Nummular eczema is an eruption named for its coin-shaped lesions. The disorder presents with round, eczematous patches or plaques that appear most often on the extremities and trunk.
The lesions are discrete and may be papular, vesicular or exudative (oozing). The disorder often becomes chronic, and because of pruritis (itching), the plaques may become thickened. Nummular eczema is most commonly confused with tinea corporis, but the lesions of the latter have a raised, sharply circumscribed border with central clearing not seen with nummular eczema. This disorder may be seen in association with atopy (history of atopic dermatitis, allergy/hay fever or asthma), and treatment is essentially the same as that for atopic dermatitis.