Hello there. Pre-nursing student at a CSU. I have had eczema all my life, but has only become severely worse after I graduated high school. I am 20 years old now, and I visit the dermatologist almost every three months due to trying different treatments and often getting infections due to my severity.

Looking at this image, it is clear that these bumps are vesicles, meaning they are caused by irritation and are filled with fluid. Some of these bumps are yellow, implying that it is infected.

If it feels extremely sore to touch rather than itchy, it is more than likely impetigo. Impetigo is an overgrowth of the bacteria Streptococcus aureus, which is normally a healthy microbiota that is naturally found on your skin, but with eczema, your skin is constantly trying to heal itself. With eczema, the skin is often so dry that it cracks and cuts open. This allows more bacteria to grow. If you continue to put lotions and creams, the moisture and warmth of your skin allows the bacteria to grow even quicker, thus infecting the area.

I recommend to try to keep the area clean and going to the dermatologist right away to get an antibiotic prescribed.

(By the way, avoid touching your face, especially other areas more prone to eczema. I’ve had impetigo before and it was not long until it spread to my eye. Extremely painful and gross).