{"id":32973,"date":"2024-03-13T07:00:52","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T07:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=32973"},"modified":"2024-11-25T21:35:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T21:35:45","slug":"is-that-itch-eczema-or-just-dry-skin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/is-that-itch-eczema-or-just-dry-skin\/","title":{"rendered":"Is that itch eczema or just dry skin?","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Feeling dry and itchy?<\/p>\n<p>Nearly everyone will experience dry skin at some point in their lives. For some, it can be a chronic, long-lasting condition \u2014 for others, it may be more situational.<\/p>\n<p>But when that itching and redness is accompanied by other more intense and persistent symptoms, it\u2019s time to talk to your doctor or other health care provider.<\/p>\n<h2>Dry skin vs. eczema<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The primary difference between dry skin and eczema is the presence of an overactive immune system response, explains <a href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/provider\/david-larrymore\/\">David Larrymore, MD<\/a>, dermatologist at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith eczema, it\u2019s an outsized, unnecessary response of the immune system to a compromised skin barrier,\u201d he says. \u201cDry skin generally occurs more mildly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Telltale signs in spotting the difference:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Eczema<\/strong>: Intensely itchy, dry and inflamed skin; discoloration ranging from red and purple to brown or gray; swelling or thickening of the skin; crusting or cracking of the skin; red bumps<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dry skin<\/strong>: Mild to moderately itchy, flaky and dry skin; some discoloration from inflammation and scratching; minor to moderate cracking or peeling of the skin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The causes of dry skin can often be found, but eczema can be more mysterious.<\/p>\n<h2>What is the cause of eczema?<\/h2>\n<p>First, <em>eczema<\/em> is an umbrella term for a range of different skin conditions that can manifest in different ways at any point in your life, explains Dr. Larrymore.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s quite complex, and we don\u2019t completely understand it yet,\u201d he says. \u201cWe know there are changes in the structure and barrier of the skin that we see with eczema, but we also see a very prominent inflammation of the skin \u2026 it all comes down to a molecular level.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some people are born with eczema \u2014 which is often easier to explain, understand and treat from the start. Other people may develop it later in life or see it come and go. As we age and come into contact with new germs and environments, our skin biology changes, too, Dr. Larrymore explains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou likely always had a predisposition, and it just needed the right stressor, circumstance or strain on the immune system and then boom, it manifests,\u201d he adds. \u201cMaybe you had a few clues here or there, but never had exposure to the right series of events to cause it, which is why it\u2019s so impossible to predict from one person to the next.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Eczema isn\u2019t your fault<\/h2>\n<p>A common misconception is that you did something to cause your eczema.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany people believe food allergies to be a cause of their eczema,\u201d Dr. Larrymore says. \u201cWhile it\u2019s fair to say that some foods may cause eczema to flare, it\u2019s not the food itself causing it. Eczema is always there if you have it, but the right conditions will exacerbate it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Eczema is a common condition, affecting nearly one in 10 people in the United States. But without a single specific cause, it can be confusing and frustrating.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Feeling dry and itchy? Nearly everyone will experience dry skin at some point in their lives. For some, it can be a chronic, long-lasting condition \u2014 for others, it may be more situational. But when that itching and redness is accompanied by other more intense and persistent symptoms, it\u2019s time to talk to your doctor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":115,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127,99],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-primary-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is that itch eczema or just dry skin? - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Nearly everyone will experience dry skin at some point. But how do you know if it\u2019s just dry skin versus eczema? 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