Eczema history and symptoms

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1], Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Edzel Lorraine Co, D.M.D., M.D.

Overview

A number of things should be ascertained when diagnosing eczema. A thorough history taking must be done to elicit family history, dietary habits, lifestyle habits, and allergies. If the patient is positive for any of these, this disease can be detected through its clinical manifestations.

History

Given the many possible reasons for eczema flare-ups, a doctor is likely to ascertain a number of other things before making a diagnosis.

• An insight into family history
• Dietary habits
• Lifestyle habits
• Allergic tendencies
• Any prescribed drug intake
• Any chemical or material exposure at home or workplace

Symptoms

Because eczema is a set of clinical characteristics and not a single disease, there are many different symptoms. All of them involve inflammation of the skin. The symptoms for the more common ones are:

Atopic Eczema

• Most common form, thought to be genetic and linked to asthma
• Itchy rash is particularly noticeable on head and scalp, neck, inside of elbows, behind knees, and buttocks.

Contact Dermatitis

• Allergic: delayed rash caused by an allergen (poison ivy, nickel, etc.)
• Irritant: direct reaction caused by an irritant (ex. types of detergent)

Xerotic Eczema

• Extremely cracked and dry skin that develops into a rash.
• More common in older population.

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis

• Closely related to dandruff.
• Dry or greasy peeling of scalp, eyebrows, face and sometimes trunk.