Despite its small body surface area involvement, chronic hand eczema (CHE) represents a significant dermatologic and socioeconomic burden. In a recent session on chronic hand eczema (CHE) Socity of Dermatology Physician Associates (SDPA) 2025 Summer Conference given by Adam Friedman, MD, FAAD, he emphasized the complex nature of the condition and provided tips for diagnosis and treatment.
“Similar to how we look at certain chronic inflammatory skin diseases as more of a composite or spectrum, the same is true of CHE. It is not just ‘one thing,’” Dr. Friedman told Practical Dermatology. “It's often a mix of irritant and/or allergic contact and other factors, and it will vary depending on the patient, which is why it's so important to focus on asking the right questions.”
The Scope of CHE
Dr. Friedman, who is Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, began the talk by calling for a unified terminology for CHE. Historically referred to variably as “hand eczema,” “hand dermatitis,” or “chronic hand dermatitis,” CHE now serves as a consolidated term that helps streamline diagnosis and facilitate research. This nomenclature, Dr. Friedman pointed out, encompasses a broad spectrum of etiologies including irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), and atopic dermatitis (AD)-associated hand disease. CHE, he said, must be recurrent and persist longer than three months for formal classification.
Dr. Friedman also said the epidemiological footprint of CHE is likely underestimated. While older claims-based data suggest a prevalence of 4.7%, he said this figure underestimates the burden and pointed to global studies suggesting the true prevalence is significantly higher. Click here to read more.