What Does Eczema Look Like?

What does eczema look like

What Does Eczema Look Like

Eczema is a very common skin disorder especially among African Americans.  This skin disorder is common among children and adults.  In babies it can start as early as 6 months old. You should be aware of how to take care of this skin condition and what you need to look out for, if you think you or your child may have symptoms.  So, what does eczema look like?

What Does Eczema Look Like On A Baby

When dealing with a baby who has eczema it should be easy to detect.  Eczema on a baby’s body will be different from the normal diaper or heat rash.  When it shows up on your baby’s skin, you will most likely notice it on his/her cheeks.  The skin will be rough, hard and many times a different color than the natural skin tone.  For example, caucasian baby’s may have a reddish rash where the flare up is and for African American baby’s the flare up will be a dark brown or black color.

What Does Eczema Look Like On An Adult

For adults, eczema has the potential to show up anywhere on the skin.  A flare up can happen on the face, neck, hands, arms and legs.  It will also have a hard rough texture, almost resembling a scab from a cut that is healing.  Additionally, adults are more likely to scratch the flare up causing the skin to break and become more irritated.

What Are The Signs

There are several symptoms of eczema.  In order to fix and combat it you need to know what to look for, here are some symptoms that you or your baby could possibly experience when an eczema flare up has occurred. 

-areas on the skin that are irritated will either be red or dark brown/black

-extremely dry patches

-swelling and the area may be warm

-after the flare up the area of the skin that has been affected may leave a dark spot that is inconsistent with your natural skin tone.

Different Types Of Eczema

There are many different types of eczema, some of them are:

-atopic dermatitis

-contact dermatitis

-neurodermatitis

-dyshidrotic eczema

-nummular eczema

-seborrheic dermatitis

-stasis dermatitis

Even though there are several types of eczema, for the most part symptoms are the same.  Itching and rough scaly skin are the main signs of these ailments.  Now that you know what to look for and expect when an eczema flare up begins,  it can be treated in a timely matter to avoid further damage and irritation to the skin.