Eczema

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Atopic dermatitis	Atopy on the ankles	Dermatitis, atopic in an infant	Dermatitis, atopic on a young girl's face
Dermatitis, atopic on the arms	Dermatitis, atopic on the legs	Eczema, atopic - close-up	Hyperlinearity in atopic dermatitis
Hyperlinearity in atopic dermatitis, on the palm	Keratosis pilaris - close-up	Keratosis pilaris on the cheek

Infantile eczema; Atopic eczema; Dermatitis - atopic

• Intense itching
• Blisters with oozing and crusting
• Skin redness or inflammation around the blisters
• Rash
  • In children under 2 years old, skin lesions begin on the cheeks, elbows, or knees
  • In adults, the rash more commonly involves the inside surfaces of the knees and elbows
• Dry, leathery skin areas
  • More or less pigment than their normal skin tone (see skin, abnormally dark or light)
  • Located commonly in the inner elbow or behind the knee
  • May spread to the neck, hands, feet, eyelids, or behind the knee
• Raw areas of the skin -- from scratching
• Ear discharges/bleeding

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.

Review Date: 10/17/2005
Reviewed By: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.