Eczema In Pictures | Everyday Health

Medically Reviewed

By Denise MaherMedically Reviewed by Ross Radusky, MD

Reviewed: July 1, 2019

Seborrheic dermatitis may appear on the face or the scalp.

Shutterstock

There are seven primary forms of eczema, each with different triggers, symptoms, and treatments. Use these eczema pictures, definitions, and descriptions to learn how to differentiate eczema types.

1452

Atopic Dermatitis

iStock

This is the most severe and long-lasting form of eczema. It’s characterized by inflamed skin that may crack and release a clear fluid when scratched (an effect known as “weeping”). People with atopic dermatitis often experience flares, during which symptoms worsen, and remissions, when symptoms improve or clear up, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Related: 7 Common Myths About Eczema You Shouldn’t Believe

1453

Contact Dermatitis (Irritant or Allergic)

Shutterstock

This is a localized skin reaction to a substance in the environment that causes the skin to become red and itchy, according to the National Eczema Association. Often the skin immediately reacts to irritants, such as chemicals (acids, cleaning agents, soaps), abrasion, or heat, and is thus known as irritant contact eczema. Other times, the skin reacts slowly (about 48 to 96 hours) after contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign or that you’ve become allergic to, such as poison ivy, nickel, or latex — this is called allergic contact eczema, notes the Mayo Clinic.

1454

Hand Eczema

Sometimes mistaken for dry skin, this form of eczema produces dry, thick, scaly patches on the hands that may crack and bleed. Like contact eczema, hand eczema is triggered by various irritants and allergens. As such, it is most often found in people who work in cleaning, catering, hairdressing, healthcare, and mechanical jobs. Those who had atopic dermatitis or eczema are more likely to develop hand eczema compared with those who haven’t had atopic dermatitis, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Related: What Bit Me? Spot These 11 Bug Bites

1455

Dyshidrotic Eczema

Philipp Oscity/Alamy

Marked by small blisters on the hands and feet, especially the fingers, palms, and soles, dyshidrotic eczema can be very itchy and will often disrupt sleep and work time. It sometimes develops as a side effect of intravenous immunoglobulin infusions, a type of treatment for certain immune system disorders and diseases.

Related: What’s Causing Your Skin Rash?

1456

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Shutterstock

Also known as scalp eczema or dandruff, this is a chronic condition in which white or yellow scaly patches of skin develop in oily areas, such as the scalp, the face, the ears, and the groin. Unlike other forms of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis is not a type of allergic reaction, and microorganisms that live on the skin (such as some types of yeast) can contribute to the condition.

1457

Nummular Eczema

This itchy and inflammatory skin condition is known for the round spots or coin-shaped lesions that appear as a rash on the arms, legs, or trunk of the body. Often, small blisters and scabs may develop. Nummular dermatitis, also known as discoid eczema, is more common in the elderly.

Related: 10 Natural Dry-Skin Remedies You Can DIY at Home

1458

Stasis Dermatitis

Andrii Pohranychnyi/iStock

Known also as venous eczema and gravitational dermatitis, this type of skin condition is caused by a circulation problem, often with the veins in the legs. Symptoms usually start with swelling around the ankle, varicose veins, or changes in color of the skin. Treatments may include compression stockings and topical medicine.

5 Things That May Be Causing Your Recurring Rash: Sanford Dermatology:

5 Things That May Be Causing Your Recurring Rash: Sanford Dermatology:

You don’t need us to tell you that rashes are patches of irritated, red, itchy, burning, flaky patches of skin that make you want to hide your skin from the world., but you may needs us to help you get rid of them, especially if they keep returning. Some rashes have a tendency to pop up again and again — it’s enough to make you throw in the towel on skin care. 

That’s where we come in. 

Our team of dermatology experts at Sanford Dermatology knows how frustrating recurring rashes can be. Fortunately, we have years of experience treating them. But we also know that providing the best treatments is only half of the battle. We want you to be fully informed about what’s happening with your skin, so we’ve highlighted five of the usual suspects behind your recurring rash.

1. Allergens and irritants

Allergens and irritants are one of the most common causes of recurring rashes. What’s worse, you can find rash inducers just about anywhere. Peanuts on your plate, pollen in the air, and prescriptions in your medicine cabinet are just some of the threats you should be aware of. 

