Eczema and Hand Dermatitis

Eczema (eczematous inflammation) is the most common inflammatory skin disease. Although the term dermatitis is often used to refer to an eczematous eruption, the word means inflammation of the skin and is not synonymous with eczematous processes. Recognizing a rash as eczematous rather than psoriasiform or lichenoid, for example, is of fundamental importance if one is to effectively diagnose skin disease. Here, as with other skin diseases, it is important to look carefully at the rash and to determine the primary lesion.

It is essential to recognize the quality and characteristics of the components of eczematous inflammation (erythema, scale, and vesicles) and to determine how these differ from other rashes with similar features. Once familiar with these features, the experienced clinician can recognize a process as eczematous even in the presence of secondary changes produced by scratching, infection, or irritation. With the diagnosis of eczematous inflammation established, a major part of the diagnostic puzzle has been solved.