Hand Eczema

Hand eczema presents on the palms and soles, and may sometimes be difficult or impossible to differentiate from atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and psoriasis, which also commonly involve the hands. Even a biopsy of all these conditions may not result in a definitive diagnosis, as all three conditions may demonstrate spongiosis and crusting on the hands.

Non-communicable inflammation of the skin of the hands is referred to as Hand eczema. Hand eczema is widely prevalent (see epidemiology) and, as it is a very visible condition associated with severe itching or pain, has serious consequences for the affected person including a high psychological impact (see symptoms and complaints). Different disease patterns can be identified according to the course of the illness, appearance of symptoms, degree of severity, or catalysts (see causes and types of illness). Prognosis is hard to predict for individual cases of chronic hand eczema and usually differs from patient to patient. Successful treatment depends on determining the causes of the condition, obtaining an accurate diagnosis (see diagnosis and sensible examinations, differential diagnoses), sustainable hand protection procedures and an early, extensive, and where appropriate internal treatment (see treatment ).