{"id":43288,"date":"2026-11-05T16:07:37","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T15:07:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/dry-winter-skin-or-eczema\/"},"modified":"2026-11-05T16:07:37","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T15:07:37","slug":"dry-winter-skin-or-eczema","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/dry-winter-skin-or-eczema\/","title":{"rendered":"Dry winter skin or eczema?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Asses\u00adsing sym\u00adptoms cor\u00adrect\u00adly and trea\u00adting the skin bar\u00adri\u00ader in a tar\u00adge\u00adted&nbsp;way<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In win\u00adter, the skin loses mois\u00adtu\u00adre more easi\u00adly. Cold air, hea\u00adted indoor spaces, hot show\u00aders and fre\u00adquent washing can put addi\u00adtio\u00adnal strain on the skin barrier.<\/p>\n<p>Many peo\u00adp\u00adle then noti\u00adce rough, flaky or tight skin. In most cases, this dry win\u00adter skin can be soot\u00adhed well with adapt\u00aded skin&nbsp;care.<\/p>\n<p>Howe\u00adver, if seve\u00adre itching, recur\u00adring inflamm\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon, cracks, wee\u00adping or small blis\u00adters occur as well, the\u00adre may be more behind it. It should then be cla\u00adri\u00adfied whe\u00adther ato\u00adpic, irrit\u00adant, all\u00ader\u00adgic or dys\u00adhi\u00addro\u00adtic <a href=\"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/eczema-treatment\/\">ecze\u00adma<\/a> is present.<\/p>\n<h2>How does dry skin differ from eczema?<\/h2>\n<p>Dry skin is pri\u00adma\u00adri\u00adly a dis\u00adtur\u00adban\u00adce of the mois\u00adtu\u00adre and lipid con\u00adtent of the outer\u00admost lay\u00ader of skin. It feels rough, tight and may show fine scaling.<\/p>\n<p>Ecze\u00adma, by con\u00adtrast, is an inflamm\u00ada\u00adto\u00adry reac\u00adtion of the skin. Typi\u00adcal signs can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>seve\u00adre or recur\u00adring itching<\/li>\n<li>infla\u00admed or swol\u00adlen&nbsp;skin<\/li>\n<li>sca\u00adling and pain\u00adful cracks<\/li>\n<li>small blis\u00adters<\/li>\n<li>wee\u00adping or crus\u00adted&nbsp;areas<\/li>\n<li>sym\u00adptoms that keep retur\u00adning in the same are\u00adas of the&nbsp;body<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The boun\u00adda\u00adries can be flu\u00adid. A wea\u00adk\u00aden\u00aded skin bar\u00adri\u00ader makes inflamm\u00ada\u00adto\u00adry reac\u00adtions more likely, and dry skin can itch too. That is why a dia\u00adgno\u00adsis can\u00adnot always be made on the basis of a sin\u00adgle symptom.<\/p>\n<h2>Eczema in the elbow creases in children<\/h2>\n<p>In child\u00adren, <a href=\"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/neurodermitis\/\">ato\u00adpic der\u00adma\u00adti\u00adtis<\/a> is a com\u00admon cau\u00adse of recur\u00adring ecze\u00adma. An itchy rash in the skin folds, for exam\u00adp\u00adle in the crea\u00adses of the elbows or behind the kne\u00ades, is one of the typi\u00adcal patterns.<\/p>\n<p>In babies and todd\u00adlers, the cheeks or the outer sides of the arms and legs can also be affec\u00adted. On dar\u00adker skin types, red\u00adness may be less noti\u00adceable. The skin may ins\u00adtead appear vio\u00adlet, grey-brown or noti\u00adce\u00adab\u00adly thickened.<\/p>\n<p>The dia\u00adgno\u00adsis depends not only on the cur\u00adrent appearance of the skin, but also&nbsp;on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the seve\u00adri\u00adty of the itching<\/li>\n<li>the age at which sym\u00adptoms&nbsp;began<\/li>\n<li>the recur\u00adring course<\/li>\n<li>gene\u00adral\u00adly dry&nbsp;skin<\/li>\n<li>per\u00adso\u00adnal or fami\u00adly histo\u00adry of ato\u00adpic con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons such as asth\u00adma or hay&nbsp;fever<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Not all ecze\u00adma in a child auto\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly requi\u00adres an <a href=\"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/allergy-test\/\">aller\u00adgy test<\/a>. Tar\u00adge\u00adted aller\u00adgy test\u00ading is par\u00adti\u00adcu\u00adlar\u00adly useful when the medi\u00adcal histo\u00adry or the cour\u00adse of tre\u00adat\u00adment gives rise to a spe\u00adci\u00adfic suspicion.