How to cope with Hand Psoriasis

Surg-OncRN · Sep 1, 2016

I feel for your situation. Are you sure this is not from latex gloves or something else coming in contact with your hands? Also, do you have psoriasis anywhere else on the body besides the hands? How long have you had this?

Chicklet2 · Sep 1, 2016

Hi this started mid June 2016 and has gotten progressively worse. I also have it on my scalp which seems to have cleared up. My dad also has Psoriasis. I thought maybe the gloves. I already use Latex Free Nitrile gloves but heard u can start to react to nitrile gloves so I found a different kind that's made for people with dermatitis issues. So far have seen no difference. My family doc gave me a steroid cream which made it way worse. I saw a dermatologist who was useless so trying to get referred to a new one! My hands today have been the worst yet. I can barely stand to wash them. I just can't afford to be off work as a single mom.

fulitarn, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2016

I have severe eczema on my hands and have similar problems. I've had to take days off due to severe outbreaks. It sounds like you need to find a good derm to get things under control. Once the outbreak is under control it is easier to manage future outbreaks.

Here are a few suggestions from my experience:

Would you qualify for state disability to take a few weeks off to heal?

Make sure you don't use any lotions/soaps/etc on your hands that have dyes or scents. Vanicream works really well for me. It's usually with the face wash in CVS. It can be a little expensive but worth the money.

Get aquaphor and slather your hands with it before bed. Use cotton socks instead of gloves (the gloves wipe off lotion on your fingers as you're putting them on, the socks help the lotion stay on better)

My derm recommended I use alcohol sanitizer as little as possible, and just use soap and water- the alcohol dries your hands out more.

Good Luck

Surg-OncRN · Sep 9, 2016

Sorry, it has taken me a while to get back. If you are not able to get results from your dermatologist there are still many things you can do. Conventional medicine is going to approach this problem externally such as medications, creams and other stuff you can apply to the psoriasis/eczema. The skin is one of the biggest detoxifiers for the body. Whenever you have some rashes, psoriasis, eczema it is usually an indicator of something going on internally. If you are not getting answers from your dermatologist I would try to find a naturopathic or functional medicine practitioner in your city. They will help you get to the root of this problem. All the medications and creams are just treating the symptoms(psoriasis) of another "problem". They will run test to find the root of the problem so you do not have to depend on steroids and creams the rest of your life to keep the psoriasis under control. Hope this helps!

meggiepie24, BSN · Sep 10, 2016

I have had severe excema throughout my life on both my hands. After years of steroid creams that never worked really well I switched over to Aveeno for Excema. It costs about $10 for a bottle but it's so soothing. I have a small one I carry with me during the day (even though we're supposed to only use the hospital provided lotion that is water based...) and a huge bottle at home. Make sure to put it on right before bed, then wear mittens while sleeping. Also, I did a gluten and dairy free diet for months (for other reasons) and my skin suddenly cleared up-doubt it's a coincidence. I hope you feel better!

Scottishtape · Dec 11, 2016

I know this is a bit old, but I thought I'd add in a bit of help.

My husband had severe excema on his hands. It's so bad, they will crack open, bleed, and he'll be unable to touch anything.

Aside from the steroid creams, which only offer a little help, we've learned from an immunologist to just lather the utter crap out of his hands with vasoline, and keep them covered all night. He'll do that a few nights a week, and it has significantly helped him.

We've been able to identify what triggers his flare ups, and he stays away as much as he can (raw meat, Clorox wipes, large amounts of water, etc).

When I woked allergy, the vasoline was frequently ordered because it's cheap and it works wonders.

Good luck!

poppycat, ADN, BSN · Dec 12, 2016

One thing that has helped my hand excema is slathering Bag Balm all over my hands before I go to bed & wearing gloves while I sleep. It's really messy but helps tremendously.

skitch885 · Dec 17, 2016

Goldbong recently released a psoriasis relief hand lotion, I have been using that and having great success. Lowers the recurrence of the plaques and hydrates at the same time. Highly recommend.