Symptoms

Slightly different symptoms and clinical signs exist for each type of eczema, and they can range in terms of severity and location on the body. However, the first symptom of eczema is usually intense itching, followed by a patchy, flaky, scaly, dry, hot, inflamed skin rash. Other eczema symptoms and clinical signs include:

• Repeated rashes
• Redness
• Swelling
• Crusting
• Scabbing
• Blistering
• Cracking
• Oozing
• Bleeding

As there are different types of eczema, so too are there different triggers, which can range from chemicals, bacteria, allergens, side effects of medications and psychological factors. Some triggers include:

• Soaps and detergents
• Cosmetics
• Weather conditions (heat, cold, humidity, dryness)
• Environmental allergens (such as poison ivy, ragweed, and primrose)
• Jewellery
• Creams
• Food handling
• Clothing (due to the chemicals used in manufacturing)
• Sweating
• Gloves
• Rubbing
• Emotional or mental stress

Flare-ups can be caused by:

• Illness
• Unusual physical or mental stress
• Exposure to skin irritants
• Skin infections