Eczema Health Center
Understanding Eczema -- Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms of Eczema?
Almost always, there's an itch before a rash appears in eczema. Typically, eczema shows itself as:
- Patches of chronically itchy, dry, thickened skin, usually on the hands, neck, face, and legs. In children, the inner creases of the knees and elbows are often involved.
- Scratching can lead to sores with crusts.
Understanding Eczema -- the Basics
Eczema is a skin condition caused by inflammation. Atopic dermatitis is the most common of the many types of eczema. While the word "dermatitis" means inflammation of the skin, "atopic" refers to an allergic tendency, which is often inherited. Although atopic dermatitis itself is not caused by an allergy, eczema sufferers have a higher risk of developing other allergic conditions (like asthma or hay fever). Typically, eczema causes skin to become itchy, red, and dry --...
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Call Your Doctor About Eczema If:
- You develop an otherwise unexplained rash and have a family history of eczema or asthma. You should have a medical diagnosis of the condition.
- The inflammation does not respond within a week to treatment with over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams. A doctor may suggest more aggressive forms of treatment.
- You develop yellowish to light brown crust or pus-filled blisters over existing patches of eczema. This may indicate a bacterial infection that should be treated with an antibiotic.
- During a flare-up of eczema, you are exposed to anyone with a viral skin disease such as cold sores or genital herpes. Having eczema puts you at increased risk of contracting the viral disorder.
- You develop numerous small, fluid-filled blisters in the areas of eczema. You may have eczema herpeticum, a rare but potentially serious complication caused by the herpes simplex virus.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by
Norman Levine, MD on October 27, 2010
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