• If you develop an itchy rash and have a family history of eczema or asthma.

  • The inflammation doesn’t respond within a week to treatment with over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams. You may need more aggressive forms of treatment.

  • If you develop yellowish to light brown crust or pus-filled blisters over existing patches of eczema. This may indicate a bacterial infection that should be treated with an antibiotic.

  • During a flare-up of eczema, you are exposed to anyone with a viral skin disease such as cold sores or genital herpes. Having eczema puts you at increased risk of contracting the herpes simplex virus.

  • If you develop numerous painful, small, fluid-filled blisters in the areas of eczema. You may have eczema herpeticum, a rare but potentially serious complication caused by the herpes simplex virus.