7 Types of Eczema: What Do Atopic Dermatitis and Other Eczema Types Look Like?

This is the most common and long-lasting form of eczema, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). It’s characterized by inflamed skin that may crack and release a clear fluid when scratched (an effect known as “weeping”). Other common symptoms may include red and dry patches on the skin or hardening and thickening of the skin. People with skin of color tend to experience lightening or darkening of the skin in areas of skin inflammation.

People with atopic dermatitis often experience flares, during which symptoms worsen, and remissions, when symptoms improve or clear up, per NIAMS.

This is a localized skin reaction to a substance in the environment that causes the skin to develop an itchy rash, according to the National Eczema Association (NEA). People with white skin may experience dry, cracked, and scaly skin, while people with darker skin tones may experience hyperpigmentation, meaning leathery patches of skin that are darker than the surrounding skin, per Mayo Clinic.

Often the skin immediately reacts to irritants, such as chemicals (acids, cleaning agents, soaps), abrasion, or heat, and is thus known as irritant contact eczema. Other times, the skin reacts slowly (usually about 48 to 96 hours, but also up to three weeks) after contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign or that you’ve become allergic to, such as poison ivy, nickel, or latex — this is called allergic contact eczema, according to Mayo Clinic.

Sometimes mistaken for dry skin, this form of eczema produces dry, thick, scaly patches or red or dark brown skin on the hands that may crack and bleed, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Like contact eczema, hand eczema is triggered by various irritants and allergens. As such, it is most often found in people who work in cleaning, catering, hairdressing, healthcare, and mechanical jobs.

Those who had atopic dermatitis as children are more likely to develop hand eczema compared with those who haven’t had atopic dermatitis, per AAD.

Marked by small blisters on the hands and feet, especially the fingers, palms, and soles, dyshidrotic eczema can be very itchy and will often disrupt sleep and work time, according to AAD. In people with darker skin tones, lingering dark spots may form where they had blisters. Dyshidrotic eczema sometimes develops as a side effect of intravenous immunoglobulin infusions, a type of treatment for certain immune system disorders and diseases.

Also known as scalp eczema or dandruff, this is a chronic condition in which white or yellow scaly patches of skin develop in oily areas, such as the scalp, the face, the ears, and the groin, per Mayo Clinic. People with darker skin tones may have scaly, hyperpigmented patches of skin in the aforementioned areas, research shows.

Unlike other forms of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis is not a type of allergic reaction, and microorganisms that live on the skin (such as some types of yeast) can contribute to the condition, according to Mayo Clinic.

This itchy and inflammatory skin condition is known for the round spots or coin-shaped lesions that appear as a rash on the arms, legs, or trunk of the body, according to AAD. The spots are red or pink in those with lighter skin tones, and dark brown or lighter than one’s skin tone among people with darker skin. Often, small blisters and scabs may develop. Nummular dermatitis, also known as discoid eczema, is more common in the elderly.

Known also as venous eczema and gravitational dermatitis, this type of skin condition is caused by a circulation problem, often with the veins in the legs, according to NEA.

Symptoms usually start with swelling around the ankle, varicose veins, or changes in color of the skin (redness in lighter skin tones, or brown, purple, gray, or ashen in darker skin tones). It can also cause orange-brown discolored speckles, which are sometimes referred to as cayenne pepper spots. Treatments may include compression stockings and topical medicine.