Dermatitis neglecta can usually be diagnosed based on a physical exam and a review of your medical history.
Less commonly, a skin biopsy may be performed to rule out mimicking conditions.
Treatment involves daily light scrubbing with soap and water or isopropyl alcohol.
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In severe cases, a topical agent like salicylic acid may be used to remove the scales.
What Causes Dermatitis Neglecta?
Certain people are at higher risk of dermatitis neglecta, including:
Misinformation is another possible culprit.
Prolonged avoidance led to the development of brown scales which the individual presumed was a reaction to the peel.
What Are the Symptoms of Dermatitis Neglecta?
While otherwise painless, dermatitis neglecta can be physically unappealing.
Although dermatitis neglecta is rarely life-threatening, this shouldn’t suggest that it is entirely harmless.
People with dermatitis neglecta will often pick at the scales, causing pain, bleeding, and oozing.
This can introduce bacteria into underlying tissues, causing asecondary skin infectionthat can become serious if left untreated.
This, along with an assessment of personal hygiene, is usually enough to confirm the diagnosis.
Askin biopsycan be used to check for cell abnormalities associated with eczema, warts, or acanthosis nigricans.
For severe cases, akeratolytic agentmay be recommended.
These are topical agents that dissolve dried scales and gently exfoliate the skin.
Options include:
Anemollient moisturizercan also help soften plaques and lock in moisture after treatment.
The condition can usually be diagnosed with a physical exam and treated with daily washing using soap and water.
Severe cases may benefit from topical keratolytic agents like salicylic acid or glycolic acid.
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