5 Signs Your Rash Is Actually Eczema

The skin is your body’s largest organ and plays a critical role in protecting you from the outside world. For the most part, your skin does an excellent job here. 

Sometimes, though, it encounters something too much for it to handle. Whether that’s an allergen or an infection, your skin might develop a rash in response. 

A lot of times, that rash will clear up on its own. But if it doesn’t — particularly if it comes with other warning signs — it might be more than a passing irritation. As an expert in rashes, Kenneth Warrick, MD, FAAD, can help you determine if it’s a rash or something more. Sometimes, what looks like a simple rash is actually a skin condition called eczema.

Let’s look at a few signs that indicate you should schedule some time with Dr. Warrick at Atlantic Dermatology in Longs, South Carolina.

#1: Your rash keeps coming back

Rashes usually come and go. If your skin clears up for a bit but the rash keeps recurring, it could be eczema. That’s particularly true if the rash recurs on specific body parts, including the:

• Back of your knees
• Face
• Hands
• Inside of your elbows
• Neck

If you regularly deal with rashes in any of those areas, talk to Dr. Warrick about eczema. 

#2: Your skin gets leathery or scaly

A rash usually causes redness, bumps, and itchiness. Eczema can cause all that, too, but it might create additional skin changes. If you notice the area with the rash looks scaly or thickened and leathery, you’re probably not dealing with a common rash. 

#3: Your skin is overly dry or wet

Dry skin and eczema often go hand in hand. If the area around your rash feels moisture-deprived and flaky, this skin condition could be to blame. 

Eczema can also cause a problem on the other end of the moisture spectrum: oozing. If you have oozing or crusting associated with your rash, come see Dr. Warrick. 

#4: Your itchiness is uncontrollable

Rashes are often itchy, but intense itchiness is one of the biggest symptoms of eczema. For some people, it can get so intense that they need to develop coping mechanisms to manage it. If pervasive itching sounds familiar, your rash could be eczema-based. 

#5: You can identify triggers

While there’s no cure for eczema (yet), people with this condition often get a lot of relief by identifying their triggers. You might have eczema if you can connect your rash to certain exposures or activities. 

Some of the most common eczema triggers include:

• Allergies
• Certain fabrics
• Chemicals, including those in household cleaners and laundry detergents
• Dry skin
• Heat exposure, including hot outdoor temperatures and hot water
• Stress
• Sweat

Try to note when your rash reappears. If you can attach it to a trigger, you might have eczema — and a way to combat it. Managing that trigger goes a long way toward helping yourself find relief.

Lifestyle changes aren’t the only way to ease eczema. If you think you might be living with this skin condition, come see Dr. Warrick so he can develop a treatment plan to help you. Call our office or use our online booking feature to schedule an appointment today.