The classic eczema symptoms are:

• itchiness
• redness
• dryness
• scaling

However, there are also many other eczema symptoms that are not obviously related to the skin. Symptoms such as thirst caused by loss of fluid from the skins tissues, over sensitivity to cold and heat, and the prevalence of other allergic conditions such as asthma and hay fever, are all types of eczema symptoms that many people experience.

Following is a brief list of the most common eczema symptoms you may experience.

Skin inflammation: swelling of the skin surface and the underlying tissues.

Redness: caused by widening of the blood vessels in the skin and an associated increase in blood flow to the affected area.

Itching: can vary in intensity and leads to inflammation that can result in infection.

Dry, scaly skin: depends on the individuals skin type, but dry skin can often predispose a person to the development of eczema.

Pale skin and loss of pigmentation: due to reduced blood flow caused by eczema’s disruptive effect on the skin’s circulation.

Thick leathery skin: over time the skin can become thicker due to constant scratching. The skin tries to protect itself from this by producing more keratin (the tough protective protein found in skin cells).