what I have seen there seems to be a connection between those who have done concrete work at some time in their life. If this is true there might be some chemical in concrete that triggers eczema and possibly other sources of exposure that haven’t been identified. A disproportionate number of people I know who have done concrete work also have eczema when no one else in their families suffers from it. A weak connection I know but something I think might be worth looking at. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/2 "2018-01-30T16:07:24Z")
My kid sister used to get it if she drank grape juice. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/3 "2018-01-30T16:22:17Z")
Cement eczema is a thing, here is a brief in [PubMed](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1834430). > [@](#): > > Risk factors for cement eczema were studied among workers employed in the Danish construction industry. Google “cement eczema” for more articles on the Danish study, plus others. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/4 "2018-01-30T18:32:15Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Cement eczema is a thing, here is a brief in [PubMed](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1834430). > > Google “cement eczema” for more articles on the Danish study, plus others. Does the eczema tend to stay with them for life? Most of the cases I am aware of they haven’t worked cement for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/5 "2018-01-30T18:40:44Z")
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is more of a result of an underlying inflammatory process than it is a specific disease. So it’s the underlying process that’s the actual cause. And unfortunately, there seem to be dozens, if not hundreds of underlying processes that result in eczema. At present, the medical consensus as to the definition and pathogenesis of eczema is summed up as follows: > [@](#): > > Atopic dermatitis is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease that occurs most frequently in children, but also affects adults. Atopic dermatitis is often associated with elevated serum level of immunoglobulin E and a personal or family history of atopy, which describes a group of disorders that includes eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis. Although sensitization to environmental or food allergens is clearly associated with the atopic dermatitis phenotype, it does not seem to be a causative factor but may be a contributory factor in a subgroup of patients with severe disease. > > PATHOGENESIS — A multiplicity of factors, including skin barrier abnormalities, defects in innate immunity response, Th2-skewed adaptive immune response, and altered skin resident microbial flora are involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. Whether skin inflammation is initiated by skin barrier dysfunction (“outside-in” hypothesis) or by immune dysregulation (“inside-out” hypothesis) is still in debate. Then there are the contact dermatitises, which may go away once the trigger is removed, or may induce permanent changes in the patient which perpetuate the situation. Not sure how much that helps, other than to say ‘it’s complicated and we’re still scratching our heads over it’. Chronic problematic cases of eczema which fail to respond to basic treatments should be addressed by an allergist or dermatologist. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/6 "2018-01-30T19:39:22Z")
A lot of people in general have eczema. For the past month I have been dealing with it. At first I thought it was cold weather-related, but not any more. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/7 "2018-01-30T23:15:35Z")
I have the bloody stuff on my eyebrows and backs of my hands. It flares under stress and / or dry weather. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/8 "2018-01-30T23:33:28Z")
As a child I got it on my cheeks(face). As an adult i have had it on my wrists and ankles. It is a stubborn devil to deal with. At the moment I have no patches,(knock on wood). We are planning some concrete work in the spring. I will let you know how it goes. ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eczema-causes/807812/9 "2018-01-30T23:41:03Z")
I am in my early 50s and just got it for the very first time in my life a few weeks ago. It showed up on my shins, and only there. I have tried several fancy eczema creams, but for me, I am getting the best results with Vaseline with cocoa butter. I have no idea what caused it, but I sure do want it off me! I have much greater empathy for those who have dealt with it for years.