Eczema, Also known as Atopic Dermatitis; is a skin condition causing dry, flaky, red inflamed patches on the skin specially hands, legs, feet, back and face. It is a chronic inflammatory skin condition; this can go as severs as cracking and bleeding from the skin. 

Eczema is not contagious, but more likely caused due to genetics, disturbed sleep cycle, Stress, Mental health problems and broken moisture barrier. Our skin consists of oil glands all over the body which produces natural oils to protect it from pollutants such as irritants, allergens, bacteria and others.
A disrupt moisture barrier cause trans-epidermal loss or TEWL; loss of water from skin. The water molecules from skin dispersed into air leads to dehydration of skin.  
Symptoms :-

In  Some of the eczema cases have Small, raised bumps on skin ,Darkening of the skin, Dry skin ,Flaky skin, Inflammation have been observed while in Severe Eczema cases- Cracking, Bleeding, Oozing, etc. have been observed . 
Stress, weather, food allergies, Detergents, hard soaps and fragrance are the often triggers for eczema symptoms. This issue can run in the families accompanying by other medical condition like Asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic contact dermatitis. 
Atopic eczema which causes your skin to become cracked and broken also enhances risk of your skin getting infected by bacteria causing Oozing, yellow crust on the skin alongside with small yellowish-white spots and swollen and sore skin.
Eczema have a possibility of getting infected with herpes simplex virus resulting in  Eczema Herpeticum. Psychological problems such as sleep pattern disturbance and too much stress are also been observed in resulting in atopic eczema. - 
Prevention :- 
•    Moisturizing- It is important to moisturize the skin especially on damp skin to get hydration twice a day.  Moisturizer consist ceramides best for treating eczema. 
If you have dry skin use a thick moisture. Use a effective & Reasonable cream, ointments or lotions. 
•    Use fragrance free products- Fragrance tends to sensitize the skin so it’s better to avoid fragrance. Using scent-free laundry agents, makeup products, soaps and shampoo, etc 
•    Reduce stress- Mental and emotional stress triggers eczema. 
•    Avoid too much scratching- Scratching creates micro-tears in the skin, this are pretty much disposed to pollutants in environment which increase the risk of eczema. Using anti-itch cream or a thick moisturizer to avoid it.