Syn .: Dry skin eczema, eczema craquelé, xerotic eczema, asteatotic eczema, pityriasis simplex corporis, eczema hiemalis, eczema of the lack of oiling (winter), xerosis of the elderly.
Def .: It is a superficial inflammation of the skin consisting of erythematous changes accompanied by exfoliation and delicate cleavages of the epidermis.
Epid .: The lesions may affect adults of all ages, but there are also forms occurring in children and the elderly, of both sexes.
Etiol .: The most common etiological factor is the excessive drying of the skin caused by the individual properties of the patients’ skin, but also by weather conditions and the way rooms are heated.
Pat .: Excessive water loss through the skin.
Loc .: Most often the skin of the face and distal parts of the limbs, as well as the torso.
Clinical: Diffuse hyperkeratosis of the skin is usually characterized by dryness and slight exfoliation, without erythematous changes. The clinical picture may also be different and, for example, relate to limited areas of the skin (dandruff) or it may resemble ichthyosis. In winter eczema, foci 2-4 cm in diameter are formed, accompanied by intense exfoliation, affecting the skin of the face and limbs. In eczema craquelé, the epidermis peels off in large flaps surrounded by deep fissures located on the inflammatory basis. A common feature of all varieties is the occurrence of pruritus. Dry skin is the most important factor in the development of inflammation and itching in the elderly. It happens that hygiene habits become the cause of ailments. Daily showering, the use of antibacterial soaps, the lack of the habit of lubricating the skin with a physiological decrease in sebum production in the elderly cause excessive drying of the skin and peeling of the epidermis, especially of the lower limbs. These problems arise in winter when the central heating is turned on. Dry skin can also be associated with kidney diseases and be the result of the use of drugs that lower the level of lipids in the blood.
Hist .: Excessive exfoliation of the epidermis, non-specific inflammation of the dermis.
DR: First of all, rule out psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, mycosis, and Gibert’s pink dandruff.
Treatment: To avoid factors that excessively dry the skin, it is necessary to lubricate the skin.
Year: Successful.
DIG. W-42. Dry eczema.
DIG. W-43. Dry eczema.
DIG. W-44. Dry eczema.
Lit .: [1] Th aipisuttikul Y .: Pruritic skin diseases in the elderly. J Dermatol 1998, 25; 153-7. [2] Braun-Falco O., Plewig G., Wolff HH, Burgdorf WHC: Dermatology, eds. half. Gliński W., Wolska H., Wydawnictwo Czelej, Lublin 2002.
Source: A. Kaszuba, Z. Adamski: “Lexicon of dermatology”; XNUMXst edition, Czelej Publishing House