Eczema / Dermatitis VA Rating

Overview

Body surface area (BSA) is estimated at the C&P exam — the rule of nines or palm method.

The use of systemic corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants for at least 6 weeks in the prior year affects the rating.

In Depth

Dermatitis and eczema are evaluated under DC 7806 in 38 CFR § 4.118. VA revised the skin rating schedule effective August 13, 2018. The current version of DC 7806 is structured around the percentage of the entire body or of exposed areas affected, and around the type and duration of therapy required — systemic therapy such as corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs versus topical therapy — over the prior 12-month period.

The 2018 revision added definitions that resolved prior litigation over what counts as 'systemic therapy.' Johnson v. McDonald and the subsequent Federal Circuit decision in Johnson v. Shulkin addressed whether topical corticosteroids constituted systemic therapy under the earlier version of the code; the amended regulation now addresses the question directly in its text.

A note to the skin codes provides that skin conditions may alternatively be evaluated as disfigurement of the head, face, or neck under DC 7800, or as scars under DC 7801 through 7805, or under the predominant disability code — whichever produces the higher evaluation — rather than combining them for the same manifestation.

Because skin conditions frequently fluctuate, 38 CFR § 3.327 and VA adjudication practice contemplate examination during an active phase where practicable (see Ardison v. Brown).

How to Establish Service Connection

• Direct service connection for in-service flare-ups.
• Gulf War / PACT Act exposure may support claims for chronic skin conditions of unknown etiology.

Rating Criteria

Paraphrased from 38 CFR § 4.118, Diagnostic Code 7806

See what each percentage pays in 2026 and how it combines with your current rating →

Evidence Checklist

• Dermatology records and treatment history.
• Photographs of flares (helpful for intermittent conditions).
• Prescription history showing systemic therapy.

Evidence Templates

Common formats of evidence the VA looks for in this type of claim. These describe what the documents typically include — they are not legal forms or medical opinions, and Oakridge Claims does not draft them.

Evidence VA Commonly Cites in These Claims

Descriptive summary of evidence types frequently referenced in rating decisions for this condition. Not a checklist of actions to take — every claim is decided on its own facts.

• ★Dermatology notes recording the percentage of total body area and of exposed area affected are what the DC 7806 tiers are expressed in.
• ★The prescription record over the prior 12 months — what was prescribed, whether systemic or topical, and for how long — corresponds directly to the code's therapy criteria.
• ★Because the condition flares, dated photographs and treatment notes across the year document the range rather than a single point in time.
• ★Where the condition affects the head, face, or neck, the alternative evaluation under DC 7800 may be compared under the note to the skin codes.

Common pitfalls VA sees

• Being examined only during a period of remission when the criteria address the condition over a 12-month period.
• Applying the pre-2018 version of DC 7806 to a claim decided under the amended text.
• Not documenting the affected body-surface percentage, which is the code's primary measurement.

Frequently Asked Questions