World Atopic Eczema Day on 14 September focuses on the hidden burden of atopic eczema, including severe itching, pain, disrupted sleep and the effect on mental health and daily life.
Johannesburg, 14 September 2026: More than 230 million people worldwide live with atopic eczema,.¹ Yet the condition is still often dismissed as little more than an itchy rash. For people with more severe disease, the itching can be relentless, the skin painful and inflamed, and sleep repeatedly disrupted. It can undermine confidence, interfere with school or work and strain relationships.¹˒²˒³
World Atopic Eczema Day, marked globally on 14 September, focuses this year on #BreakTheInvisibleBurden and the parts of living with eczema that others may not see.¹ For some people, this includes anxiety or depression, as well as isolation and financial strain for patients and families.¹˒²
In May 2025, the World Health Assembly recognised skin diseases as a global public health priority and called for stronger prevention and earlier diagnosis, along with better access to treatment. It also highlighted the social and emotional toll these conditions can take over time.⁴
As a company with deep expertise in immunology and type 2 inflammation, Sanofi is committed to advancing the understanding and treatment of conditions like atopic eczema, working to ensure that people living with the disease have access to care that addresses its full impact.
What is atopic eczema?
“Atopic eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin,” says Dwayne Koot, Medical Manager at Sanofi South Africa. “It usually begins in childhood, although it can develop at any age.⁵ Symptoms may improve for a time and then flare again.”
Atopic eczema involves both the skin barrier and the immune system. A weakened skin barrier can allow irritants and allergens to enter more easily, while an overactive immune response, including type 2 inflammation, contributes to the cycle of itching and inflammation.⁶ These processes reinforce each other and can make the disease persistent and difficult to control.
What does atopic eczema look like?
Atopic eczema varies between people and across skin tones. Common symptoms include:²
- intense itching
- dry or scaly skin
- inflamed or discoloured patches of skin
- rough or thickened skin
- cracked or sore skin
- small bumps or areas that may ooze or crust
On lighter skin, eczema often appears red or pink. On darker skin, affected areas may appear dark brown, grey or purple, and small bumps can be more noticeable.²˒⁵
Why eczema in young children deserves attention
Atopic eczema often begins early in life. For some children, it may be followed by other allergic conditions . Doctors sometimes call this the atopic march. It describes a pattern in which eczema can appear before conditions such as food allergy, allergic rhinitis and asthma.⁷
This does not happen in every child. Having eczema can increase the risk of developing other allergic conditions, but it does not mean that a child will necessarily go on to develop them.⁷ Persistent or severe eczema in children should be assessed and treated appropriately to control symptoms and limit its effect on daily life.²˒⁸
The effects can build over time
Doctors sometimes use the term Cumulative Life Course Impairment to describe how the effects of a long-term condition can accumulate over a person’s life.³ With atopic eczema, the burden can extend well beyond individual flare-ups.
In childhood, repeated itching, pain and poor sleep can affect school and family life. Later, recurrent flares may limit education or career opportunities and affect relationships and self-esteem.³ Ongoing care can also place financial pressure on patients and families.¹
Treatment depends on severity
There is no cure for atopic eczema at the moment. Effective treatment aims to control inflammation and itching, reduce flare-ups, and protect the skin.⁸
If topical treatments are not controlling the disease, it should be reassessed. A healthcare professional may recommend light therapy or medicines that work throughout the body.⁸ For people with moderate to severe eczema, systemic options can include treatments that target specific immune pathways involved in the disease.⁶˒⁸
Speak to a healthcare professional if eczema keeps flaring up despite treatment, causes significant pain or continues to interfere with your daily life. Finding the treatment or combination that works best can take time.⁸
Recognising the risk of skin infection
People with atopic eczema may develop skin infections.² Yellow or golden crusts on the skin can be a sign of bacterial infection. A serious viral infection called eczema herpeticum can cause clusters of blisters or bumps, accompanied by fever and a general feeling of being unwell.² These symptoms require prompt medical attention. If you or your child develops any of these signs, seek medical advice without delay.
Take action this World Atopic Eczema Day
“If you or someone in your family is living with eczema that remains poorly controlled despite treatment, speak to a healthcare professional about whether the current approach is working and what step-up therapies are available,” says Koot.
“World Atopic Eczema Day is an opportunity to challenge the idea that eczema is just a rash that itches. Its impact can be substantial and accumulate over a lifetime even when they are not visible to others.¹˒²˒³ Atopic eczema is not contagious.⁵ Better understanding of the disease can help people recognise when they need medical care and feel empowered to ask for it.”
On 14 September, join the World Atopic Eczema Day conversation using #BreakTheInvisibleBurden.¹ People living with eczema and caregivers can also share their experiences of the condition.¹
References
- European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations. World Atopic Eczema Day 2026: #BreakTheInvisibleBurden [Internet]. Brussels: EFA; 2026 [cited 2026 Sep 1]. Available from: https://www.efanet.org/campaigns/world-atopic-eczema-day/join
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Eczema types: atopic dermatitis symptoms [Internet]. Rosemont (IL): American Academy of Dermatology Association; 2023 Oct 10 [cited 2026 Sep 1]. Available from: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/eczema/types/atopic-dermatitis/symptoms
- Augustin M, Amerio P, Bewley A, Gieler U, Gutermuth J, Kimball AB, et al. Atopic dermatitis across the lifespan: understanding, measuring and minimizing cumulative life course impairment. Acta Derm Venereol. 2026;106:adv-2025-0066. doi:10.2340/actadv.v106.adv-2025-0066. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42304589/
- World Health Organization. Skin diseases as a global public health priority. WHA78.15 [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 May 27 [cited 2026 Sep 1]. Available from: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA78/A78_R15-en.pdf
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Eczema types: atopic dermatitis overview [Internet]. Rosemont (IL): American Academy of Dermatology Association; 2026 May 20 [cited 2026 Sep 1]. Available from: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/eczema/types/atopic-dermatitis
- Weidinger S, Novak N. Atopic dermatitis. Lancet. 2016;387(10023):1109–1122. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00149-X. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26377142/
- Hill DA, Spergel JM. The atopic march: critical evidence and clinical relevance. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2018;120(2):131–137. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2017.10.037. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29413336/
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Eczema types: atopic dermatitis diagnosis and treatment [Internet]. Rosemont (IL): American Academy of Dermatology Association; 2026 Jul 13 [cited 2026 Sep 1]. Available from: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/eczema/types/atopic-dermatitis/treatment
About Sanofi
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