How Much Is Atopic Dermatitis Affecting Your Quality of Life?

Atopic dermatitis can interfere with many aspects of your life. Maybe you had to cancel plans during a flare-up, because you felt self-conscious about symptoms. Or maybe you’ve been up all night scratching at your skin.
Along with making you itchy and uncomfortable, atopic dermatitis can also interfere with your self-esteem, sleep, stress levels, and how you manage your social life and intimate relationships. You may find yourself having to constantly apply medication and spend money on expensive skin-care products, or you may be embarrassed by the appearance of your skin.
What’s more, “It’s not just the patient’s life that’s affected,” says Chloe Goldman, MD, a dermatologist based in Miami. “It’s also the significant others around them.” To find out just how big of a toll atopic dermatitis may be taking on your quality of life, take this assessment.
Question 1
How would you describe the current state of the eczema?

- A. Severe. It’s driving me crazy.
- B. Moderate. Symptoms are somewhat under control, but I have flares that bother me from time to time.
- C. Mild. The treatment regimen is doing a pretty good job controlling symptoms.
- D. I don’t have any rashes or symptoms that are bothering me.
- Bawany F et al. Sleep Disturbances and Atopic Dermatitis: Relationships, Methods for Assessment, and Therapies. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. April 2021.
- Begolka WS et al. Mental Health and Eczema — Seeing the Unseen. National Eczema Association. January 3, 2023.
- Linares-Gonzalez L et al. Sexual Dysfunction and Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review. Life. December 2021.
- Misery L et al. Sexual Impairment in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. February 2025.
- Managing Stress From Eczema. National Eczema Association.
- Son SW et al. Assessment of Disease Severity and Quality of Life in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis From South Korea. Annals of Dermatology. December 2022.

Susan Bard, MD
Medical Reviewer
Susan Bard, MD, is a clinical instructor in the department of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine and an adjunct clinical instructor in the department of dermatology at Mount Sin...

Jen Laskey
Author
Jen Laskey is a writer, editor, and content strategist. She has worked on EverydayHealth.com in various capacities since its inception, and her writing has appeared in many major p...