Eczema on my legs - about the clear fluid

[Mark1988]

Hi, I just wanted to know if its normal for the clear fluids which leaks after a session of scratching on my legs to turn into a light orangy yellow crust. Thanks

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

Yes. This is expected especially if you have scratched this severely.

Was the itching severe enough?

Were there any excoriations or wounds due to scratching in the area?

I suggest you have this assessed by your dermatologist. You may need to have this assessed. This appears to be a case of dermatitis. Have you been applying some medications on the area?

I suggest you take some medications for the itching to help prevent worsening of the skin condition.

[Mark1988]

Is the yellow crusting the same as impetigo? or are they different?

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

Impetigo is also a differential here. Crusting may occur in weeping skin conditions like dermatitis or eczematous disease wherein excoriations are present.

Impetigo usually starts in the face. Is this true in your case? And it usually occurs in children but adults may also have this through skin to skin contact. I suggest you have this assessed by your physician. Yellowish crusting is present in impetigo however, a culture may be done to determine the cause of this infection.

Has this been present or quite sometime?

What is the extent of the area involved?

[Mark1988]

The eczema on my legs used to be vast and severe but recently is well controlled and not a problem. Sometimes as I scratch the skin and the inflammation response of the leaking serum from the skin was also light and i'd have light small yellowy crusts. There was no red swelling around the crusts.

I havnt had impetigo on my face. I just find it difficult to differentiate between yellow crusting as a result of the serum clotting after scratching or yellow crusts as a result of impetigo.