Karen or Denise

[ellise]

Can either of you tell me the difference between Eczema, and psoriasis?

On my elbows, I have very dry, rough and cracked skin. Lotion isn't smoothing it anymore! and some tiny little bumps from the elbow up about 2 inches.
Any clue to what it is?

[sunshine]

The symptoms of eczema include itching, redness, dry/flaky skin, and even blisters. Usually the first symptom of eczema is intense itching; this itching can be very uncomfortable and individuals may tend to scratch the skin. The itchy feeling is an important symptom in eczema, because scratching and rubbing in response to itching worsen the skin inflammation characteristic of eczema. Scratching should be avoided because it can only make the eczema symptoms worse. The dry skin will become redder in color and may even crack due to scratching. Scratching may also lead to infection. It is a good idea, therefore, to keep fingernails cut short and to keep the hands occupied during the day in order to control the urge to scratch. The urge to scratch symptom becomes a repetitive cycle: the more you scratch, the more it itches.

Individuals with psoriasis experience skin conditions such as itching, cracking, stinging, burning, or bleeding. These symptoms are usually worse in the winter months due to the lack of sunlight and low indoor humidity . The skin is most likely to crack at the joints where the body bends or in areas where the individual fails to refrain from scratching.

[sunshine]

Trying to distinguish psoriasis from eczema is difficult. (Both skin conditions are believed to be triggered by the immune system.) Psoriasis generally looks worse than eczema, though — it's more red and scaly whilst eczema is usually pink and less scaly, but rougher in texture.

[ellise]

Thank you. Mine must be eczema more dry and cracking than anything. I'll make an appointment with my Derm to get sometimg for it. Thanks again.