Symptoms of Eczema

The symptoms of eczema include itching, redness, dry/flaky skin, and even blisters (www.medinfo.co.uk). Usually the first symptom of eczema is intense itching; this itching can be very uncomfortable and individuals may tend to scratch the skin. The itchy feeling is an important symptom in eczema, because scratching and rubbing in response to itching worsen the skin inflammation characteristic of eczema.

Scratching should be avoided because it can only make the eczema symptoms worse. The dry skin will become redder in color and may even crack due to scratching. Scratching may also lead to infection. It is a good idea, therefore, to keep fingernails cut short and to keep the hands occupied during the day in order to control the urge to scratch. The urge to scratch symptom becomes a repetitive cycle: the more you scratch, the more it itches.

Eczema runs its course through three distinct phases: acute, subacute, and chronic.

The usual symptoms associated with the acute stage of eczema include pain, heat, tenderness, and possible itching (Mackie 77). The affected areas are characterized by extreme redness and drainage at the lesion site (Mackie 77). The subacute phase of eczema includes symptoms associated with skin redness and crusting; however, there is no extreme swelling. People in the subacute phase tend to complain about the symptom of itching more than the pain (Mackie 77).

Individuals with lesions developed over three months are referred to as having chronic eczema. Itching is a predominant symptom in this phase as well and scratching causes the lesion to worsen (Mackie 77). Individuals with atopic eczema will find that their symptoms tend to worsen in the winter months due to decreased humidity in the home or office (Hall 79).