SINGAPORE Eczema, an ailment causing itching and dryness, is the most common skin disease in city-state followed by acne, DPA reported on Saturday.

The condition accounted for 25 percent of the 60,000 new cases at the National Skin Center last year, with acne at 13 percent.

There are several types of eczema, said Tan Chorh Chuan, director of the Ministry of Health's Medical Services, with most stemming from either genetic or environmental reasons.

More than 500 dermatologists from 21 countries are attending a four-day conference on skin diseases.

Among the topics under discussion is whether Eastern and Western medicine should be combined to treat skin conditions.

Others include the latest trends in using lasers to treat pigmentation and blemishes, treatments for male and female baldness, and using gene therapy for skin conditions.

Professor Goh Chee Leok, the conference committee's chairman, said the number of people seeking help for cosmetic reasons is increasing.

"Patients who want cosmetic treatments are very demanding, compared to those who don't want such help," he said. "A lot of them are perfectionists."