Prognosis for atopic dermatitis

Most patients are diagnosed as having atopic dermatitis during childhood and the condition usually resolves itself before they reach adulthood. Nevertheless, around 10% of adults continue to suffer from atopic dermatitis, and a very small percentage correspond to severe cases.  

The most frequent complications are infections of the skin lesions (which can be exacerbated by chronic scratching) and eye problems such as inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis), dryness of the conjunctiva (keratoconjunctivitis sicca), damage to the cornea (keratoconus), cataracts, and so on.  

The most common long-term consequences are scarring caused by scratching the lesions and those derived from the potential side effects of the treatments, although these are uncommon.  

Atopic dermatitis can have a significant impact on quality of life. Various atopic dermatitis and quality of life assessment scales are used to measure this impact and to compare and monitor the progression of the disease and treatment response.