In fact, it may not be the case. Some skin diseases are very similar to eczema and can be easily confused. Among them, some diseases have similar treatment plans to eczema, while others require specialized treatment, and the treatment plans may be quite different.
If treated as eczema by mistake, it may backfire, affect diagnosis, and even worsen the condition.
Whether adults or children,
eczema is very common, but
…
is polymorphic and can manifest as erythema, papules, vesicles, erosion, exudate, and crusts, often accompanied by itching.
And if it persists untreated, it can develop into chronic eczema, with fused and thickened rash. There is also a subacute form characterized by papules, crusts, and scales.
Eczema
In the treatment of eczema, the core is anti-inflammatory, and the core approach to anti-inflammatory is the use of topical corticosteroids, so for any eczema, if you’re unsure, applying some “Dermatological Balm” will usually show effects, pushing this type of medicine as a self-help miracle drug, but “one trick does not fit all situations”.
These skin diseases look like eczema,
and the treatment methods are also similar
The most obvious symptom is intolerable severe itching repeatedly occurring in specific areas of the skin, commonly seen on the neck, wrists, elbows, lower legs, and other areas that are easily rubbed.
Neurodermatitis
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And this itching forms a vicious cycle of “itching leads to scratching, and scratching leads to more itching”. Long-term repeated scratching can cause changes in the skin, originally smooth skin will gradually become thicker and harder, and the surface will appear rough patterns similar to moss.
The skin inflammation pathway is also a core link in the itching and skin thickening of neurodermatitis, so applying topical corticosteroid ointment like eczema can relieve itching and prevent skin from thickening and hardening.
Psoriasis
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However, psoriasis with large areas of rash and frequent relapses
still requires a comprehensive assessment to develop a more accurate plan.
The above are some diseases that have similar symptoms to eczema, and it is not easy to make mistakes when treated with eczema plans.
However,there are some rashes, if only casually apply the common drugs for eczema, it may make the situation worse.
The following are several rashes that require our special attention, have a certain similarity with eczema, but require specialized treatment.
These skin diseases look like eczema,
but the response plans are quite different
, which is divided into irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis.
And some allergic contact dermatitis is caused by allergies to contact substances in some people. A more typical example that we rarely confuse with eczema is the so-called “allergy” to adhesive plasters. It appears as erythema, papules, and vesicles that basically match the position of the adhesive tape, with very clear boundaries.
And some allergic contact dermatitis, such as allergies to hair dyes, cleansers, or fragrances, may not cause very regular erythema, which may be mistaken for eczema.
In treatment, if we simply treat the symptoms of eczema with anti-inflammatory measures, although it can briefly make the rash subside, but without avoiding contact with allergens, it will lead to repetition and worsening of allergic contact dermatitis, giving us an illusion that the skin is “resistant” to steroid ointments.
So in the following cases, it is best to exclude the possibility of allergies before applying medicine by ourselves:
the rash is relatively clear, and the position of the rash has recently come into contact with new substances.
For example:
Scabies
In appearance, scabies and eczema are very easy to confuse, but several characteristics can warn us:
● itching worsens at night;
● It can invade the genitals(such as papules and nodules appearing on the outer skin folds of the testicles).
If scabies is suspected, it is recommended to seek offline medical attention. Although the diagnostic standard is microscopic examination to find mites, eggs, or their excretions, it is often difficult to obtain the most golden standard evidence because the number of mites on the patient is small and sometimes it is not possible to get the best evidence.
And experienced dermatologists can find areas with mites or tunnels through dermatoscope examination, or make a presumptive diagnosis based on medical history and physical examination results. If scabies is not treated properly, the mites can comfortably settle and reproduce on the body, and it can also infect others, potentially turning a whole house into a breeding ground for mites.
Tinea pedis, especially the vesicular and hyperkeratotic types, is very easy to confuse with eczema in the eyes of many people.
And tinea corporis, especially in the early stages of development, before fully presenting the characteristics of clear red patches with slightly raised edges like petals, is also very easy to confuse with the acute eczema manifestations of the trunk and limbs, but its treatment is completely different from that of eczema.
Eczema requires anti-inflammatory treatment, and we often use topical corticosteroid ointments for anti-inflammatory purposes, while fungal infections require corresponding antifungal treatment.
If a rash of fungal infection is mistakenly treated with corticosteroids, the rash may seem to subside in the short term, but it will recur and worsen rapidly after stopping the medication, repeating this cycle, and it may even lead to the difficult-to-recognize ringworm that we often see discussed in dermatology difficult case discussions.
So when we have relatively clear erythematous rashes on our body, especially if there are pets like cats and dogs at home; blisters on the feet, often starting unilaterally and with factors such as a conhabitant having onychomycosis(as fungal nail infection commonly known as “gray nails”, it is recommended to consider offline medical consultation, to assess whether there is a fungal infection factor. If it’s really unclear, we can also perform a fungal smear test to determine whether there is really a fungus.
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