Your Stories - Hand Eczema

Finally my hand eczema is under control -- Sammie, Milton Keynes, UK

Firstly, I sympathize with anyone who is an eczema sufferer. And know of the pain and frustration that comes with this disease. I have suffered from Hand and Foot eczema since I was 16, where the soles of my feet would blister and the palms of my hands. I would have them in bandages for weeks at a time. For the most part I would have no skin on on my hands or feet and would bleed and weep excessively. I have used various steroid creams, that have only given me temporary relief. After having patch tests, I found out I was allergic to fragrance. I do not use any forms of fragrance, this includes, shampoo, soap, washing powder, deodorant, washing up liquid. Because I used steroids for many years, my skin is now hypersensitive; and have found I have other allergies, animal fur is just one. I now have my eczema under control, I occasionally have a few blisters in the summer, and bath in oilatum plus and do not use any forms of steroid creams. (February 2010) Contact Sammie

Synalar has helped the breakouts on my hands - Emily, Oxford, UK

I've suffered from eczema since childhood, although as an adult I generally only have severe breakouts every couple of years, usually on my hands. I tend to get nasty little bubbles of fluid just under my skin that itch like mad, rather than the dry, flaky stuff. Every time I have a breakout I go through the usual routine of hydrocortisone, Betnovate, moisturizing, etc, until it eventually clears up. However after struggling with a patch on my palm for over a year, I finally went to the doctor and was prescribed something I have never been given before; Synalar, which is made by GP Pharma Ltd. This stuff is excellent and has completely cleared up that stubborn patch. It is quite strong so needs to be used sparingly, however it is a clear gel that dries on your skin so no worries about rubbing it off on bedding, etc. I don't know why I wasn't prescribed this before and I wonder if others out there know about it. Something else I have also found very good recently is Diprobase cream/ointment. I had been busily using E45 for
years without realizing I was slightly allergic to lanolin. Diprobase really helped, especially the ointment when I get swollen eyes. The cream is an excellent moisturizer, costs as little as £2.35, and you can get it in a small tube that you can keep in your handbag. (June 2008) Contact Emily

Controlling my Hand Eczema - Suzanne, Northamptonshire, UK

My experience started about 4 years ago when I was 20 years old, after one morning I woke up realising I'd scratched a large part of skin off during the night on the inner side of one of my fingers. This got worse over time. I found that the characteristics were little vesicles under the skin, which were intensely itchy and impossible not to scratch; would then burst, releasing a clear liquid, which would often smell a little. The cracks would then heal and the skin peel off. Sometimes the cracks would get infected. The cycle would then start again, sometimes before the old wounds healed completely. It was very painful and irritating. I found that it was more emotionally distressing as I didn't know what was causing it. Every time I went to my doctor he just gave me more and more steroid creams, until I reached the most potent one and didn't respond to it any more. I went for patch testing at my local hospital, where they told me I was to stay away from nickel, cobalt and some preservatives found in cosmetics and cleaning materials. They then told me that if it didn't clear up I may have to give up my PhD (I'm doing biological research in a lab). It became the worst at this time because the steroid cream was no longer working so my hands and wrists were completely covered. I then gave up using steroid creams (as by this time what was left of my skin was paper thin) and was offered systemic steroids, but I refused as I didn't want more problems. I was put on antidepressants as I was finding it difficult to cope. I then tried detoxing and Chinese herbal medicine. The Chinese herbs did make it better but were extremely expensive (about £60 for 1 week!) so I didn't persevere with those. I then went to my occupational health department at Uni and saw a doctor there. He mentioned that it may be a condition called pompholyx eczema, explained what they thought it was caused by and how it works, and told me to read up on it over the Internet. I was relieved to finally put a name and explanation to it and was very grateful! I read that it may be caused by excessive sweating, where the sweat is trapped under the skin and causes the irritation. I also read that it is possible to buy an iontophoresis machine, have botox or a couple of different operations to solve the problem. I was desperate to get treatment, but every time I managed to see a dermatologist, they told me it was allergic contact dermatitis as it was all over my hands and not on my feet, so they wouldn't treat me for pompholyx. It was after one such visit to a dermatologist that I saw a friend of mine for lunch and cried on her shoulder. I explained to her what I thought was causing the problem and she told me that she has excessive sweating from her armpits and that she uses a special anti perspirant at night called 'Driclor'. She suggested I try it as it costs about £5 from the chemists and it doesn't require a prescription. I thought 'why not?'. It says to put it on the clean, dry skin before going to bed, leave it on overnight and wash off in the morning. Unfortunately, due to the fact that it contains alcohol, it was extremely irritating to the skin and I only managed to keep it on for an hour before getting up and washing it off, and after putting it on I certainly wasn't going to sleep with all that adrenaline in my system! Now I put it on at least an hour before going to bed, I put my cotton gloves on, then some latex gloves and I do some cleaning for an hour or so until the irritation goes away, anything that keeps my hands busy so I don't go crazy! I used it every night for the first 2 weeks, and amazingly, it helped a lot! I then realised that cutting out hand soap made things a hell of a lot better, and now I either use soap substitute (aqueous cream) or hot water to wash my hands in, and use my cotton gloves with latex/vinyl gloves over the top if I need to do anything particularly clean/dirty (e.g. cooking and preparing food). Avoiding soap minimises the number of times I need to use the Driclor - I haven't used it now for about 2 months, and the vesicles are only just starting to come back! I have had absolutely perfect skin on my hands for about the last four months (whilst even going through a house move!!!) and I am so happy! If you have the same problems then please try this - it will be hard work and painful at first, but please do not give up. Good luck. (October 2007)

