atopic dermatitis

noun

: a chronic, eczematous skin condition that primarily affects children, is marked especially by intense itching, inflammation, and xerosis, and occurs chiefly in those with a personal or familial history of atopy

The hallmarks of atopic dermatitis are a chronic, relapsing form of skin inflammation, a disturbance of epidermal-barrier function that culminates in dry skin, and IgE-mediated sensitization to food and environmental allergens.

—Thomas Bieber, The New England Journal of Medicine

—abbreviation AD