Can Dry Skin Cause Bumps

Discoid eczema, also known as nummular or discoid dermatitis, is a long-term (chronic) skin status that causes pare to become itchy, swollen and cracked in round or oval patches.

Without treatment, discoid eczema can last for weeks, months or even years. It may also proceed coming back – ofttimes in the same surface area that was affected previously.

Symptoms of discoid eczema

Discoid eczema causes distinctive circular or oval patches of eczema. Information technology tin affect any role of the trunk, although it does not normally affect the face or scalp.

The start sign of discoid eczema is usually a group of small-scale spots or bumps on the skin. These then apace join upward to grade larger patches that can range from a few millimetres to several centimetres in size.

On lighter skin these patches will be pink or red. On darker skin these patches tin be a night brown or they can be paler than the skin effectually them.

Initially, these patches are oft swollen, blistered (covered with small fluid-filled pockets) and ooze fluid. They also tend to be very itchy, particularly at night.

Over time, the patches may become dry, crusty, cracked and flaky. The center of the patch also sometimes clears, leaving a ring of discoloured skin that can be mistaken for ringworm.

You may just have 1 patch of discoid eczema, but most people get several patches. The peel between the patches is oftentimes dry.

Patches of discoid eczema can sometimes become infected. Signs of an infection can include:

the patches oozing a lot of fluid
a xanthous crust developing over the patches
the peel around the patches becoming hot, swollen and tender or painful
feeling ill
feeling hot or shivery
feeling unwell

When to seek medical advice

Run across a pharmacist or GP if yous think y'all may take discoid eczema. They can recommend a suitable treatment.

You lot should also seek medical advice if you lot think your peel may be infected. You may need to use an antibiotic cream or, in astringent cases, accept antibiotics every bit a tablet or capsule.

A GP should be able to make a diagnosis simply past examining the affected areas of skin. In some cases they may too inquire questions or accommodate some tests to rule out other conditions.

A GP may refer you to a doctor who specialises in peel weather (dermatologist) if they're unsure of the diagnosis or if you need a patch test.

Causes of discoid eczema

The crusade of discoid eczema is unknown, although it may happen equally a upshot of having particularly dry pare.

When your skin is very dry out it cannot provide an effective barrier against substances that come into contact with it. This could allow a previously harmless substance, such as lather, to irritate your skin.

Information technology'southward important to look advisedly at all the chemicals in cosmetics and toiletries that may take come into contact with your skin. Contact dermatitis, a blazon of eczema caused past coming into contact with a particular irritant, may have a role in discoid eczema.

Some people with discoid eczema too have a history of atopic eczema, which often happens in people who are decumbent to asthma and hay fever. However, unlike atopic eczema, discoid eczema does not seem to run in families.

Other possible triggers

An outbreak of discoid eczema may sometimes be triggered by a minor skin injury, such as an insect bite or a burn.

Some medicines may also be associated with discoid eczema, as patches of eczema tin can appear in people taking:

interferon and ribavirin – when they're used together to treat hepatitis C
tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-blastoff) blockers – used to treat some types of arthritis
statins (cholesterol-lowering medicine) – which tin cause dry pare and rashes

Dry environments and cold climates can make discoid eczema worse, and sunny or damp (boiling) environments may make your symptoms better.

Treating discoid eczema

Discoid eczema is usually a long-term trouble, simply medicines are available to assistance save the symptoms and go on the status nether control.

Treatments include:

emollients – moisturisers applied to the skin to terminate it becoming dry out
topical corticosteroids – ointments and creams containing a steroid that are applied to the skin and may relieve astringent symptoms
antihistamines – medicines that can reduce itching

There are also things you can do yourself to assist, such as avoiding all the irritating chemicals in soaps, detergents, bubble baths and shower gels.

Additional medicine tin exist prescribed if your eczema is infected or especially severe.

Occasionally, areas of skin affected by discoid eczema tin can be left permanently discoloured subsequently the condition has cleared upwards.

Find out more nearly treating discoid eczema.

Other types of eczema

Eczema is the name for a grouping of pare conditions that cause dry, irritated skin. Other types of eczema include:

atopic eczema (also called atopic dermatitis) – the about common type of eczema, it oft runs in families and is linked to other conditions such as asthma and hay fever
contact dermatitis – a type of eczema that happens when the peel comes into contact with a particular substance
varicose eczema – a type of eczema that ordinarily affects the lower legs and is caused by problems with the menstruation of blood through the leg veins

Page last reviewed: 30 October 2019
Next review due: 30 October 2022