This information is intended for education of both the general public and healthcare professionals. If you are experiencing any symptoms please discuss the best treatment options with your doctor.
Diagnosis
Chronic Hand Eczema is hand eczema that lasts for more than 3 months, or relapses twice or more often in a year.1

Diagnostic guidelines
Diagnosing CHE
CHE is most commonly diagnosed through history taking and physical examination. Sometimes additional testing such as patch testing to detect contact allergies, skin prick testing, blood tests, medical biopsies or microbial testing may also be conducted.
According to the 2022 European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) guidelines, diagnosis should be based on:
- A detailed history to assess the course of the disease, the elucidation of any potential triggers, and assessment of lifestyle factors:1
- Current signs and symptoms
- Duration and course of disease
- Exacerbations and remissions in relation to work-related activities
- Personal and family history of atopic dermatitis
- Previous and concurrent skin or systemic diseases
- Regular use of medications
- Smoking habits
- A clinical examination of the skin on hands and wrists1
- An exposure assessment to identify causal factors that may lead to a contact reaction1
- A diagnostic patch test, if feasible1,2
Assessments
Along with clinical signs of Chronic Hand Eczema, it is important to measure subjective symptoms and quality of life (QoL) because Chronic Hand Eczema is a chronic disease which can have a high psychosocial burden.1–3
Chronic Hand Eczema severity can be assessed using a range of tools that measure signs, symptoms, and health-related QoL.4
However, there is considerable heterogeneity in the outcome measures used to assess Chronic Hand Eczema, which makes data comparisons between studies difficult.4
In Clinical trials objective measures are reported by the investigator and assess the signs of Chronic Hand Eczema. These measures can be difficult to apply in clinical practice and no one system has been established. The foundational signs and symptoms of these measures are however assessed as part of history taking and physical examination.
Subjective measures are reported by the patient and provide insight into the signs of Chronic Hand Eczema, and the impact it has on their life:
Related content

Chronic Hand Eczema overview
Chronic Hand Eczema is a multifactorial, inflammatory skin disease1

The burden of Chronic Hand Eczema
Chronic Hand Eczema can cause visible and functional impairments to the hands, so it can have a profoundly negative impact on patient quality of life2,11-13

Understanding Chronic Hand Eczema
Chronic Hand Eczema is characterized by erythema, vesicles, papules, scaling, fissures, hyperkeratosis, itch, and pain1