We can help you identify your triggers, so you can stop recurring rashes in their tracks. 

2. Infections and underlying illnesses

As with allergens and irritants, many infections, fungi, and underlying illnesses can trigger recurring rashes. Some of the most common rash-causing conditions include viral infections like shingles, autoimmune diseases like psoriasis, and bacterial infections like cellulitis.

Fortunately, illness-related rashes subside and stop returning once you’ve dealt with what’s causing them.  

3. Sweat and heat

Heat rashes crop up when you sweat a lot or are exposed to extreme heat. They tend to develop in the areas of your body that experience friction, such as the folds of your skin, underneath your breasts or near your groin, and here’s why.

Below the surface of your skin, you have lots of little sweat glands. When heat blocks those glands, your sweat gets trapped under your skin, and irritating bumps start to form. 

4. Stress

Stress causes your heart to beat faster, your mind to race, and your stomach to turn. It can also cause your skin to break out in a rash. Some people get a rash called hives whenever they get stressed out. 

Hives show up on the face, neck, chest, or arms, usually as raised red bumps or large welts. It’s not uncommon for hives to become itchy, feel tingly, or cause a burning sensation. They typically resolve after a few hours. 

5. Weather extremes

Some seasons are so harsh we’ve named a rash after them — and winter is among the most notorious. Winter rashes occur when your skin loose too much moisture due to cold, dry air. The rash usually involves itching, inflammation, and flaky patches of skin. Typically, winter rashes only show up in certain areas, such as your hands and arms, but some experience a widespread rash.

What now?

Maybe you’ve identified what’s causing your rash, or maybe you’re not even close to figuring out your skin issues. Either way, it’s time to head to our office. We encourage you to come in anytime you have a rash, especially if it’s recurring. 

Our first step is to determine what’s causing it before we develop an action plan. We pride ourselves on being rash specialists and are able to uncover the underlying issue quickly. 

Depending on your needs, we may recommend the following:

• Antibiotic, antiviral, or antifungal medications
• Clinical-grade sensitive skin moisturizers
• Allergy shots (immunotherapy)
• Topical or oral corticosteroids
• Antihistamine medications 
• Anti-itch creams 

Big or small, itchy or not, there’s no reason to let a recurring rash go unchecked. Call or click to schedule a rash evaluation directly through the online booking system or over the phone at your most convenient office location.

5 Types of Psoriasis and How They’re Treated

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that impacts your skin — that you already know. But you may not know that there’s more than one type. Keep reading to get a breakdown of the five most common types and their treatments.

4 Signs Your Mole May Be Cancerous

Moles — for some, they’re perfectly placed beauty statements; for others, they’re a cosmetic nuisance. For everyone, they’re a potential site for cancer, so knowing what to look for is crucial. Here’s your ultimate guide to spotting suspicious moles.

What to Do About Acne Around Your Periods

You might think that period acne means you’ll never have clear skin, but there’s always hope when you turn to the experts. Here’s a closer look at acne that happens around your periods and what you can do about it.

How to Ensure Natural-Looking Filler Results

Whether you’ve had a bad past experience or are new to the injectable game, we’ve got you covered with the best ways to ensure that your filler appointment is a success. Keep reading for pro tips on ensuring natural-looking results.

When to See a Specialist About Your Cyst

Whether your cyst is a new development or you’ve had it for a while, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on the basics. Here’s what you should know about your cyst and what to look for so it doesn’t become a more serious problem.

Does Rosacea Go Away on Its Own?

Do your red cheeks have you seeing red? Here’s what you should know if you’re hoping the hue will disappear on its own.

Swelling and redness of the legs – what to do?

How nice it is to feel light, not to feel heavy in the legs even in the evening of a difficult day. Unfortunately, few can boast of this. Most of us, after a whole day on our feet or in the office, feel pain, heaviness, fatigue … And if the legs are also swollen, a pleasant evening does not work. So what to do if your legs are regularly swollen and redden? Of course, ask for help!

Doctor, what’s wrong with me?

If the legs (or one leg) are swollen and red, we recommend that you consult a doctor. Especially if swelling occurs regularly. According to experts, swelling is not the norm. Even if you stand on your feet all day and get tired, the presence of recurring edema still indicates certain disorders.