Eczema on hands and damaged nails - Katie, Dayton, USA

I'm 19 years old and have always suffered from eczema. When I was a baby my hands looked like I had been in a fire. My mother kept them moisturized all the time and as I got older they were perfect. I usually only got small flare up on my elbows. But for about the last year my hands have been very bad. I get cuts on the tips of my fingers all the time. My fingernails are even damaged from it. I really want to know what I can do to help it. It is really my fingernails that are getting me down! Please help! (July 2007) Contact Katie

Eczema, Impetigo and Cotton Gloves - Heather, Isle of Mull, Argyll, UK

I've had eczema dermatitis since I was a baby, born 1985. I've had 2 bad infections - impetigo 97 and dermatitis infection 98. It is on my hands and they can get bad so I wear cotton gloves if they are. I'll always have it though I do try to keep it under control with cream. (May 2007) Contact Heather

Hand Eczema in the Military - Shannon, VA Beach, USA

I have been suffering with eczema since I was a child, maybe eight or nine, it was very very minor. Just on my arms, where it creases and the back of my leg. I would have hydrocortisone and in two days max it would disappear and not return until maybe a month or longer later. It was bearable and I could deal up to my teenage years. Until I left for boot camp in 2004 shortly after graduation. In boot camp you can not carry moisturisers or creams as it is a very strict environment. So as the long days wore on so did my dry hands. I thought I'd be okay and never expected my eczema to flare up as bad as it did in my arms on the creases. This eventually went away until my hands broke out and flared out so bad. After boot camp it began to get worse and worse, I'm 19 now and when I graduated I was 17. It's unfortunately because I'm beginning my military service and there is discussion that I might have to be discharged due to me severe eczema. It's been two years now and I have tried so many things. Creams and steroids, which I don't like to use because of its harm to skin long term. So now I'm about to give up and I truly believe it's lowering my self-esteem and the cause of my depression. Fortunately, my husband has been supportive. Luckily I met him BEFORE I had eczema ALL over, and I mean all over, hands, feet, legs, arms, face, neck, even my ears, and it's sad to see myself cry and not to mention sleepless nights. I'm very hesitant to have children of my own for fear of passing on this terrible disease. I always have to wonder, what did I do to deserve this and I realize I just have to deal and cope. And hopefully find something that helps me. So far I've been to derm with the light box, which burns my face and has not made a significant improvement. So if there's anything anyone can offer that truly gives relief, please let me know. Especially for my hands which usually dry out , crack, and sometimes weep. I hate when it weeps. Is there anyway to stop the weeping? at least... Well thanks for letting me share my story with other eczema sufferers who know exactly how I feel, unlike the non-sufferer who has no clue what it's like to itch and scratch and all the pain that comes with this darn rash. Not only physically but very emotionally. Okay sorry for going on. Contact Shannon

