Hand eczema

Abstract

Hand eczema is a common disease in the general population and one of the most frequent diagnoses in dermatology. It affects occupational as well as private aspects of life, and the severity varies from mild and transient to severe and chronic disease. Being a disease that affects mainly young people, often interfering with their professional career, the disease is a burden not only to the patient but also to the society. Development of hand eczema is in most cases influenced by multiple factors, involving exogenous as well as endogenous aspects. An exact diagnosis is necessary to correctly advise the patient about treatment and prevention of the eczema. Unfortunately, many cases of hand eczema take a chronic course. The best way to avoid this seems to be early diagnoses and effective treatment in the initial phase. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.