Xerotic eczema (also known as "Eczema craquelé," "Pruritus hiemalis," "Asteatotic eczema," "Winter itch", "Dessication dermatitis," and "Winter eczema") is a form of
eczemaEczema is a disease in a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis. The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions. These include dryness and recurring skin rashes that are characterized by one or more of these symptoms: redness, skin edema , itching and...
that is characterized by changes that occur when
skinThe skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of mesodermal tissue, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Skin of a different nature exists in amphibians, reptiles, birds...
becomes abnormally dry,
itchy* Itchy refers to an itching sensation.* Itchy means restless or nervous.* Itchy is a fictional animated mouse in The Itchy & Scratchy Show, the show-within-a-show on The Simpsons...
, and
crackedCracked is an American comedy website, and was originally a humor magazine. Founded in 1958, Cracked proved to be the most durable imitator of the popular Mad Magazine....
. Lower legs tend to be especially affected, although it can appear in the
underarmThe axilla is the area on the human body directly under the joint where the arm connects to the shoulder.-Boundaries:Anatomically, the boundaries of the axilla are:...
area as well.
Xerotic eczema is common in elderly people, though it is not uncommon for people in their 20s.
Xerotic eczema (also known as "Eczema craquelé," "Pruritus hiemalis," "Asteatotic eczema," "Winter itch", "Dessication dermatitis," and "Winter eczema") is a form of
eczemaEczema is a disease in a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis. The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions. These include dryness and recurring skin rashes that are characterized by one or more of these symptoms: redness, skin edema , itching and...
that is characterized by changes that occur when
skinThe skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of mesodermal tissue, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Skin of a different nature exists in amphibians, reptiles, birds...
becomes abnormally dry,
itchy* Itchy refers to an itching sensation.* Itchy means restless or nervous.* Itchy is a fictional animated mouse in The Itchy & Scratchy Show, the show-within-a-show on The Simpsons...
, and
crackedCracked is an American comedy website, and was originally a humor magazine. Founded in 1958, Cracked proved to be the most durable imitator of the popular Mad Magazine....
. Lower legs tend to be especially affected, although it can appear in the
underarmThe axilla is the area on the human body directly under the joint where the arm connects to the shoulder.-Boundaries:Anatomically, the boundaries of the axilla are:...
area as well.
Xerotic eczema is common in elderly people, though it is not uncommon for people in their 20s. It can appear in red,
bumpyBumpy is a species of jellyfish, Stellamedusa ventana.The species was first described in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association in 2004 by Kevin Raskoff and George Matsumoto of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. As of February 2004, seven specimens have been observed, five off...
,
pimpleA pimple is a result of a blockage of the skin's pore. It can be a pustule or papule.-Causes:Inside the pore are sebaceous glands which produce sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed , the dead skin cells left behind may become 'glued' together by the sebum. This causes a blockage in the pore,...
-like
irritationIrritation or exacerbation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant...
s.
ShavingShaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
can cause it to become inflamed.
Treatment
One way to treat xerotic eczema is to avoid
scratch-Recordings:* Scratch , by Kaela Kimura* Scratch , the soundtrack to the film Scratch* Peter Gabriel , a self-titled album often referred to as Scratch* "Scratch," a song by Morphine on the album Yes...
ing the affected area and to apply anti-itch or moisturizing
lotionA lotion is a low- to medium-viscosity, topical preparation intended for application to unbroken skin; creams and gels have a higher viscosity. Most lotions are oil-in-water emulsions using a substance such as Cetearyl alcohol to keep the emulsion together, but water-in-oil lotions are also...
frequently.
A study published in 2005 found positive results when the affected area was soaked in water for twenty minutes and subsequently applying mid- to high-strength
corticosteroidCorticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiologic systems such as stress response, immune response and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte...
ointment.