Eczema

Eczema is a skin condition where red papules and blisters appear due to external irritation or an internal immune response. Small, itchy, transparent blisters clustering on the sides of fingers and palms and soles is called dyshidrotic eczema (pompholyx), which is very common in occupational groups whose hands are repeatedly exposed to water, detergents, and cold water. In the acute phase, red spots, oozing, and swelling appear; as it becomes chronic, the skin becomes dry and develops prominent lichenification, becoming thick like leather.

Traditional Korean Medicine Perspective

Dongjeedang views eczema not merely as a skin problem but as a visceral organ imbalance. When the body cannot properly expel toxins and the immune system overreacts, it erupts through the skin. In particular, when the digestive (spleen-stomach) function weakens from working in cold water and in front of heat, accumulated waste and heat intertwine to form damp-heat (濕熱), which surfaces on the skin of the hands and feet as blisters and oozing.