Nearly 1 in 5 adults living with eczema in the U.S. have more than one type of the condition. This finding comes from a new study that looked at national health data. The most common combination of eczema types was atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis tends to occur where the skin produces a lot of oil, such as the scalp, face, upper chest, and upper back.

Researchers analyzed data from the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, which includes electronic health records for more than 266,000 adults. Among them, 25,672 people (about 10 percent) had at least one type of eczema. Of those, around 18 percent were diagnosed with more than one type of eczema.

Among those with more than one type of eczema:

• Nearly 26 percent had both atopic dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis.
• Around 15 percent had seborrheic dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis, which happens when the skin gets irritated after touching something like soap, detergent, metal, or animal dander.
• Nearly 14 percent had atopic dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis.

Most people (33 percent) had received a diagnosis of seborrheic dermatitis first.

Different Eczema Types May Need Different Treatments

Living with more than one form of eczema can make diagnosis and treatment more complicated. Some types of eczema have similar symptoms, like changes in skin color, itching, and flaking. This can make it hard to tell them apart, which can lead to an incorrect diagnosis. Not all eczema treatments work for every type of eczema because each type may have different causes, symptoms, and triggers.

If you’ve been diagnosed with eczema and your symptoms are still bothering you, ask your doctor if you might also have another type. They can help you build a treatment plan that fits your needs and goals.

Learn more about the different types of eczema and what they look like.

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