WHAT IS CHRONIC
HAND ECZEMA?

This is a fictional patient. For illustrative purposes only.

HAND ECZEMA THAT KEEPS COMING BACK?
IT MIGHT BE CHRONIC HAND ECZEMA1,2

What is Chronic Hand Eczema?

Chronic Hand Eczema is eczema on the hands and wrists that hasn’t gone away for over 3 months OR that happens at least 2 times in a year1

Chronic Hand Eczema is common,
and affects around 5 in every 100 people*3

Chronic Hand Eczema (sometimes called CHE) is not always the same as atopic dermatitis,1,4 but if you do have atopic dermatitis (eczema), you might be more likely to have Chronic Hand Eczema.1,5

“I THINK PEOPLE ARE USUALLY SURPRISED AT HOW NASTY IT CAN LOOK”

Emma, a real patient with CHE

There are things that might make someone more likely to have Chronic Hand Eczema, such as:*3

FEMALE

WORKING

BEING IN THEIR 30S

LIVING IN AN URBAN AREA, LIKE A TOWN OR CITY

Chronic Hand Eczema can be triggered by things like irritants or allergens. You might come across these in some lines of work, or during hobbies or everyday activities like housework.1,6

WHAT’S AN IRRITANT?7

Something that bothers your skin and can make your eczema worse, like soap, detergents, or certain chemicals.

WHAT’S AN ALLERGEN?7,8

Something that causes an allergic reaction, like pollen, pet dander, or certain foods. These can sometimes trigger eczema flare-ups.


There might be a higher chance of having hand eczema if you work as a:1,6,9

HAIRDRESSER

MECHANIC

CLEANER

HEALTHCARE WORKER

METAL OR
CONSTRUCTION WORKER

BEAUTY THERAPIST

*A study called ‘CHECK’ looked at people between 18 and 69 years old from Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK and asked them to complete an online survey.
60,131 people completed the survey and 4.7% of them (2847 people) had Chronic Hand Eczema diagnosed by a doctor in the last year.3

CHECK, Chronic Hand Eczema epidemiology, Care, and Knowledge of real-life burden.

RELATED CONTENT

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? THE SIGNS

READ MORE

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? THE SYMPTOMS

READ MORE

LIVING WITH CHRONIC HAND ECZEMA

READ MORE

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1. Thyssen JP, et al. Contact Dermatitis. 2022;86(5):357–78.
2. Giménez-Arnau AM, et al. Poster presentation at ESCD, 2024. Poster presentation #27.
3. Apfelbacher C, et al. Br J Dermatol. 2025;192(6):1047–54.
4. Lee GR, et al. Dermatol Ther. 2019;32(3):e12840.
5. Mense A et al. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2025;15:1953–71.
6. Weidinger S and Novak N. Lancet. 2024;404(10470):2476–86.
7. NHS. Contact dermatitis. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contact-dermatitis/causes/ (Accessed September 2025).
8. NHS. Atopic Eczema. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/atopic-eczema/ (Accessed September 2025).
9. National Eczema Association. Hand Eczema: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options. Available at: https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/types-of-eczema/hand-eczema/ (Accessed September 2025).