Chronic Hand Eczema Causes Work Loss and Lowers Quality of Life
Why this matters
If you or someone you know has ongoing hand eczema (a type of chronic dermatitis that causes redness, itching, flaking, or cracks on the hands and wrists), this new report highlights how much it can affect work and everyday life. A survey of 301 employed adults treated in the Duke University Health System shows that even when people are getting usual care, many still struggle with productivity, emotions, and daily tasks.
What the study looked at
This research comes from two posters presented at the 2026 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. The results are based on an online survey run between March and May 2026 and by LEO Pharma (Source: LEO Pharma, posters presented at the 2026 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference).
People invited to the survey had medical billing codes consistent with eczema or dermatitis and were employed. To be included they had to have hand or wrist eczema lasting 3 months or more, or eczema that came back at least twice in the past year. The 301 respondents were mostly women (78%), averaged 38.5 years old, and about three-quarters worked full time.
How work and daily life were measured
The survey used a standard tool called the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire to measure days missed from work, reduced effectiveness while at work, and limits on everyday activities. Quality of life was measured with two tools: the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), a general skin-related quality-of-life score, and the Hand Eczema Impact Scale (HEIS), which focuses on hand eczema’s daily effects.
Key findings — what people reported
Work impact (last 7 days):
- 3.0% absenteeism (time missed from work).
- 30.9% presenteeism (reduced effectiveness while at work).
- 31.8% overall work impairment related to hand eczema.
- 21.9% activity impairment (limits on regular daily activities).
More than 60% said hand eczema affected their work productivity and daily activities to some degree. About 14% reported severe impact on work productivity and about 16% reported severe impact on daily activities. Overall, 11% had changed jobs or work roles because of their hand eczema, and 13.6% said they missed one or more hours of work in the previous week (Source: LEO Pharma, WPAI survey results).
Everyday exposures at work
Many respondents reported frequent hand washing or sanitizing—over half did this 10 or more times on a typical workday. Handling potential irritants was common, with 16.9% saying they often handled irritants and 8.0% saying they always did. In total, 42.2% felt their job caused or made their hand eczema worse. Even among people who said their disease was moderate to very severe, 38.6% blamed workplace exposures (Source: survey data reported at the conference).
Quality of life and emotional impact
The average DLQI score was 6.7 out of 30, which shows a moderate overall effect on quality of life. About 22% of respondents said their skin had a very large or extremely large effect on their life. The parts of life most affected were symptoms and feelings (for example, pain, itch, embarrassment) and daily activities.
The HEIS, which focuses on hand eczema, showed the highest scores for feelings of embarrassment and frustration, and for limits on everyday nearby activities (for example, tasks you do with your hands close to your body). Scores on both the DLQI and HEIS were higher in people who said their disease was worse (Source: HEIS and DLQI results).
How skin clearance and treatments fit in
At the time of the survey, 53% of people said their hands were clear or almost clear, 36% said their disease was moderate, and 11% said it was severe or very severe. But when asked about their worst flare in the past year, only 10% said they were clear or almost clear during that worst time.
Nearly everyone (99%) had used creams or ointments applied to the skin. About 72% had used only topical corticosteroids (TCS)—steroid creams or ointments commonly used for eczema. Among those who used only TCS, only 15.7% reported their skin cleared after treatment. People who said their skin cleared reported much better quality-of-life scores than those who didn’t (Source: treatment and DLQI comparisons reported at the conference).
What the authors concluded
The study authors highlighted the substantial occupational burden of chronic hand eczema: reduced productivity, missed work hours, and changes in jobs or roles. They also noted that many people still had meaningful emotional and functional problems even when they were receiving routine topical treatment and even when their skin looked clear at the time of the survey (Source: posters presented at the 2026 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference).
Limitations to keep in mind
There are a few important limits to the findings. Severity was self-reported by patients rather than measured by a clinician. The work productivity data did not undergo formal hypothesis testing. The survey was by LEO Pharma, and four of the nine authors are employed by the company. These factors don’t invalidate the results but are important context when interpreting them (Source: study disclosures).
When to see a doctor
If your hand eczema is keeping you from working, causing strong emotional distress (like ongoing embarrassment or frustration), or not responding to usual creams, talk with your primary care doctor or a dermatologist. Also check in with a clinician if you notice signs of infection (increasing pain, spreading redness, pus), fast changes, or bleeding.
Keeping track of changes
Keeping photos of your hands and noting how often flares happen or what makes them worse (for example, certain soaps, jobs, or activities) can help you and your clinician figure out the best next steps.
Important disclaimer
This article explains results from a patient survey and is not medical advice. Treatment decisions should be made with your doctor or dermatologist.
Sources
- Weiss SC, Ozdemir S, Reed SD, et al. Impaired work productivity in adults with chronic hand eczema: a survey of patients in a large integrated healthcare system in the United States. Poster presented at: 2026 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference; October 8–11, 2026; Las Vegas, NV. (Source: conference poster by LEO Pharma)
- Weiss SC, Ozdemir S, Reed SD, et al. Quality of life and daily functioning impairment among working adults with chronic hand eczema in a large integrated healthcare system in the United States. Poster presented at: 2026 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference; October 8–11, 2026; Las Vegas, NV. (Source: conference poster by LEO Pharma)