<\/p>\n<h2>Dyshidrotic hand eczema<\/h2>\n<p>Dys\u00adhi\u00addro\u00adtic ecze\u00adma, also known as pompho\u00adlyx, appears as small, deep-sea\u00adted and often very itchy blis\u00adters on the palms, the sides of the fin\u00adgers or, less com\u00admon\u00adly, the soles of the&nbsp;feet.<\/p>\n<p>The blis\u00adters can mer\u00adge. After a few weeks, the skin often peels and may remain dry or cracked.<\/p>\n<p>Con\u00adtra\u00adry to what was once belie\u00adved, the con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adon is not cau\u00adsed by blo\u00adcked sweat glands. Pos\u00adsi\u00adble con\u00adtri\u00adbu\u00adting fac\u00adtors include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>irrit\u00adant cont\u00adact, for exam\u00adp\u00adle from fre\u00adquent hand washing or clea\u00adning products<\/li>\n<li>all\u00ader\u00adgic cont\u00adact reac\u00adtions, inclu\u00adding to cer\u00adtain metals<\/li>\n<li>hea\u00advy sweating<\/li>\n<li>in some peo\u00adp\u00adle, a fun\u00adgal infec\u00adtion of the&nbsp;feet<\/li>\n<li>wet work or repea\u00adted cont\u00adact with irri\u00adta\u00adting sub\u00ads\u00adtances at&nbsp;work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In the case of one-sided, chro\u00adnic or unu\u00adsu\u00adal chan\u00adges, a fun\u00adgal infec\u00adtion, cont\u00adact aller\u00adgy, pso\u00adria\u00adsis or other blis\u00adte\u00adring con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons, among others, must be ruled&nbsp;out.<\/p>\n<h2>Which treatment helps?<\/h2>\n<p>Tre\u00adat\u00adment depends on the type of ecze\u00adma, its seve\u00adri\u00adty, the pati\u00aden\u00adt\u2019s age and the affec\u00adted area of the&nbsp;body.<\/p>\n<p>Regu\u00adlar basic skin care sup\u00adports the skin bar\u00adri\u00ader and remains important even during pha\u00adses with few sym\u00adptoms. During acti\u00adve inflamm\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon, howe\u00adver, skin care pro\u00adducts alo\u00adne are often not enough. Anti-inflamm\u00ada\u00adto\u00adry creams or oint\u00adments pre\u00adscri\u00adbed by a doc\u00adtor may then be needed.<\/p>\n<p>The fol\u00adlo\u00adwing mea\u00adsu\u00adres can sup\u00adport the skin barrier:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>regu\u00adlar\u00adly use fra\u00adgrance-free, well-tole\u00adra\u00adted, lipid-rep\u00adle\u00adnis\u00adhing skin&nbsp;care<\/li>\n<li>app\u00adly cream espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly after washing<\/li>\n<li>take short, luke\u00adwarm show\u00aders or baths rather than long, hot&nbsp;ones<\/li>\n<li>use mild, soap-free cle\u00adan\u00adsing products<\/li>\n<li>gent\u00adly pat the skin dry rather than rub\u00adbing it vigorously<\/li>\n<li>with hand ecze\u00adma, take wet work, clea\u00adning pro\u00adducts and occu\u00adpa\u00adtio\u00adnal strain into account<\/li>\n<li>use sui\u00adta\u00adble pro\u00adtec\u00adti\u00adve gloves as the situa\u00adti\u00adon requires<\/li>\n<li>use anti-inflamm\u00ada\u00adto\u00adry medi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon accor\u00adding to a tre\u00adat\u00adment plan sui\u00adted to the body area and&nbsp;age<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In child\u00adren, emol\u00adli\u00adents form the basis of tre\u00adat\u00adment. Topi\u00adcal cor\u00adti\u00adcos\u00adte\u00adro\u00adids are cho\u00adsen accor\u00adding to seve\u00adri\u00adty and body regi\u00adon. Used cor\u00adrect\u00adly, their bene\u00adfits out\u00adweigh the pos\u00adsi\u00adble risks. Howe\u00adver, potent pre\u00adpa\u00adra\u00adti\u00adons in infants or very strong cor\u00adti\u00adcos\u00adte\u00adro\u00adids belong in the hands of a specialist.<\/p>\n<p>With chro\u00adnic or aty\u00adpi\u00adcal hand ecze\u00adma, patch test\u00ading to detect a <a href=\"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/contactallergies-and-hayfever\/\">cont\u00adact aller\u00adgy<\/a> or fun\u00adgal dia\u00adgno\u00adstics may be useful, depen\u00adding on the suspicion.<\/p>\n<h2>When is a prompt medical assessment important?