Eczema - Symptoms

Eczema symptoms are characterised by a dry, red, scaly rash, which is extremely itchy. Eczema commonly affects the face, neck hands and in creases of the limbs.

The rash usually starts off as minute pearly blisters beneath the skins surface. When it's severe the rash may weep and can cause sleeplessness due to the intense itching.

Main eczema symptoms

You may notice some or all of the following symptoms:

• Itching: Itching is usually the primary symptom and often the most annoying. Itching is a common feature of many conditions so although it’s an essential element in diagnosis, itching alone doesn’t mean that you have eczema. The itching is usually accompanied by the other symptoms.

• Redness: When the skin is inflamed there is an increased bloodflow in the nearby blood vessels which gives the red appearence. The redness can also be due to a bacterial infection.

• Thickening: The area affected by eczema is often thicker than non affected skin. This is usually due to a protective response as a result of repeated scratching.

• Blisters: Tissue fluids can ooze between the cells and gather into collections or blisters. Depending on the nature of the eczema, and whether infection is present, there can also be large blisters filled with fluid or pus.

• Crusts: The fluid that oozes from inflamed skin is rich in protein. When the fluid comes into contact with the air, the protein is left behind as a crusty deposit. These crusts are often a sign of infection, and typically have a golden colour.

When to see a doctor

Talk to your doctor if you develop an unexplained rash, have a family history of eczema or asthma, or have some of the symptoms associated with eczema. It is essential that you seek medical help if:

• The inflammation does not respond to over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams within a week. Your doctor may talk to you about more aggressive treatments.

• 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. You may have eczema herpeticum, a rare but potentially serious complication caused by the herpes simplex virus.

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