Asteatotic eczema
Eczema craquelé of dry ageing skin; crazed-paving shins in winter, the diuretic and hospital-bathing triggers, soap avoidance, emollients and a short potent steroid ointment, and when sudden widespread disease means lymphoma or another systemic cause.
Tier 2Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Asteatotic eczema (eczema craquelé, winter itch) is eczema arising in very dry skin. It is the commonest eczema of people over 60.
- Crazed-paving fissures on the shins, worse in winter, with itch that disturbs sleep.
- Triggers are anything that strips skin lipid: soap, hot showers, low humidity, heating and diuretics.
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Sources
- Therapeutic Guidelines: Dermatology (dry skin and asteatotic eczema; dermatitis in older people)AU/NZTherapeutic Guidelines Limited (eTG complete), current eTG edition (topic version not verified)
- Moncrieff G et al. Use of emollients in dry-skin conditions: consensus statement. Clin Exp Dermatol 2013;38:231-8Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2013
- White-Chu EF, Reddy M. Dry skin in the elderly: complexities of a common problem. Clin Dermatol 2011;29:37-42Clinics in Dermatology, 2011
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Personal emails, About story and Australian-style copy