Do not self-medicate, especially if you notice redness and pain on the leg. Such a condition may be the result of an injury to which you did not pay attention at the first moment. And it can talk about the presence of a serious disease (including thrombophlebitis), in which you need to get professional medical help as soon as possible.
There can be several reasons for swelling and redness of the leg.

Diseases of the joints

Some diseases of the joints are accompanied by swelling and redness of the skin in the area of ​​the diseased joint. If it is a chronic disease, then patients know about it and pay attention. But there are also injuries that are manifested by these symptoms.

Joint injuries are always accompanied by pain. If it is not strong, if the joint is not swollen and its contours are not changed, you can bandage your leg with an elastic bandage and consult a doctor. If the pain is severe, does not go away at rest, if the joint is deformed, the leg is very reddened and swollen, this indicates that medical help should be sought immediately.

Allergies

Many allergic reactions, such as insect stings, are accompanied by skin redness and swelling. In the case of an allergy, the patient usually complains of redness on the legs and itching. With the onset of the warm season, you need to especially carefully monitor your condition: insects can hide in the grass. In the case of a severe reaction, unpleasant symptoms can be relieved by taking an antihistamine. If you leave allergies unattended, then getting rid of unpleasant symptoms will take a very long time.

Cardiac edema

In diseases of the cardiovascular system, in particular heart failure, edema also occurs, which in some cases may be accompanied by reddening of the legs. In this case, swelling increases if it is hot outside, if a person spends a lot of time on his feet. But at rest, the swelling subsides. To the touch, the leg in the edema area is soft.

Interestingly, cardiac edema can also go away by itself if the work of the heart improves at some point or the patient reduces the level of activity. However, their appearance suggests that you need to contact a cardiologist.

Varicose veins

Varicose veins are one of the most common causes of edema. Due to the weakening of the tone of the venous walls, the blood in the vessels stagnates, and the fluid pressure in the vessels increases. The body tries to resolve this situation on its own, and as a result, part of the fluid enters the tissues surrounding the vessel.

“Varicose” edema usually increases in the evening. To relieve the condition, you need to lie down and raise your legs. You can also put on compression stockings (if you have one) or do some exercises to increase blood flow. It is also useful to make contrast baths.

But if you notice a combination of reddening of the skin on your legs and swelling, we recommend that you consult a doctor. This may be a manifestation of thrombophlebitis – a dangerous condition when the lumen of a vein is closed by a thrombus, a blood clot. As a result, the blood flow through such a vessel stops.

Thrombophlebitis needs mandatory treatment from a specialist. If thrombi form in the lumen of a vein, it means that a floating thrombus may also form in one of the vessels. It is able to move along the bloodstream, and as a result, it can clog the pulmonary vessels.

So, if your legs are very red and swollen, if redness on your leg is accompanied by pain, hurry to the doctor. After all, this may be the result of a minor injury, or it may indicate a somatic disease or the formation of blood clots. Only a specialist will determine the true cause of your condition and help normalize the situation. Treat yourself and your health carefully and feel easy and comfortable!

10 symptoms to watch out for

Sometimes children talk about unusual symptoms and parents cannot figure out what is causing them. This article presents 10 symptoms that indicate health problems and require special attention.

1. Frequent discomfort and pain in the abdomen.

Children periodically complain of abdominal pain. However, frequent pain and bloating can be symptoms of a more serious condition, especially if accompanied by chronic diarrhea, white, pungent-smelling stools, gas, irritability, and unexplained anemia or low red blood cells.

If a child has these symptoms, it is necessary to test for the presence of celiac disease – the inability to absorb gluten (a protein found in some grains). Eating gluten breaks down the small hair-like particles that line the inside of the small intestine and can cause vomiting. If you suspect the presence of this disease, it is necessary to keep a food diary in which to indicate the body’s reaction to certain foods. It is important to exclude foods containing gluten from the diet and evaluate the result in the future. If symptoms persist, a pediatric gastroenterologist should be consulted.

2. Fever and blistering of the mouth, hands and feet.

Such symptoms most often indicate the so-called hand-foot-mouth syndrome, and not a similar lesion of the legs and mouth that occurs with foot-and-mouth disease (an acute viral disease that is characteristic of both animals and humans). Despite the sores that can even appear on the buttocks, the disease is harmless for most children and does not require treatment. Symptoms disappear after 7-10 days. If you experience these symptoms, we recommend that you contact your pediatrician.

