ATOPIC DERMATITIS (AD)
Atopic dermatitis is the medical term for something most people call eczema. Basically, it means somebody has an ITCHY rash, either constantly or on-and-off, for at least 6 months.
It can be anywhere on the body - hands, face, scalp, stomach, arms, legs... Some people have it literally covering every square inch of their body, some people only have it on one spot a couple inches across, but most people fall somewhere in between. In some people it always affects the same places and in other people it moves around, and they never know where it's going to pop up next.
Something called 'contact dermatitis' looks and feels very similar to atopic dermatitis (aka eczema). However, in contact dermatitis there is something coming into contact with the skin that is causing the itching and rash that can usually be identified and avoided which will eliminate the rash. In atopic dermatitis there isn’t anything “causing” the rash that can be eliminated - it is just something you have that needs to be treated, like arthritis or migraine headaches.
Fortunately, we almost always have studies going on for atopic dermatitis and in almost all of them there is no cost for visits, blood tests, or other study related assessments. Furthermore, participants may be compensated for their time and travel.
So, if you’ve ever been told you have eczema or atopic dermatitis give us a call. There’s a good chance we have a study going on in which you could get compensated for participating!