Similarly, the chronic, or adult form of eczema, usually occurs in persons with a family history of allergies. Hands and feet are frequent sites of inflammatory eruptions. Hand eczema occurs most frequently in persons who frequently have their hands immersed in water, such as food preparers, nurses, or florists. The warm, moist conditions in shoes provide an ideal situation in which foot dermatitis may also flourish. These eruptions often become chronic and can be severe.
Dyshidrotic eczema is a special vesicular type of hand and foot eczema.
The condition most often occurs on the fingers, palms, and soles of the feet. In the later stages, scaling, thickening, and painful fissuring typically occur. Secondary bacterial infection is very often a complication with dyshidrotic eczema. In many patients, the condition worsens during the summer months. The lesions may be quite itchy.