While eczema can’t spread from skin-to-skin contact, children can inherit this condition from their parents. Certain gene mutations, specifically on the filaggrin (FLG) gene, make it more likely that you’ll develop eczema. But an FLG gene mutation doesn’t always mean you will develop eczema. Environmental factors, such as allergens, may play a role in whether or not a person with an FLG mutation will develop this skin condition. Some people with the gene mutation won’t develop eczema if they’re not exposed to potential triggers.
“When there are mutations in this gene, the skin is less able to retain water and becomes more susceptible to allergens, irritants, and pollutants,” says Peter Lio, MD, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and a National Eczema Association board member. “However, this does not explain the majority of eczema cases out there.”
That means that despite eczema’s genetic component, a person can develop eczema even if they don’t have a family history of the disease.
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