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Eczema

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Infantile eczema; Atopic dermatitis; Dermatitis - atopic

Symptoms:

• Blisters with oozing and crusting
• Dry, leathery skin areas
• Ear discharge or bleeding
• Intense itching
• Rash
  • In children younger than age 2, skin lesions begin on the cheeks, elbows, or knees
  • In adults, the rash is more commonly seen on the inside of the knees and elbows
• Raw areas of the skin from scratching
• Skin coloring changes -- more or less coloring than the normal skin tone (See: Skin bnormally dark or light )
• Skin redness or inflammation around the blisters

Signs and tests:

Diagnosis is primarily based on the appearance of the skin and on personal and family history. The health care provider should examine the lesions to rule out other possible causes. A skin lesion biopsy may be performed, but is not always required to make the diagnosis.

References:

Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology . 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2004:41.

Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine , 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2004:2458-2460.

• Review Date: 7/18/2007
• Reviewed By: Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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