Some Common Skin Diseases Can Look Like Eczema, But Will Need Different Treatments

There are a few common skin diseases that sometimes be mistaken for eczema, and vice versa.

It is important to get a correct diagnosis.

Not all diseases of the skin are treated in the same way.

That is why it is also important that you don’t try to self medicate.

Using the wrong treatment definitely wont make it any better. In some cases it may make it worse.

There are some common skin diseases that maybe wrongly thought to be one of the types of eczema.

• Psoriasis. One of the symptoms of both psoriasis and eczema is skin inflammation. But the look of them is different. Also the common places where they are found are different. Eczema is generally found on the backs of knees and the fronts of elbows. Psoriasis is the opposite, fronts of knees and backs of elbows

• Impetigo. One similarity between impetigo and eczema is that they can both have blisters as a symptom. Impetigo, though, is contagious, so getting a diagnosis quickly is important. This will help with getting the right treatment in place to clear the infection

• Hives. Also known as Urticaria, the look of hives can be similar to irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. Which is understandable as it is generally caused by an allergic reaction. One difference is that in urticaria the skin doesn’t become dry

• Cellulitis. One of the symptoms of cellulitis is inflammation of the skin. As it often appears on the lower legs it can be mistaken for stasis dermatitis. The difference is that cellulitis is caused by a bacterial infection. This makes the first line treatment given slightly different

• Perioral Dermatitis. Appears on the face, mainly around the mouth. Its main symptom is small, red spots. It can be mistaken for atopic eczema and seborrheic dermatitis, but it is not normally itchy like eczema.
  

You can read more about each of these conditions by clicking on the above links.

If you suspect that you may have any one of these common skin conditions, visit your doctor. They can diagnose the condition and provide you with the best treatment.

And like with all conditions, if it is persistent and/or causing problems in your everyday life, pay another visit to your doctor.

You can find out more about the different types of eczema. This may even help you to work out what that irritating rash is.

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