Dry erase markers worsen my condition - Matt, Jefferson City, USA

I am a teacher of Deaf students and use my hands to communicate daily using American Sign Language. It hurt me badly to discover last March that I had hand dermatitis, or more specifically pompholyx eczema. It started back in October when I started itching the back of my right hand, just below the thumb. A day later, a small dot of blisters appeared. By New Years, the entire backside of my left hand and most of my right hand were encased in blisters, inflamed skin, and dry, crusty skin.

My family physician said it didn't look like eczema. He referred me to a dermatologist who made a diagnosis contradicting my family physician - hand dermatitis. Since then, I have been using several different prescription creams. Nothing seemed to help. I started using special soaps and lotions - Cetaphil products mostly.

My hands continued to hurt when I signed at school. Some of the students became fearful of my hands and reacted as though I were a monster. My feelings were hurt, but I understood that they were only children.

During one of my visits to the dermatologist, I suggested the possibility of dry erase markers affecting my hand dermatitis. She said absolutely. Our school installed dry erase boards in October to replace our chalkboards. Since my realization that dry erase markers might be worsening my condition, I have been wearing cotton gloves specifically for people with sensitive skin to help protect my hands.

Today, I still have some blisters that appear, disappear, and then reappear on a daily basis. Some areas have just never fully healed. My hands don't hurt as bad, but I'm still struggling everyday. My dermatologist thinks my condition is improving and has suggested that I no longer need monthly appointments with her. However, I'm still suffering and searching for an answer. (June 2005) Contact Matt

What I've done to help my Pompholyx - Tonia, Kannapolis, USA

Pompholyx: It was a problem for several years and no one seemed to know what to do except prescription creams which I was somewhat hesitant about using for a lengthy time. I self-diagnosed the pompholyx, the dermatologist just called it contact dermatitis. Mine actually cycled through about every 6 months. It always affected both thumbs, fore and middle fingers only. I would know it was coming because I would first start experiencing stiffness, then the next day there would be some swellling and minor blistering then the next day it would be full blown. Fingers swelling to the point it was difficult to even bend them and the itching almost drove me crazy. My hands were covered in little white blisters and there seemd to be blisters on the blisters. The cortisone cream would eventually help but it would last about 2 weeks then my finger would turn solid white. The outer tissues died and peeled off. This was a relief and a dread because the peeling hard skin would tear down into the flesh and bleed, I would try to keep it trimmed but it would snag on everything. Not to mention, it was so horrible looking. I say all of this to say I can relate to much of what I've read from other sufferers and it sounds like mine was actually much better than some. I believe I have gained some insight though and have successfully managed to keep my problem well contained. I did my own research. Though, I give God the glory for leading me to these conclusions. I began taking Alpha Lipoic Acid (100 mg. in the beginning 3 times a day, now twice a day) and vitamin E (1000iu twice a day). I have also added Black Currant oil (535 mg twice a day - which I may add completely cured the white patchy spots on my arms and legs) and DMAE (I accidently threw that empty bottle out so I don't know the dosage but I took that every morning). I found these were all helpful for tissue and cell repair and health. I actually think that the ALA is probably the main thing here but I still use them all. I first began taking them daily for a couple of months and now I just begin as soon as I feel the stiffness beginning and continue for a couple of weeks. I am convinced at least in my case the problem was the result of a deficiency or perhaps an inability to adequately absorb these essential dietary needs. It has been over a year and a 1/2 since I have had a fullblown outbreak. This past August it blistered some and turned white in those few spots. it was gone completely, peeling and all, within 4-5 days. This past month, I started feeling the stiffness and had one blister on my thumb and nothing else ever came of it. I have no idea if this will help anyone else . I am not a vitamin/supplement guru nor am I in the medical profession but I was a sufferer and it has helped me tremendously. (March 2005) Contact Tonia

