Young adults commonly develop atopic dermatitis (AD), and even though more females compared with males experience AD at 24 years, adult onset of AD appears to be equally prevalent among both genders in young adulthood.

• In a Swedish population-based birth cohort (BAMSE cohort with 4,089 individuals), AD was studied among young adults, with special emphasis on prevalence, gender differences including risk for AD at different ages, disease course and characteristics of AD at 24 years.

• The 12-month prevalence of AD at 24 years was reported to be 17.8%.

• At 24 years, more females relative to males were found to have AD (20.5% vs 14.8%).

• The point prevalence of ongoing AD at clinical examination was noted to be 8.0%.

• No difference in AD severity was observed between genders, and the proportion of adult onset of AD was estimated to be 16.9%, females 17.3% vs males 16.4%.

• Disturbed sleep due to itch was experienced by more females than males with AD at 24 years (26.1% vs 15.5%).

• Less common was IgE sensitization in females with AD vs males with AD (61.3% vs 79.6%).

• Male gender (female gender being the reference) was found to be linked with elevated odds for AD the first year of life (OR: 1.31), and reduced odds of AD in adolescence and young adulthood (OR: 0.66).