Symptoms of Generalized Exfoliative Dermatitis
Generalised erythema and oedema affects 90% or more of the skin surface.

The skin feels warm to the touch.

Itch is usually troublesome, and is sometimes intolerable. Rubbing and scratching leads to lichenification.

Eyelid swelling may result in ectropion.

Scaling begins 2-6 days after the onset of erythema, as fine flakes or large sheets.

Thick scaling may develop on scalp with varying degrees of hair loss including complete baldness.

Palms and soles may develop yellowish, diffuse keratoderma.

Nails become dull, ridged, and thickened or develop onycholysis and may shed (onychomadesis).

Lymph nodes become swollen (generalised dermatopathic lymphadenopathy).

Clues may be present as to the underlying cause.

Serous ooze, resulting in clothes and dressings sticking to the skin and an unpleasant smell, is characteristic of atopic erythroderma.

Persistence of circumscribed scaly plaques in certain sites such as elbows and knees suggests psoriasis.

Islands of sparing, follicular prominence, orange-hue to keratoderma are typical of pityriasis rubra pilaris.

Subungual hyperkeratosis, crusting on palms and soles, and burrows are indicative of crusted scabies.

Sparing of abdominal creases (deck chair sign) is typical of papuloerythroderma of Ofuji.

Systemic symptoms may be due to the erythroderma or to its cause.

Lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, abnormal liver dysfunction and fever may suggest a drug hypersensitivity syndrome or malignancy.

Leg oedema may be due to inflamed skin, high output cardiac failure and/or hypoalbuminaemia.