Hand Eczema: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

Hand eczema explained

Hand eczema, also called hand dermatitis, is inflammation affecting the palms, backs of the hands, fingers, or wrists. It is not a single disease with one cause. It may come and go or become persistent, and it can make ordinary tasks such as cooking, typing, washing, or caring for a child uncomfortable.

It can affect people with a history of atopic dermatitis as well as people who have never had eczema elsewhere. Repeated contact with water, detergents, solvents, and other irritants makes some jobs and household tasks particularly challenging.¹

Hand eczema symptoms and pictures

• Dryness, roughness, peeling, or scale.
• Itching, burning, stinging, or tenderness.
• Cracks or splits, especially around fingertips, knuckles, or palms.
• Small deep blisters on the palms or sides of the fingers in a vesicular or dyshidrotic pattern.
• Thickened skin, painful fissures, or nail changes when inflammation persists.

Inflammation may look pink or red on lighter skin or appear darker, purple, brown, or gray on deeper skin tones. Pain, texture, and function are useful clues even when color changes are subtle. Eczema itself is not contagious.^{1, 2}

Clinical pictures of hand eczema

These are different clinical examples, not a before-and-after series. A picture can illustrate skin changes but cannot identify the trigger or confirm your diagnosis.

Causes and triggers of hand eczema

Repeated wet work can strip away protective oils and leave skin less able to tolerate the next exposure. Cleaning agents, friction, and frequent handwashing can add to the irritation. Contact allergy is a different process: the immune system reacts to a particular substance that touches the skin.

Bring up workplace chemicals, cleaning products, cosmetics, metals, adhesives, and gloves when discussing recurrent flares. Ingredients used to manufacture rubber gloves can cause contact allergy in some people. Even a product used for years may become relevant.^{2, 3}

Stress may intensify itch or make a routine harder to maintain, but it is not the only explanation for hand eczema. See our guide to stress-related eczema on the hands for practical support.

Types of hand eczema and testing

These categories overlap. Read more about dyshidrotic eczema if small deep blisters are a prominent feature.²

Psoriasis, a fungal infection of the hand, and other conditions can resemble eczema. A clinician may examine the feet and nails as well as the hands, and may take a scraping or arrange other tests. Persistent or exposure-related disease may need patch testing for delayed contact allergy; this is different from a skin-prick allergy test.^{2, 3}

Hand eczema treatment

Hand protection and necessary hygiene

1. Wash when needed. Keep following appropriate hand-hygiene guidance at home and at work. Use lukewarm water and a gentle fragrance-free cleanser when appropriate, rinse, and dry carefully, including between fingers.
2. Moisturize after washing. Reapply a fragrance-free cream or ointment whenever the hands feel dry. Keep a tube where you wash or work so the routine is practical.
3. Match gloves to the task. Use suitable protective gloves for wet work or chemicals. Cotton liners can reduce friction and absorb sweat. Change damp liners and take breaks when safe because prolonged sweating inside gloves can worsen irritation.
4. Review occupational exposures. If symptoms track work shifts, involve occupational health or a clinician. The right glove material depends on the chemical and any contact allergy, not just whether a glove is labeled latex-free.

These changes help reduce repeated injury to the skin, but an active flare often needs anti-inflammatory medicine as well.³

Prescription treatment for persistent inflammation

A clinician may prescribe a topical corticosteroid with a strength suited to the affected hand skin and a defined treatment course. Other topical medicines, phototherapy, or systemic treatment may be considered for persistent or severe disease. The choice depends on the cause, severity, age, and previous response.²

In the United States, delgocitinib cream (Anzupgo) is an FDA-approved option for adults with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema when topical corticosteroids have not worked adequately or are not advisable. It is not a general recommendation for every hand rash or for children. A clinician should review the benefits and risks, including infection risk, before prescribing it.⁴

Moisturizer in hand eczema care

Moisturizer helps manage dryness and supports the skin barrier between flares as well as during treatment. A heavier ointment may suit very dry skin, while a cream can be easier to use during the day. Choose a texture you can apply consistently and stop a product that clearly worsens the rash.

Signs that need medical help

Make an appointment if painful cracks limit activities, itch affects sleep, blisters recur, or the rash does not respond to your care plan. Bring photographs, product labels, and a short record of work and household exposures.

Get prompt care for increasing pain, warmth, swelling, pus, spreading redness or other color change, or fever. These can be signs of infection. An unexplained rash affecting one hand more than the other also deserves a careful diagnosis.^{1, 2}

Explore the Eczema Resource Center, the eczema symptoms and pictures guide, and the guide to eczema types.

References

1. American Academy of Dermatology. Hand eczema.
2. DermNet. Hand dermatitis.
3. Eczema UK (formerly National Eczema Society). Hand eczema.
4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Anzupgo prescribing information, revised June 2026.

This guide provides general information. A clinician can diagnose a rash and recommend treatment for your age, symptoms, and medical history.