Asteatotic Eczema
This medical term refers to a type of eczema that is called Xerotic as well as Asteatotic eczema. We can see this type of Asteatotic skin disease generally in the older people. This skin disease makes the skin drier. When there is an increase in the intensity of the dryness, the skin starts to crack. Normally those persons who have less oil- secreating glands in their skin areas like their lower legs suffer from Asteatotic eczema.
Also this happens perticulerly in the winter season when many older people spend their time indoors, which often has an atmosphere of low humidity. This skin disease causes problem like pain from burning and harshing in the skin parts which are very dried out, split and spotty skin. If we consider the clinical picture of this disease, we can see the skin which is extremely dried out and dull in looking and also exhibits scaling to certain extent .
In some cases, we can see the prototype of cracks which are very shallow and there is a occurrence of the cracks of the horny layer. These cracks of the horny stratum possibly comes with erythema, oozing and crusting. A gentle xerosis is asymptomatic, while burning of a skin and harshness may be present in more obvious injury. The area of this eczema disease includes shines. However, injury may also take place on the body parts like arms, thighs and trunk. As far as diagnosis of this disease is concerned, the main emphasis on the case history of the patient, clinical depiction and elimination of other disease.
There are several different methods to diagnose this disease. The diagnosis of this disease is separate from diagnose of Atopic dermatitis,Stasis dermatitis,allergic contact dermatitis, scabies and nummular eczema. First described by Brocq in 1907, using the term eczema craquelé also known as the asteatotic eczema or asteatotic dermatitis which can be identified by irregular scaling, dry & cracked skin, as well as polygonally fissured skin.
It most commonly occurs on the shins of elderly patients, but it may occur also on the hands and the trunk. Domonkos described this form of dermatitis as being similar to the appearance of cracked porcelain, in 1971. The cracking pattern is similar to an unevenly cracked pavement. Caplan figured out that as the epidermis losses water, fissures and superficial bleeding can occur along with periodic splits that can be deep enough to disrupt papillary dermal capillaries. The inflammation is caused by asymmetric leg edema. Eczema that exhibits lichenification can occasionally aggravate as the patients scratches and rubs the affected area. The eruption can either be localized or generalized. Generalized form of asteatosis is a peculiar feature that provokes a search for other associated ailments. Guillet had categorized the localized variety into four different types: Asteatotic eczema of the lower extremities in elderly persons secondary to aging, dehydrated skin, and malnutrition .Cracked erythema secondary to irritant contact dermatitis from soaps or detergents.Eczema craquelé in areas in which corticosteroid therapy was discontinued Asteatotic eczema in neurological disorders