Eczema of the Face,Scalp and Neck: An Epidemiological Comparison by Site

Fifteen percent of 3684 patients with eczema attending a contact clinic presented with head and/or neck eczema. There were epidemiological differences among eczema rashes occurring on different parts of the head and neck. Of the 538 patients with head and/or neck eczema, 345 (64%) occurred solely on the face, 52 (10%) on the eyelids, 49 (9%) on the lips, 20 (4%) on the ears, 22 (4%) on the scalp, and 21 (4%) on the neck. Twenty-nine (5%) had eczema on more than one area of the head/neck. The mean age was lowest in patients with lip eczema (27.5 years) and highest in patients with eyelid eczema (37 years) (p=0.0056). The proportion of females with eczema was higher than males in all groups except the scalp eczema group. Contact dermatitis was more prevalent in the ear eczema (80%) and neck eczema (76%) groups, while endogenous/unclassifiable eczema was more prevalent in the lip eczema (72%) and scalp eczema (73%) groups (p<0.0001). Allergic contact dermatitis was more common than irritant contact dermatitis.