The child with poison ivy … the operating room nurse who develops scaly skin on her hands from frequent washing with potent antibacterial soaps … the elderly gentleman with crusty-looking, thickened skin on his arms and elbows … the young woman who seems to always get an angry neck rash neck after a cold … these people all have one thing in common: they are suffering from eczema. The term "eczema" encompasses a number of red, itchy skin conditions. Eczema may look like a dry, scaly rash or weepy, oozing blisters. People of any age can get it. Medical science classifies eczema and dermatitis into two main categories: contact dermatitis and atopic eczema. Contact dermatitis, also called contact eczema, occurs when an irritating substance comes in direct contact with the skin. The offending irritant may be a chemical, cosmetics, wool, lanolin, or rubber shoes. Nickel in jewelry is a common cause. Poison ivy is a form of contact eczema. Atopic eczema is usually caused by inhaled or ingested allergens, such as foods, pollen, dust, or animal dander. Some medical literature discusses a third classification called "dysregulatory microbial eczema". Bacteria that penetrate and inflame the outer skin layer trigger this type of eczema.

Fish oil contains both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both of these are members of omega-3 family of fatty acids and are different from the omega-3 fatty acids found in oils from vegetable sources. In the late 1970s, scientists learned that the native Inuits in Greenland, who consumed a diet very high in omega-3 fatty acids, had surprisingly low rates of heart attacks. Since that time thousands of scientific studies have evaluated the multiple ways that omega-3 fatty acids promote not only cardiovascular health, but also the healthy functioning of many other biological activities. Many Americans don't get enough of it in their diets. One reason is that omega-3 oils are very susceptible to spoilage and so many food manufacturers remove it to keep products fresh. Another reason is that omega-3 oils mostly come from cold water fish and wild game— something most Americans don't eat in great quantities. Abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism are found in people with problems such as psoriasis and eczema and therapy with omega-3 fatty acids is frequently beneficial.

Eczema in infants has increased dramatically in western societies over the past few decades. It is thought that environmental and dietary factors may affect the risk of developing eczema. A recent study sought to investigate how some of these factors affect the risk for eczema at one year of age. The researchers collected information from questionnaires sent to families with children six months of age. The families then completed a second questionnaire when the children reached the age of twelve months. The results revealed that at the age of six months, 13 percent of families reported that their child had already developed eczema. Once the children reached twelve months of age, 20 percent had the condition. The researchers found that genes play a significant factor in the development of eczema since children who had a sibling or parent with eczema were twice as likely to have the condition by twelve months of age. Breastfeeding, introduction to dairy products, having a furry pet in the house and parental smoking had no significant impact on risk. It was found that introducing fish into the child’s diet before the age of nine months reduced the risk of developing eczema by 25 percent. Having a pet bird in the house was also associated with a significant reduction in risk.¹

¹ Alm B, Aberg N, Erdes L, et al. Early introduction of fish decreases the risk of eczema in infants. Arch Dis Child. Sep2008.