Connection between my face problems and pompholx of the hands - Bradley MacLeod, Fairbanks, USA

I first experienced a problem with contact dermatitis when I was a dishwasher at a restaurant in my late teens. The constant soaking of my delicate hands caused my skin to crack and peel away on my hands (as well as my scrotum). I learned to keep my hands out of chemicals and overexposure to water.

A few years later I was in college out of state and going through lots of stress during my initiation week at a fraternity (scrubbing floors, and trying to fit in). Well, my hands started giving me the tell tale signs of burning and itching the night before the postules appear. Within a day, my face had broken out into a full blown staph-infection. It was so horrible. And to happen during those college days made it even worse. Not only had I been under stress to perform in school and become initiated, I was now suffering emotional pain and physical pain of my face and hands. I couldn't even smile if I wanted too, it hurt so bad. I later found out online about my condition, pompholyx. I went to the dermatologist and was prescribed some steroid cream that seemed to help a lot.

And just recently I was staying at a hotel and was preparing for a conference when I asked my roommate for some shaving cream. In his sleep-state he handed me some after shave, and I figured, well okay, I guess I could try this. Turned out to be a big mistake. The combination of lacerating my face with a razor and using a scented alcohol as a lubricant triggered a case of contact dermititis. I could tell when I returned to the hotel later that night that my face was getting inflamed and had been itching since the afternoon. Within a day, I could feel the tightness in my fingers and I knew before too long that I would be accompanied by my favorite little friends. I was able to get to the doctor soon enough to get some antibiotic ointment to prevent a full blown staph infection, but I cut it really close as some of the skin on my chin had already begun seeping the yellow puss. Unfortunately, I haven't found my tube of steroid cream, but I have been trying the anti-inflammatory ointment that was prescribed to me. My face is calming down, but the postules have multiplied to cover all of my fingers and both palms--hopefully the will not get to the eruption stage, because that is just no fun at all.

Well, I wanted to share my major experiences with you guys. I have had a few other minor outbreaks of pompholyx where the postules were reabsorbed. But I wanted to especially point out the connection between my face problems and pompholx of the hands. It is unfortunate but interesting that these are the only two areas that affect me, but there symptoms are quite different. I wonder if the contact dermatitis of the face triggers something with the pompholyx...many of my hand outbreaks have followed stressful periods, but in my current situation I was relatively stress free. (November 2004)

Biosilk Silk - Tonya, Texas, USA

I suffered with severe eczema on my hands for about 25 years. I bought a product from a beauty supply for my hair and my hands cleared up within a week. I have continued using this for about 5 years. IT IS A MIRACLE!!! The product is Biosilk Silk Therapy and can be found at most beauty salons. Please pass this on!!! (October 2004)

Washing hands - John, Santa Monica, USA

I have had Eczema on the bottom of my feet for about four years. About a year ago I began to get it on my fingers. The only thing that worked was the steroid creams. They are of course bad for the skin but they did work. I constantly washed my hands because I am a germ freak & because I work in the industrial tool field. I found that when I washed them with bottle filtered water, they would not break out as bad. I used Vaseline as a hand protector whenever I needed to do the dishes, which also helped. One good part of this story is that about three weeks ago the hand condition just went away. I can wash my hands under the facet & nothing happens. I think that it may just be a seasonal thing or its just waiting to come out again some other time. My feet have the condition, which I treat it with the steroid creme still. I have tried various other cremes including constantly keeping my skin moisturized. Hope any of this helps to others. (June 2004)

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