Eczema
Symptoms of Eczema
Eczema is characterized by red and itchy dry skin. On the feet, it manifests most commonly on the tops and on the front of the ankle area. Itching can begin before the rash appears, and scratching the itchy skin can lead to redness, swelling, cracking, seeping of clear fluid, crusting, and scaling.
Both the type and location of the rash can depend on the person's age:
Infants often develop a scaly rash on the face, and as they begin to crawl and become more mobile, other areas can be affected.
In children, the rash usually begins with bumps that become hard and scaly when scratched. Typical locations include behind the knees, inside the elbows, the wrists, ankles, and hands, the sides of the neck and around the mouth. In some children, the condition can go into remission for long periods, but may recur in puberty when hormones, stress, and some irritating skin care products or cosmetics can lead to recurrences.
Eczema also can develop for the first time in adults. When that happens, the rash commonly manifests on feet, hands and neck, and on the insides of the knees and elbows.