3. Eruptions on the face, especially around the nose and mouth, and also on the hands and forearms.

Impetigo is a skin infection that can appear anywhere on the body, but often starts on the face. Impetigo can be caused by two types of bacteria: Streptococcus type A or Staphylococcus aureus. Type A streptococci cause a rash of small, pustular growths that burst and leave red patches on the skin. At the site of formations, a secretion of fluid occurs, which, when hardened, turns into honey-colored crusts. If impetigo is caused by Staphylococcus aureus, large pustules appear on the skin – bubbles that open less often and contain a liquid that gradually turns from transparent to cloudy. It is advisable not to injure the affected areas of the skin in order to prevent the spread of infection, and use aseptic soap when washing. Contact your pediatrician immediately for advice.

4. Itching, scratch marks on the skin.

Itching in the evenings usually intensifies, and thin irregularly shaped traces of scratching appear on the head, face, neck, palms, feet, in the folds of the skin between the fingers, in the armpits, on the inside of the elbow, and other parts of the body? These symptoms may be manifestations of scabies, a contagious skin disease caused by various types of mites that create passages under the human skin. This disease responds well to treatment, but for this it is necessary to consult a dermatologist for diagnosis and recommendations on this problem.

5. Itching and scaly red spots on the skin.

Such spots may be in the form of a ring with pronounced outer boundaries. Hence the name “Ringworm”, which means “ringworm”. This condition is more common in children and is a contagious skin disease caused by a fungus rather than a parasite. This disease is usually transmitted from pets or through personal hygiene items, clothing. A dermatologist will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe an antifungal ointment or cream.

6. Difficulty swallowing food, accompanied by pain in the region of the heart.

When gastric juice and food from the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, and at the same time the taste of food is felt in the throat, this is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The main symptom of GERD is heartburn, or pain behind the breastbone, in the lower chest, or in the middle of the abdomen. Children under 12 years of age also have difficulty swallowing food, nausea, coughing, asthma-like wheezing, and belching. If GERD is suspected, it is necessary to show the child to a gastroenterologist and reduce the portion size, exclude caffeinated and carbonated drinks, chocolate, spicy, sour, fried and fatty foods.

7. Motor and vocal tics.

Motor tics are repetitive, involuntary muscle spasms such as blinking, grimacing, head turning, etc. Vocal tics are the involuntary repetition of sounds such as coughing, barking, repeating words you hear. People who have tics cannot control themselves and often feel uncomfortable in society. This condition is often associated with Tourette’s syndrome. Children with Tourette’s syndrome have both short-term simple and complex tics that involve different muscle groups. Unfortunately, this syndrome increases the risk of emotional problems, anxiety disorders, learning and socialization problems. A child psychologist or psychiatrist will help the child cope with this syndrome.

8. Swelling and immobility of the joints.

If a child has no injuries but these symptoms are present, they may have arthritis. It sounds incredible, but juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is quite common in children under 16 years of age. Symptoms may come and go. Early symptoms typically include joint stiffness in the morning and soreness in the wrists, fingers, or knees. The joints may swell, there may be stiffness in the neck and hips, and a rash may come and go. In the evenings, the temperature may rise, subsiding the next morning. In this situation, consultation with a pediatrician is necessary.

9. Hair loss.

Have you changed your baby shampoo but your hair loss still continues? The cause of this problem may be immunological in nature. When leukocytes “work intermittently”, they affect the hair follicles, resulting in alopecia areata. This phenomenon is more common in children than in adults. In most cases, after a few months, the hair loss stops and normal hair growth is restored. A pediatric dermatologist analyzes the affected areas and, depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the condition, prescribes steroid injections.

10. Bedwetting.

Has your child experienced this problem before today? The baby has been drinking more lately, so the parents conclude that he drank too much liquid at night? The solution to this problem is obvious: the child should drink less or go to the toilet before going to bed. However, first you need to check if the baby has additional symptoms: constant fatigue or irritability, constant hunger, poor academic performance, sudden weight loss. Each of these symptoms is a reason to consult a pediatrician to rule out type II diabetes (a metabolic disorder in which the body does not produce enough insulin to control sugar levels). This disease is no longer considered a disease of adults. Eating high amounts of fats and carbohydrates, along with a sedentary lifestyle, has led to an increase in the number of children diagnosed with diabetes.