The facts you need to know about AD (atopic dermatitis)
What is AD?
AD is a long lasting, chronic inflammatory condition.1
It is a common form of eczema, which includes a broad group of skin conditions. AD causes the skin to become very red, scaly, dry and itchy.2 Treatments and self-care measures may relieve itching and minimise flares.
AD affects about 16% of Australians3
AD often begins in infancy or childhood but can occur at any age. While many children ‘grow’ out of it, some people continue to be affected by the condition their whole lives.2
AD is more likely to develop in people with a family history of allergy4
People with AD often have other allergies4
How does AD affect people?
AD can make your skin dry, itchy and scaly. It can be very painful, especially if it becomes infected.2 But these are just the obvious symptoms: AD can affect people’s quality of life5 in many different ways, for some night-time itching can cause sleepless nights, for others it may affect their ability to work or impact social engagements and personal relationships. It’s also common for people living with AD to experience anxiety and depression as a result.8
For your overall health and wellbeing, it is important to seek support if AD is affecting your quality of life.
Body areas that are commonly affected by AD6,9
AD can appear on any part of the body and looks different for each person. The commonly affected areas include:6,9
*In children.
Adapted from National Center for Biotechnology Information and Mayo Clinic.6,9
What causes AD?
AD has several different causes, such as environmental and genetic factors.7 It is not contagious so cannot be passed on through close contact.10 Your skin provides a barrier between your body and the outside world which helps to retain moisture and protect you from bacteria, irritants and allergens.6 AD is associated with a gene variation that affects your skin's ability to provide this barrier.7
References: 1. Buske-Kirschbaum in Psychoneuroimmunology (Fourth Edition), 2007 R Adler (Ed) Academic Press (Pub). 2. Eczema Association of Australasia. What is eczema? Available from: eczema.org.au/what-is-eczema Accessed: August 2025. 3. Chidwick K et al. Australas J Dermatol 2020;61:e319–327. 4. Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis). Available from: allergy.org.au/patients/skin-allergy/eczema Accessed: August 2025. 5. Ali F et al. Acta Der Venereol 2020;100(12):330–340. 6. Mayo Clinic. Atopic dermatitis (eczema). Available from: mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/atopic-dermatitis-eczema/symptoms-causes/syc-20353273 Accessed: August 2025. 7. Boguniewicz M & Leung D. Immunol Rev 2011;242(1):233–246. 8. National Eczema Association. Mental health and eczema. Available from: nationaleczema.org/blog/mental-health-science Accessed: August 2025. 9. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Eczema: Overview. Available from: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279399 Accessed: August 2025. 10. National Eczema Association. What is eczema? Available from: nationaleczema.org/eczema Accessed: August 2025. AC-005092-00. AU-RNQ-250044. August 2025.