Skin Conditions — VA Disability Ratings

How Skin Conditions conditions are rated

The skin schedule covers dermatitis and eczema, psoriasis, acne, chloracne, skin infections, scars, and disfigurement of the head, face and neck. Diagnostic codes run 7800 through 7833.

Most skin diseases are rated under a General Rating Formula that gives you two paths and takes whichever produces the higher evaluation: the percentage of your body or exposed areas affected, or the therapy your condition has required over the past 12 months. Under that formula, 0% is less than 5% of the body or topical therapy only; 10% is 5–19% of the body or intermittent systemic therapy totalling less than six weeks; 30% is 20–40% of the body or systemic therapy for six weeks or more but not constantly; and 60% is more than 40% of the body or constant or near-constant systemic therapy.

Scars are rated on their own terms rather than by body-area percentage. DC 7800 covers disfigurement of the head, face or neck and runs from 10% to 80% based on characteristics such as tissue loss and distorted features. DC 7801 covers scars elsewhere with underlying soft-tissue damage and DC 7802 covers those without, both by area. DC 7804 rates unstable or painful scars by how many you have, with an extra 10% if a scar is both unstable and painful. DC 7805 picks up any other disabling effects not already rated.

The practical problem with skin claims is timing: these conditions flare and remit, and a C&P exam scheduled during a quiet period can record almost nothing. Dated photographs taken during a flare, and pharmacy records showing how many weeks of systemic therapy you actually needed across the year, are usually what moves these ratings.