<\/h2>\n<p>Wee\u00adping skin, pus\u00adtu\u00adles, crusts, rapid wor\u00adsening, lack of respon\u00adse to pre\u00advious tre\u00adat\u00adment, fever or fee\u00adling gene\u00adral\u00adly unwell can indi\u00adca\u00adte an addi\u00adtio\u00adnal infection.<\/p>\n<p>Not all wee\u00adping ecze\u00adma needs anti\u00adbio\u00adtics. The\u00adse signs should, howe\u00adver, be asses\u00adsed by a doctor.<\/p>\n<p>In child\u00adren, sud\u00adden, pain\u00adful and rapidly spre\u00ada\u00adding skin chan\u00adges with clus\u00adte\u00adred blis\u00adters or uni\u00adform small ero\u00adsi\u00adons are par\u00adti\u00adcu\u00adlar\u00adly urgent. This could be ecze\u00adma her\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adcum. In this case, a medi\u00adcal assess\u00adment is nee\u00added the same&nbsp;day.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Is all eczema in a child\u2019s elbow creases atopic dermatitis?<\/h3>\n<p>No. The pat\u00adtern is typi\u00adcal of ato\u00adpic der\u00adma\u00adti\u00adtis. Howe\u00adver, irrit\u00adant or all\u00ader\u00adgic cont\u00adact ecze\u00adma and other skin con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons are also pos\u00adsi\u00adble. The exami\u00adna\u00adti\u00adon and the pre\u00advious cour\u00adse are decisive.<\/p>\n<h3>Does a child with eczema always need an allergy test?<\/h3>\n<p>No. With mild ato\u00adpic ecze\u00adma and no spe\u00adci\u00adfic indi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adons, broad aller\u00adgy test\u00ading is usual\u00adly not neces\u00adsa\u00adry. It is used sel\u00adec\u00adtively when sym\u00adptoms, pos\u00adsi\u00adble expo\u00adsures or the cour\u00adse of tre\u00adat\u00adment give rise to suspicion.<\/p>\n<h3>Is dyshidrotic eczema contagious?<\/h3>\n<p>The ecze\u00adma its\u00adelf is not con\u00adta\u00adgious. Howe\u00adver, simi\u00adlar-loo\u00adking fun\u00adgal infec\u00adtions or addi\u00adtio\u00adnal bac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adal infec\u00adtions must be ruled out if the\u00adre are cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00adding&nbsp;signs.<\/p>\n<h3>Can you pop the small blisters?<\/h3>\n<p>No. This cau\u00adses addi\u00adtio\u00adnal skin dama\u00adge and increa\u00adses the risk of infec\u00adtion. In the case of seve\u00adre itching, lar\u00adge blis\u00adters or recur\u00adring sym\u00adptoms, der\u00adma\u00adto\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adcal tre\u00adat\u00adment should be sought.<\/p>\n<h3>When is a moisturiser no longer enough?<\/h3>\n<p>If the skin is cle\u00adar\u00adly infla\u00admed, very itchy, crack\u00ading, wee\u00adping, forming blis\u00adters or not impro\u00adving despi\u00adte con\u00adsis\u00adtent care, a medi\u00adcal assess\u00adment makes&nbsp;sense.<\/p>\n<h2>Dermatological assessment in Zurich<\/h2>\n<p>Ecze\u00adma can look very dif\u00adfe\u00adrent and have seve\u00adral cau\u00adses at the same time. At Swiss Der\u00adma Cli\u00adnic, we assess the appearance of the skin, the cour\u00adse and pos\u00adsi\u00adble trig\u00adgers, and crea\u00adte an indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal tre\u00adat\u00adment plan for child\u00adren and adults.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/online-booking\/\">Book an appointment<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>This artic\u00adle is for gene\u00adral infor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon and does not replace a per\u00adso\u00adnal medi\u00adcal exami\u00adna\u00adti\u00adon. Tre\u00adat\u00adments, espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly for child\u00adren, must be deter\u00admi\u00adned individually.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dry skin is com\u00admon in win\u00adter. But per\u00adsis\u00adtent itching, inflamm\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon or small blis\u00adters can point to ecze\u00adma. Here is how to tell the difference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43288"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43288\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43290,"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43288\/revisions\/43290"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissdermaclinic.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}