What is the difference between eczema and ringworm? What do they have in common?

There are many reasons in life that can cause various skin diseases, such as unhygienic conditions, contact with infectious sources, allergic reactions, etc. So what is the difference between eczema and ringworm?

1. Similarities

Both diseases have the common characteristics of being more common in summer and causing itching, and are easily misdiagnosed.

Many patients are not clear about the difference between eczema and tinea manuum because they have common characteristics. Their typical symptoms are itching, peeling, redness and swelling of the skin, and they recur frequently and do not heal for a long time.

Second, the difference

Eczema

A dermatitis allergic reaction with severe itching caused by a variety of internal and external factors. Patients are often allergic. It is caused by the hands often coming into contact with various external allergens, such as disinfectants, detergents, chemical products, etc.

Ringworm

The skin of the fingers, between the fingers and on the palms is infected with dermatophytes. The thumb is often the first site of infection. It gets worse in spring and summer and is significantly relieved in autumn and winter.

3. Symptoms

Eczema: It is usually caused by allergies, especially some chronic eczema, whose symptoms are recurrent, polymorphic and diverse, accompanied by exudation, scabs and skin hyperplasia. Eczema is an allergic reaction of the body itself and is generally not contagious.

The rash appears symmetrically, showing dark red spots, dry and rough skin surface, and may also be keratinized and hypertrophic. In winter, it is often accompanied by cracking, varying degrees of itching, and pain when the skin cracks. Erosion and exudation are prone to occur when contacting allergens.

Patients with a long course of illness often have "onychomycosis" lesions, with the nail plate becoming dirty, yellow, turbid, thickened, brittle, with irregular pits, longitudinal ridges, and atrophy on the surface, and the skin around the nail is red and swollen. It should be distinguished from onychomycosis and antifungal drugs should not be used for treatment.

Ringworm: The rash usually occurs on one side, mainly manifested as flaky erythema. In summer, blisters may appear in these areas, which form ring-shaped scales after drying, with varying degrees of inflammation and itching. It is often accompanied by severe tinea pedis or onychomycosis.

4. Infectious

Eczema is not contagious, but tinea manuum is highly contagious.

5. Recovery Methods

Eczema:

① First of all, you should try to avoid contact with various external allergens such as alkaline soaps, washing powder or detergents, chemical products, etc. If conditions permit, you can do patch tests or allergen tests.

②Supplementing with compound vitamin B and vitamin C can help improve the efficacy.

③ Apply Qianzicao cream.

Ringworm:

①Clinical topical antifungal drugs.

② For ringworms and tinea pedis, apply Qianzicao cream.

③ Customers should develop good hygiene habits and not share shoes, towels, bath towels, wash basins, foot basins and other daily necessities with others. Wash hands and feet frequently to keep them clean and at appropriate humidity. Patients with tinea pedis should avoid scratching the affected area with their hands.