When people talk about eczema, they usually mean atopic dermatitis — its most common form. But eczema is the name for a group of skin conditions. They all cause red, itchy, and often cracked skin, but each type has its own unique symptoms as well.
Learn more about the various types of eczema and their characteristics.
Atopic Dermatitis Eczema Symptoms
This form of eczema starts with an intense itch. Once you give in to the urge to scratch, the telltale rash begins. When skin is very irritated, it can crack and bleed or ooze clear fluid.
The main symptoms are the same for almost everyone, but how often they happen, and how severe they are, vary from person to person. There are also some key differences, depending on your age.
Symptoms in babies
- Usually appears on the scalp and cheeks
- Dry, itchy skin
- Scales
- Lesions that may ooze
- Fussiness and trouble sleeping due to itching
A skin infection may develop if your baby rubs the affected area.
Symptoms in children
- Eczema appears most often inside the elbows or on the legs, usually behind the knees or in the creases at the top of the thighs. It can also be on the neck, wrists, ankles, or the area between the buttocks.
- Rash that feels warm to the touch
- Raised patches that look scaly and may crust over
- Skin may become swollen, change color, and thicken over time
Symptoms in adults
- Eczema is often on hands, on eyelids, and under the eyes
- Severely dry skin that is easily irritated and cracked
- Skin may get thick and leathery over time
Some adults get eczema only on their hands. Symptoms often follow this pattern:
- The skin looks chapped, red or brown, and irritated.
- The skin feels hot or burning and may itch.
- Patches of scaly and inflamed skin develop.
- Itchy, painful blisters may appear.
- The skin may crack and bleed or ooze and crust over.
Contact Dermatitis Symptoms
This form of eczema is irritation or an allergic reaction to something that comes into contact with your skin, especially your hands or face. Symptoms may include:
- An intense itch followed by a rash
- Skin that feels tender and may be painful
- An outbreak of hives or blisters that ooze and crust over
The skin can become thick, leathery, and cracked after repeated contact with your triggers.
Dyshidrotic Eczema Symptoms
This type of eczema is named after the term that means “disordered sweat.” It was once thought to be a problem with sweat glands. Signs appear only on the palms of the hands, the sides of the fingers, and sometimes the soles of the feet. When you have an outbreak, symptoms often follow this pattern:
- Severe itchiness and possibly pain or tingling, followed by tiny, itchy blisters
- Groups of blisters that may merge to form bigger blisters
- Obvious sweat on blistered areas
- Peeling skin after the blisters go away
Over time, the skin may appear inflamed, scaly, and cracked. Your nails may change color, thicken, and be ridged or pitted.
Nummular Eczema Symptoms
Nummular means “coin-like.” This form of eczema gets its name from the shape of the patches it creates, most often on your legs, forearms, or hands. Symptoms include:
- Tiny bumps that form after a skin injury, crust over, and merge to make scaly coin shapes
- Intense itching, burning, or stinging that gets worse when sitting still or sleeping
- Dry skin between the patches
- Darkening of your regular skin color as the patches go away
Seborrheic Dermatitis Symptoms
This form of dermatitis often causes eczema symptoms on the scalp, especially in infants, and on other areas rich in oil (or sebaceous) glands. It may go away in childhood but return in the teen years (especially in boys) and adulthood. Unlike many other forms of eczema, it’s not always itchy.
Symptoms in babies include scaly and greasy patches on the scalp. It may also affect the buttocks. It’s usually limited to infancy.
Symptoms in teens and adults:
- Scaly, greasy, flaky patches on the scalp, on the eyebrows, around the nostrils, in the beard area, and possibly on the chest, back, and groin
- Inflammation, redness, and swelling
- Flares that may be triggered by things such as dry, cold weather, and stress
Stasis Dermatitis Symptoms
This form of eczema is linked to blood flow problems, such as varicose veins. It tends to happen in the lower legs and around the ankles. Symptoms include:
- Dry, discolored skin over the affected veins
- Itchiness that often spreads to the top of the foot
- Swelling and discomfort in the leg or ankle that gets worse during the day and better when you sleep
Stasis dermatitis can lead to:
- Skin that darkens and becomes tough and scaly, from the calf to the foot
- Very itchy and painful skin
- Sores that easily bleed
Neurodermatitis Symptoms
This is an unusual form of eczema that usually causes just one or two patches on a specific area, such as the nape of the neck, the scalp, or the eyelids. You may also have eczema on your arms. Patches can even appear around the genitals or anus. Symptoms include:
- An intense itch that worsens as you scratch or rub it
- Itching that gets worse with stress or while sleeping
- Pain from scratching
Once a raised patch develops, it may:
- Look scaly, thick, and leathery
- Turn red or violet from scratching
- Develop sores that bleed
- Become even itchier
Severity and Eczema Symptoms
The seriousness of eczema symptoms can vary widely between people. With mild eczema, you may have nothing more than small areas of dry skin that get a bit itchy from time to time.
In more serious cases, eczema inflames skin all over your body and causes intense itching that can be hard to ignore. It might even be hard to focus on school or work. In addition, you may scratch in your sleep, causing cuts and tears that lead to regular infection.
On lighter-colored skin, the inflammation appears noticeably red. It may be harder to see on darker skin, but it sometimes causes gray, purple, or darker brown coloration.
When to Call Your Doctor About Eczema Symptoms
No matter what type of eczema you might have, schedule a visit if:
- You get an itchy rash and have a family history of eczema or asthma.
- The inflammation doesn't respond to treatment with over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams within a week. You may need stronger forms of treatment.
- You get yellowish to light brown crust or pus-filled blisters over eczema patches, especially if you’ve been scratching. You could have a bacterial infection that should be treated with an antibiotic. You’re also more likely to get viral and fungal skin infections.
- During a flare-up of eczema, avoid contact with anyone with a viral skin disease such as cold sores or genital herpes. Having eczema puts you at a higher risk of catching the herpes simplex virus.
- You get many painful, 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.
Takeaways
Eczema is not a single skin disease but includes several conditions with common symptoms such as irritation, inflammation, and itching. Eczema can appear in children and adults. Most forms of eczema usually begin with itchy, dry skin and a rash. The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis.
Eczema Symptoms FAQs
Will eczema go away?
Eczema can last a lifetime, but your symptoms may come and go. There are effective treatments for eczema, but no treatment can get rid of all of your symptoms forever. Eczema treatment focuses on limiting your flares and preventing your symptoms from getting worse.
How can I control my eczema?
Moisturize your skin often if it's dry, especially after showers and baths, and bathe using lukewarm water. Avoid tight-fitting clothes or those made of wool or synthetic fibers; choose cotton and other natural fibers and wash new clothes before wearing them. Avoid stress and consider a humidifier to moisten rooms with dry air. Avoid substances that irritate your skin or trigger allergies. Also, drink plenty of water.
What is causing my eczema?
Many things may trigger your eczema including dry weather or air, clothing fibers, skin and makeup products, pollutants, soaps, laundry or dishwashing detergents, stress, and allergens. Although doctors are unsure of the link between food allergies and eczema, several foods can trigger or worsen eczema symptoms. These include eggs, dairy products, and peanuts.
What does stress eczema look like?
Your eczema can flare when your body produces too much of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Too many stress hormones can dampen your immune system and trigger an inflammatory response such as eczema in your skin.
A recent survey found that 30% of people with atopic dermatitis had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety. However, there's still much to discover about the link between eczema, stress, and other mental health conditions. Stress can be a trigger for eczema, but the way the eczema looks depends on the type you have.
