Find by symptom
Skin symptoms and signs index
If you can describe what the skin is doing but not what it is called, start here. The 242 entries below are grouped by the visible symptom or sign recorded on the condition pages, and each one links to the full page: what it looks like, the patterns associated with it, the herbs and formulas used, safety notes and the conventional view.
A symptom is not a diagnosis. If anything is severe, spreading quickly, painful, blistering or comes with fever or feeling unwell, read when a skin problem needs urgent care first.
How to use this index
Pick the closest group, then open the entry that matches best. Many conditions appear under more than one sign - eczema, for example, can be reached through itch, rash or scaling - so browsing two groups is normal. If nothing fits, the skin pattern self-check asks about the skin and the body around it, and search accepts Chinese names and pinyin.
Ageing & Elderly Health (1)
Allergies (2)
Anal & Rectal Problems (1)
Bites, Stings & Infestations (1)
Blood & Vascular Conditions (5)
Breast Conditions (5)
Children's & Newborn Health (1)
Chronic Inflammation (1)
Ear & Hearing Problems (2)
Elbow Problems (2)
Environmental & Weather Sensitivity (1)
Face & Complexion (7)
Feeling Hot & Heat Intolerance (3)
Foot & Ankle Problems (6)
Fungal Skin Infections (6)
Genital Conditions (2)
Gynecological Conditions (1)
Hair Problems (2)
Hand, Wrist & Nail Problems (2)
Hot & Cold Sensations (3)
Immune & Autoimmune Conditions (8)
Infectious Diseases (3)
Injuries, Burns & Wounds (4)
Joint & Arthritis Conditions (1)
Liver Conditions & Jaundice (1)
Lumps, Swellings & Abscesses (10)
Lung & Breathing Conditions (1)
Muscle Pain & Problems (1)
Nose & Sinus Problems (1)
Numbness & Sensory Problems (4)
Shoulder Problems (1)
Skin Conditions (101)
- Acne
- Age spots
- Anal irritation
- Atopic dermatitis
- Boils
- Breast blister
- Breast eczema
- Breast pruritus
- Bruising
- Bullous dermatitis
- Burning hot skin to the touch
- Cellulitis
- Chickenpox
- Chilblains
- Chronic urticaria
- Contact dermatitis
- Cool or clammy skin sensation
- Corns
- Cracked breast skin
- Cracked skin
- Dandruff
- Dark skin
- Diaper rash
- Drug rash
- Dry and hot skin
- Dry scalp
- Ear eczema
- Eczema
- Erysipelas
- Erythema infectiosum
- Erythema multiforme
- Erythema nodosum
- Erythromelalgia
- Face itching
- Facial plaque
- Folliculitis
- Foul body odour
- Frostbite
- Hand eczema
- Heat rash
- Herpes simplex infection
- Herpes zoster infection
- HIV associated pruritus
- Ichthyosis
- Impetigo
- Itchy ears
- Itchy genitalia
- Itchy scalp
- Itchy skin
- Itchy vesicular rashes
- Keloids
- Lichen planus
- Macular rash
- Macules
- Moist skin sensation
- Mottled skin
- Neurodermatitis
- Oily or clammy skin sensation
- Oily skin
- Oily sweat
- Papules
- Pemphigus
- Perioral dermatitis
- Petechiae
- Pityriasis rosea
- Psoriasis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Purpura
- Pustule
- Raynaud's disease
- Rhinophyma
- Rosacea
- Scabies
- Scrotal eczema
- Sebaceous cysts
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Senile pruritus
- Severe drug induced skin reactions
- Skin abscess
- Skin burns
- Skin dryness
- Skin erosion
- Skin hypersensitivity to touch
- Skin infection
- Skin inflammation
- Skin irritation worsened by bathing
- Skin lesions
- Skin numbness
- Skin pigmentation
- Skin rashes
- Skin tightness
- Subcutaneous lipomas and nodules
- Sunburn
- Thickened or insensitive skin
- Tissue necrosis
- Urticaria
- Vulvar eczema
- Vulvar leukoplakia
- Warm skin
- Warts
- Wrinkled and shrunken skin
Skin Inflammation & Swelling (23)
- Atopic dermatitis
- Chronic urticaria
- Contact dermatitis
- Eczema
- Elbow swelling
- Erythema nodosum
- Folliculitis
- Foot and lower leg skin rashes and fungal infections
- Foot dorsum redness
- Heat rash
- Impetigo
- Jock itch
- Lateral malleolus redness
- Paronychia
- Red and swollen feet
- Red elbow
- Rosacea
- Shoulder redness
- Skin blisters
- Skin inflammation
- Skin swelling
- Swollen ankle
- Urticaria
Skin Pigmentation & Discoloration (15)
Sweating Problems (2)
Swelling & Fluid Retention (2)
Testicular & Scrotal Problems (1)
Ulcers & Open Sores (3)
Viral Infections (5)
Source for the descriptive terms
The symptom and sign wording used in this index follows The terminology of skin disorders. Primary Care, 2000. PMID: 10815043.
Where to go next
All conditions · TCM patterns · Pattern self-check · Start here · When to get help Symptom index Accessibility