What are the symptoms of erythroderma? Erythroderma causes very red skin all over the body. Other symptoms may include: Scaly skin patches.

Understanding the Context

Crusty sores (lesions). Itching. The red, peeling skin patches may appear and spread over hours, days, or weeks. Other symptoms can include: Swollen lymph nodes.

Key Insights

Fever. Feeling generally ill (malaise). This topic will discuss the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of erythroderma in adults. Erythroderma in neonates and infants and Sézary syndrome are discussed separately. What is erythroderma?

Final Thoughts

Erythroderma is the term used to describe intense and usually widespread reddening of the skin due to inflammatory skin disease. It often precedes or is associated with exfoliation (skin peeling off in scales or layers), when it may also be known as exfoliative dermatitis (ED). See more images of erythroderma. Generalized exfoliative dermatitis, or erythroderma, is a severe inflammation of the entire skin surface. This is due to a reaction to certain medicines, a pre-existing skin condition, and sometimes cancer. Erythroderma is defined as erythema that covers more than 70% of the body surface area.

It represents the maximum severity of various skin disorders. Diagnosis is by history and examination. Treatment includes supportive measures and topical care. Erythroderma, or generalized exfoliative dermatitis, is a disease characterized by erythema and scaling of greater than 90% of the body's surface.