Itchy eczema on my hand driving me out of my MIND!!!

[Mattsmom277]

Only prescription strength cortisone has ever helped me. I have this problem ongoing for years, and it really does clear it up (for me anyhow). Over the counter ones just never cut it.

My dermatologist told me a strict rule for hand washing. If able, not to use soap at all. Only for those moments it MUST be soap, then use the most natural non drying gentle soap you can find (he prescribed one years ago but forget what it was, I just use a gentle generic soap now). He told me that so often we use soap when water alone will do just fine, so I follow his rule of thumb when possible.

I absolutely do not touch dish soap. Ever. Lucky for me my S/O gets panicked at my skin if it gets bad (he's a worrier) so he has forbidden me to touch dishes. Ever. WOOT WOOT! (worth a bit of cracked skin if ya ask me lol). I can honestly state in 2 years I have NEVER washed as much as a spoon. I do the laundry but I don't move the wet clothes from washer to dryer. S/O does that part to avoid risidual soap getting onto my hands.

I have never had so few problems in my hands since I was a child, as in the past 2 years. I also don't wash my hair every time I shower, as my scalp is always dry to begin with and the shampoo can flare my hands up.

This can be a real problem that for some isn't as easily remedied. I would think at this stage you might want to find out if you do indeed as Star mentioned, have a secondary skin infection flared up at this stage. Only had that once but it was sheer evil. I was doing well within 2-3 days of a special script from the doctor and kicked myself for pawning it off as run of the mill excema all that time.

 

[SRL]

My doctor always warns not to use creams with steroids for more than 2 weeks because it thins the skin. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Talk to your own doctor to be sure.
.)

Mine have always said that as well. The thing is I thought I was doing the lesser of two evils by using the lesser strength over the counter stuff instead of the strong stuff. In the end what usually happened is it would drag on and on. I'd have been better off with a quick course of heavy duty cortisone.

My derm says wearing plastic or latex gloves is just as bad because your hands sweat thus are exposed to water. But I was helped a lot by using a long handled brush for dishes and wearing rubber gloves in the shower (the yellow kind). If you fold a washcloth up into a strip you can wrap it around your wrist and then pull the glove over so water doesn't seep in. It's a bit of a pain but it does keep the hands out of water for 15 minutes and was a big help to me.

 

[hearts and roses]

Use a mild soap and lotion such as Aveeno and take the supplement Turmeric. If you get a prescription for a stronger cortisone like cream, use it sparingly and not for more than 3 days a time. Personally, I try to steer clear of the stuff but if can work like magic when the itching and skin is bad enough. Turmeric works.

I had eczema my entire life...I was like the crisco boy, remember him? My mom actually tried to convince me to lie in a tub filled with crisco oil...yah. Anyway, the prescrition corisone I got? It was in a TUB. A giant TUB of cortisone cream. I had it not only around my fingers or in the crease of my elbows and behind the knees - I had it on my arms, legs all over, my neck - it was gross and so uncomfortable.

Finally, by the time I was 18 or so, I had more control over my showering and skin care. I showered normally every other day - and on my 'off' days I just rinsed my entire body with warm water, not hot. Immediately after stepping out of the shower, I pat myself dry and applied a good lotion, back then I chose Lubriderm I think. So, without fail, every other day, I bathe with a mild soap and on my off days, nothing - always followed by good (now organic and all natural) moisturizer.

Anyway, try the mild soap and lotion but also give the turmeric a shot. It works wonders for easy child - I am still trying to get difficult child to take it, but she refuses.

 

[Nancy]

I've had contact dermatitis since I was a young girl. Like you, everytime I use soap or soap products I get little blisters under the skin that itch like mad. I have been using Topicort for years and it is the only thing that keeps it under control. I had to use it often in the beginning but now I only use it when I have a flare up. My dermatologist said it really is the best medication for our condition. I actually get nervous when I start to run out because I know it's the only thing that helps and when I have a break out it's miserable. I would suggest you see a dermatologist and get help. It just doesn't clear up on its own or with over the counter cortisone creams.

The only soap I use is Dove and I always wear gloves when using cleaning products. Dishwasher soap is the worst for some reason.

Nancy

 

[witzend]

My mom had terrible eczema on her hands from soap before dishwashers. I think I would google "hypo-allergenic soaps" and "hypo-allergenic dish detergents" and see what I could come up with.

 

[Star*]

(raises hand)

How come I say put vics on yer butt and I get sent to the corner, but Daisy sez it and no one put HER in the corner?) huh? I know who's speshul.

(snicker)

 

[busywend]

Just 2 thoughts while reading.

Vaseline has a creamy version that I use - it is called 'Creamy Petroleum Jelly'. I love it. Get it at the $1 store.

I think it was Loth that mentioned the bra thing. I had it under for a few years and finally tried Athlete's Foot powder - I now use it everyday to prevent any flare ups.

As for the excema - I have had it in one spot for many years, but it never has itched. Just dry and flaky. Get thee to the doctor!

 

[gcvmom]

I like Mattsmom's approach! Get someone ELSE to do the cleaning!!! Gonna show THAT to husband (ha!). He'll just tell me to use paper plates

Well, before I go running to the doctor I'm gonna give it one more REALLY serious college try and will avoid getting that hand wet at all costs for as long as I can this week. I rubbed the cortisone cream in really well last night and it "looks" normal this morning at first glance and doesn't itch, the blisters are gone, but the skin is still rough and I know it's not completely healed yet. I need to give it several days away from ANY soaps or detergents and to keep it moisturized (I've got some Cetaphil lotion that doesn't bother it at all). If it's not all better by next weekend, I'll drag myself into a dermatologist -- scout's honor.

Thank you everyone so much for all the sage advice!

 

[ThreeShadows]

I'm a great one for conspiracy theories. Could it be something in the water? Two months ago I started having the same problem with my hands, never bothered me before. I wake up with non purulent blisters, then they go away. I thought maybe a bug was biting me as I slept. I checked the bedding thoroughly, nada! I'm only half joking about the water...

 

[Hound dog]

Star

Please.......I hope no one tries it for hemorrhoids. It was an accident, I swear. And according to my Mom she screamed so loud they heard her for blocks.

Now when Travis was a baby he suddenly popped up with this wicked diaper rash. I call it that only because it appeared in that area. But was truely vicious and unlike any diaper rash I've seen before or since. It had him raw down to the muscle and bleeding. NOTHING worked on that rash. It had 3 pediatrician docs baffled. They even attempted oral antibiotics to get rid of it.

My step Mom mentioned a home made remedy once suggested to her by her kids pediatrician doctor when one of her kids popped up with a similar rash. It was his grandma's recipe. She warned me it was the most foul smelling stuff on the planet but it worked. So she went out and bought the ingredients and made up a batch.

I kid you not, it made your eyes burn, you couldn't breathe. I put it on him thick as instructed. He smelled so bad I couldn't tolerate him on my lap. lol But within 2 days the rash was GONE! I have no idea what was in it. But it cured that wicked rash and it never came back.

Brandon has the eczema awfully bad. easy child is getting desperate and nothing is working for him......... Poor baby.