Xerosis in Child
Alerts and Notices
Synopsis

Xerosis (also called dry skin, asteatosis, or ashy skin) refers to a condition of rough, dry skin texture with associated fine scales. Xerosis is often pruritic. The pathogenesis involves a decrease in the amount of lipids in the stratum corneum and a deficiency in the water-binding capacity of this layer.
Xerosis is associated with a number of environmental factors and/or disease states, such as low humidity, frequent bathing, harsh soaps, ichthyoses, atopic dermatitis, hypothyroidism, Down syndrome, renal failure, malnutrition and malabsorptive states, human immunodeficiency virus disease, lymphoma, liver disease, Sjögren syndrome, carcinomatosis, and certain drugs.
The incidence of xerosis increases with age; nearly all individuals over the age of 60 have some degree of xerosis.
Xerosis is associated with a number of environmental factors and/or disease states, such as low humidity, frequent bathing, harsh soaps, ichthyoses, atopic dermatitis, hypothyroidism, Down syndrome, renal failure, malnutrition and malabsorptive states, human immunodeficiency virus disease, lymphoma, liver disease, Sjögren syndrome, carcinomatosis, and certain drugs.
The incidence of xerosis increases with age; nearly all individuals over the age of 60 have some degree of xerosis.
Codes
ICD10CM:
L85.3 – Xerosis cutis
SNOMEDCT:
89105000 – Xerosis cutis
L85.3 – Xerosis cutis
SNOMEDCT:
89105000 – Xerosis cutis
Look For
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Diagnostic Pearls
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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
- Asteatotic eczema – xerosis predisposes to asteatotic eczema. Look for skin cracking, fissuring or erythema in xerotic areas
- Ichthyotic conditions, such as ichthyosis vulgaris, X-linked ichthyosis, lamellar ichthyosis, or acquired ichthyosis
- Stasis dermatitis
- Atopic dermatitis
- Nummular dermatitis
- Allergic contact dermatitis
- Scabies
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Tinea corporis
- Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides)
- Psoriasis
Best Tests
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Management Pearls
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Therapy
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Drug Reaction Data
Below is a list of drugs with literature evidence indicating an adverse association with this diagnosis. The list is continually updated through ongoing research and new medication approvals. Click on Citations to sort by number of citations or click on Medication to sort the medications alphabetically.
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References
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Last Reviewed:02/01/2021
Last Updated:01/31/2021
Last Updated:01/31/2021

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