Nummular eczema is a master of disguise because its symptoms can mimic so many other skin conditions.
On the surface, nummular eczema can fool you into thinking youre dealing with an infection like ringworm.
After all, the two can looksosimilarbut each one has different causes that require different treatments.
Nummular eczema can be tricky to detect on your own.
So, how can you figure out whats up with your skin?
Nummulareczema is not contagious, meaning it doesnt spread from person to person.
Its not totally clear how common nummular eczema is.
Or nummular eczema symptoms may go undetected by providers who arent skin specialists.
What are the most common nummular eczema symptoms?
Dermatologists sometimes refer to this eczema key in as discoid eczema, another reference to its signature circular marks.
The answer is still a mystery, but there are several known risk factors associated with the condition.
Research shows those other forms of eczema are more common in people assigned female at birth.
Having family members with a history of eczema or asthma also increases your risk of developing nummular eczema.
Nummular eczema rarely affects babies or children.
(More on nummular eczema versus ringworm below!)
What are some common nummular eczema triggers?
(Youll notice most of these are related to dry skin.)
Nummular eczema versus ringworm: Whats the difference?
It tends to present, as the name suggests, like a ring, Dr. Makhzoumi says.
The two skin conditions arealmostindistinguishable except for one subtle clue.
Dermatologists often have to do some detective work to distinguish the two rashes because they look so similar.
Its crucial to get the right diagnosis because the treatments for these two conditions couldnt be more different.
Antifungal medicines treat ringworm, whereas steroids are the first-line nummular eczema treatment.
And the latter medication can actually make ringworm worse.
you might think of steroids as food for fungi, Dr. Makhzoumi says.
They thrive on steroids.
What should I know about nummular eczema treatment?
We are trained to know the difference between all these red, round, scaly things, she says.
I usually will have my patients soak and smear.
Just a simple emollient like Vaseline can do wonders.
You dont have to use anything fancy.
What youre really looking to do is seal moisture in, she says.
These medicines work by dialing down the overactive immune response that causes eczema flares.
Understandably, its really hard not to scratch itchy skin, and doing so can lead to bacterial infections.
A course of topical or oral antibiotics should knock out any infection you do get.
What skin-care habits make nummular eczema worse?
Simply put, anything that further irritates your skin can make nummular eczema worse.
Do your best to stop using them and see how your skin reacts.
Take short, warm showers.Dr.
Silverberg recommends bathing once a day using lukewarm water for about 10 to 15 minutes max.
Longer showers and hot water can dry out your skin, which can possibly trigger a flare.
Avoid the itch-scratch cycle as much as possible.The eczema rash itches, so you scratch.
Scratching irritates your skin, which makes you itch even more.
We want people to trade their back scratchers for more productive things, Dr. Silverberg says.
Moisturizers with anti-itch ingredients like menthol or oatmeal can help.
If you keep them in the refrigerator they tend to be very effective at stopping the itch cycle quickly.
Sometimes, you may need to try several medications when youre dealing with something as complex as eczema.
We have a lot of different options, Dr. Silverberg says.
