Eczema Vs Psoriasis: How to Identify and Manage These Skin Conditions?

October 31, 2025

When you get a dry, itchy rash on your skin, you may wonder about the conditions you are dealing with to get the right treatment. The two common problems with similar symptoms are eczema and psoriasis. While both skin conditions are quite common, they affect millions annually. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, over 125 million individuals globally live with psoriasis. Conversely, eczema affects up to 20% of children and 10% of adults worldwide.

But how to differentiate between the two? Despite similarities like redness and itching, there are considerable differences between eczema and psoriasis. These contrasting features are mostly related to their symptoms, triggers, and treatments. Let’s try to understand these striking differences to help you manage your skin better in the long run.

What is the Difference Between Eczema and Psoriasis?

Both eczema and psoriasis have a similar appearance and have a lot in common, such as:

Both involve the immune system.
Both run in families.
Both are specifically triggered by stress.

However, there are some key differences between eczema and psoriasis. Before we begin, let’s take a quick look at this comparison table.

Feature	Eczema	Psoriasis
Cause	Overactive immune response leading to skin barrier dysfunction	An autoimmune condition where skin cells multiply too quickly
Appearance	Red, inflamed patches that may ooze or crust; often rough and dry	Thick, raised, silvery-white scales on red patches
Symptoms	Eczema often causes intense itching. Sometimes, it can get so bad that your skin may start bleeding from scratching.	Psoriasis can also be itchy in nature, but your skin may sting or burn in a few cases.
Texture	Dry, cracked, sometimes weepy	Thickened, scaly, plaque-like
Itching	Very intense itching, often worse at night	Mild to moderate itching; sometimes burning or stinging
Common Locations	Folds of elbows, behind knees, wrists, ankles, face, neck	Scalp, elbows, knees, lower back, nails
Onset Age	Often starts in childhood	Commonly develops in adulthood (15–35 years)
Triggers	Allergens, soaps, climate, stress, and food sensitivities	Stress, cold weather, infections, alcohol, and medications
Associated Conditions	Asthma, hay fever, allergies	Arthritis (psoriatic arthritis)
Course	Flare-ups and remissions can improve with age	Chronic, lifelong, with cycles of flare-ups
Treatment Focus	Moisturising, reducing inflammation, and avoiding triggers	Slowing skin cell growth, reducing scaling, and controlling immune response

Eczema vs. Psoriasis: What are the Common Triggers

Both psoriasis and eczema cause rashes that tend to come and go in most people. When someone gets a rash, it’s called a flare-up. Sometimes, flare-ups can stay as they are for several weeks or months.

Things that trigger eczema or psoriasis are different, too. Here’s an overview:

Eczema Triggers	Psoriasis Triggers
Irritants – Soaps, detergents, disinfectants, gasoline, turpentine	Skin injuries – Sunburns, scratches, cuts
Allergens – Dust, pets, pollen, mould, certain foods	Infections – Can worsen psoriasis flare-ups
Lifestyle factors – Smoking, secondhand smoke, alcohol	Stress – Emotional stress commonly triggers flare-ups
Environmental factors – Heat, humidity, sweating, sudden climate changes	Weather – Cold and dry conditions
Infections – Bacterial, viral, or fungal	Hormonal changes – Menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause
Stress – Emotional or physical stress	Medications – Psoralen, interferon, lithium
Hormonal changes – Menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause	Medication withdrawal – Suddenly stopping corticosteroids
Medications – Lithium, high blood pressure drugs, antimalarial drugs

Scalp Conditions in Eczema vs Psoriasis

Both eczema and psoriasis can cause crusty, oily patches on your scalp. For instance, seborrheic dermatitis or scalp eczema leads to dandruff. These tiny flakes can be yellow or white in colour.

You also might have an itchy, scaly rash or greasy skin. The rash looks red in light-skinned people and light-colored in most dark-skinned people. Those who are darker in colour may experience a more severe version that causes a ring-shaped rash around the hairline.

Conversely, scalp psoriasis causes thicker, drier scales than eczema and extends beyond the hairline. Sometimes, people also experience rashes in other areas of the body, such as their palms.

How to Manage Chronic Skin Conditions like Eczema and Psoriasis?

Certain lifestyle changes can help you manage skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Here are the things to consider in this case:

Always try to identify and avoid your triggers to reduce any flare-ups. Keep in mind that figuring out these symptoms could take some trial and error.
Follow a good skin care routine and seek assistance from a dermatologist if needed. Take daily warm baths, gently pat your skin dry, and moisturise.
Get enough sleep to keep your skin healthy.
Managing stress can help prevent both eczema and psoriasis. Try good practices like yoga, meditation, exercise, or journaling.

Also Read: How to remove skin tags?

Treatments for Itchy Skin Conditions

There are specific treatments for both eczema and psoriasis, depending on how severe the condition is. Usually, healthcare providers start with a topical treatment in the form of creams, gels, ointments, or shampoos.

Moisturisers and corticosteroids are also some common topical treatments for both eczema and psoriasis. You can get these products over the counter, but remember that your doctor can prescribe a stronger version. If these treatments also do not work, they may provide you with systemic medication.

Some common medications for eczema are:

Topical corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone, betamethasone)
Topical calcineurin inhibitors (e.g., tacrolimus, pimecrolimus)
Topical PDE4 inhibitors (e.g., crisaborole)
Antihistamines (for itch relief)
Systemic corticosteroids (for severe flare-ups, short-term use)
Immunosuppressants (e.g., cyclosporine, methotrexate, azathioprine)
Biologics (e.g., dupilumab, tralokinumab)
JAK inhibitors (e.g., abrocitinib, upadacitinib, baricitinib)

Some common medications for psoriasis are:

Topical corticosteroids (e.g., clobetasol, betamethasone)
Vitamin D analogs (e.g., calcipotriol, calcitriol)
Coal tar preparations
Salicylic acid (for scaling)
Topical calcineurin inhibitors (off-label in some cases)
Phototherapy (UVB light treatment)
Systemic medications (e.g., methotrexate, cyclosporine, acitretin)
Biologics (e.g., adalimumab, etanercept, ustekinumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab)
Oral small molecules (e.g., apremilast, deucravacitinib)

Get Expert Advice for Skincare at Apollo Spectra!

The difference between eczema and psoriasis is quite evident, and both require varied treatment and proper management. You need assistance from a reliable healthcare provider who helps you with appropriate medications and prevention tips in this regard. Apollo Spectra is a renowned multispeciality hospital where you can get extensive assistance for your skincare needs. We have a team of expert doctors to help you with some lifestyle changes, over-the-counter creams, and medications to overcome any chronic skin condition. So, if you are struggling with any of the above conditions, call us now to book an appointment.