Chapter 18 The skin/Fig 18.03.jpg

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Acute eczema. Note the blisters oozing oedema fluid (A). The hallmarks of acute eczema are spongiotic oedema (which pushes apart individual keratinocytes) and intraepidermal collections of lymphocytes and oedema fluid known as vesicles (B). Chronic eczema. Here, the skin shows markings resembling tree bark. This appearance is termed lichenification (C). In chronic eczema the epidermis is acanthotic with surface scale. Lymphocytic inflammation is present within the rather fibrotic dermis; however, there is now little evidence of epidermal inflammation and spongiosis (D).