Clinical Care

Eczema Clinical Care

The Northwestern Medicine Multidisciplinary Eczema Center (NMEC) is committed to providing the finest care for adults with eczema (atopic dermatitis) and skin allergies (contact dermatitis) in the Chicagoland area and throughout the Midwestern United States.

NMEC is comprised of multiple specialty practices for adult eczema care. Our adult eczema practice provides the highest quality dermatologic care for all aspects of eczema skin care. Our Comprehensive Eczema Program provides multidisciplinary care for patients whose eczema is accompanied by certain other medical disorders.

Adult eczema practice

Our adult eczema practice provides care for all aspects of eczema skin care, including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis)
  • Contact eczema (contact dermatitis)
  • Nummular eczema (nummular dermatitis)
  • Stasis eczema (stasis dermatitis)
  • Dry skin (xerosis)
  • Drug reactions
  • Occupational skin disease
  • Chronic itch diagnosis and management

We offer a comprehensive array of diagnostic procedures and consultation including:

  • Eczema education and management
  • Allergen avoidance
  • Patch testing for skin allergies
  • Atopy patch testing
  • Skin biopsy
  • Phototherapy or "light therapy"
  • Laser therapy

Comprehensive Eczema Program

Our Comprehensive Eczema Program is a specialized service aimed at providing comprehensive and coordinated care for adults with eczema and commonly associated conditions. Patients eligible for the Comprehensive Eczema Program must be evaluated and referred by one of our eczema specialists. We understand that many patients with eczema have a variety of related disorders, including:
  • Intense itching
  • Asthma
  • Seasonal allergies
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Impaired mental health
  • Nutritional problems
  • Other skin and medical disorders
Our multidisciplinary team* includes:
  • Dermatologists
  • Allergists
  • Neurologists
  • Sleep specialists
  • Specialized nurses
The Comprehensive Eczema Program offers specialty services for eczema and related conditions, including:
  • Dermatology: Dermatology provides diagnosis and treatment for all aspects of eczema skin care, including dry skin, rash, inflammation, itch and skin sensitivity and allergies.
  • Allergy: Allergy provides treatment of allergic diseases that commonly occur in adults with eczema, including asthma, hay fever or seasonal allergies and food allergy.
  • Neurology: Neurology provides assessment and management of problems related to intense itch, pain and altered sensation.
  • Sleep Medicine (Neurology): Sleep medicine provides diagnosis and management of sleep disturbances that occur in eczema, including fatigue, sleepiness, insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea.

Contact Dermatitis and Occupational Dermatology Practice

Our Contact Dermatitis and Occupational Dermatology Practice is aimed at diagnosing and managing contact dermatitis and skin allergies. We offer comprehensive patch testing services to identify the cause of your eczema and skin allergies.