Definition Dermatitis

Definition
Dermatitis is an inflammation of the dermis and epidermis (the skin). Symptoms include a rash, blisters, sores, lesions, itching or cracked skin.
The term eczema is also used for this condition.

Dermatitis is often broken into subcategories:
1. Contact dermatitis - irritation that arises from direct contact with a material. This can be an immune response (such as an allergic reaction to latex) or a direct toxic effect.
2. Atopic dermatitis - is often found in the face, elbow and knee flexures of infants; symptoms tend to disappear with age.
Do not confuse this term with dermatosis, which is a much broader term for skin disease.