Abstract
<jats:p>Despite its high prevalence and visible impact, the reality of chronic hand eczema (CHE) is often underestimated or misunderstood. Frequently perceived as a minor skin issue, CHE is too often addressed superficially, with fragmented approaches to care. Healthcare professionals and policymakers may overlook its complexity, leaving many people to navigate prolonged cycles of topical corticosteroid use and an uncertain journey toward accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and long-term disease control on their own. This gap in understanding and support has far-reaching consequences. CHE is not only physically debilitating—causing pain, itching, fissuring, and functional impairment—but also deeply disruptive to daily life. For many individuals, it affects their ability to work, perform routine tasks, and engage socially. The visible nature of the disease can lead to stigma, embarrassment, and significant psychological distress, compounding the burden of the disease. In this context, with the support of key stakeholders, a Steering Committee was convened to identify the common challenges faced by people living with CHE across the care pathway and to propose actionable solutions to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. This White Paper brings together scientific expertise and patients' lived experience, combining insights from a scientific working group and a patient working group. This integrated approach has been essential in developing a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape and in highlighting the urgent need for meaningful change across the globe. Ultimately, it is crucial to move beyond the perception of CHE as a minor skin disease and the misconception that CHE is the same as atopic dermatitis (AD). Further, we need to recognise its profound, multifaceted impact on individuals’ lives. This White Paper seeks to bring that reality to the forefront and to induce the action needed to address it.</jats:p>