Nurses and Eczema...help :(

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Oncology, Psych.

Hi all,

I've got a bit of a problem and I need some advice. I've always struggled with eczema and have been able to control it on my face and hands through diet and stress management. Over the past couple months, though, I've developed a problem on my dominant (right) hand. There are little teeny bubbles under my skin right where my pinky and ring fingers attach to the palm of my hand. After a couple of days, the affected area cracks open and the resulting crack is a couple of mm deep and it is excruciating. Then, it heals up and crusts off (gross, I know), and the whole thing starts all over again. I'm thinking it's pompholyx eczema. I've got an appointment with a dermatologist, but it's a few months away and I am looking for advice. As a nurse, my hands are my life and this HURTS, especially since I wash my hands frequently. I obviously can't reduce the amount of times I wash my hands. Moreover, the cracks are leaving me wide open to infection, but if you've ever cut this part of your hand you know it's close to impossible to bandage it properly and still b able to move your hand (I've got half my hand wrapped in neosporin, gauze and duct tape as I'm typing right now). I realize this may seem like a petty complaint, but I can't do my job without my hands and this condition is embarrassing, really painful, and frustrating because it just isn't getting better. Can anyone offer some help? Thank you SO much!

Regards,

Erin

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I've had the EXACT thing off and on since first grade. I remeber at one point my whole palm was a cracked, bloody mess. i think it's also called dishydrotic eczema. i've tried every cream in the world and nothing works for good...and a new batch of bubbles can pop up overnight. it happens more when you're stressed. right now i use triamcinolone.

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I know how you feel. I have pruigro nodularis on my arms, legs and hands. Its very noticable on my hands and it leaves me open to all sorts of infection, no matter how often I wash my hands. The sanitizer stings really bad too. I would recommend putting aquaphor on it (or some other ointment), then covering it up with a glove. Im sorry you're miserable....I truly understand.

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I have the same ailment on my dominant hand at the knuckles. I haven't found anything to cure it, but after trying various meds & creams the thing that keeps it under the best control is liberal application of Palmer's cocoa butter lotion & exercise to help with stress. In addition to the bubbles on my knuckles, the skin on my dominant hand fingertips peels - sometimes to the point of bleeding. The eczema patches I used to get on my arms & legs are totally controlled (to the point of being nonexistant) I wish my hand would get better.

Good luck & please post if you have any remedies that you come across.

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Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.

You need a hypersteriod to help clear up your problem...

I know I am not a doctor and I cannot write RX's for the problem you are having and please take the advice for what it is, (...Free) but check out a medication called Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% USP. (Cream of course)

My Best.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.

I have dishydrotic eczema on my hands. It SUCKS. I have generic Lidex ointment for my hands when they flare. However, it helps to make sure my rings on my hands have small bands (soap gets caught under there, no matter how much I rinse). I always use nonlatex heavy-duty gloves to wash dishes. I've heard it referred to dishwasher's eczema.

I always carry OTC diphenhydramine cream on me. If I put it on when I feel that initial searing burn that signals that my hands are going to be blistered, cracked, and crusty for the next month or so, I put the diphenhydramine cream on right away (unless I have to wash the offending substance off first). I try to get some OTC hydrocortisone cream on right away, too, but the diphenhydramine cream really helps me.

I would also recommend carrying your own soap that you know won't break you out for washing your hands.

My dishydrotic eczema (sounds exactly like what you're describing) has helped me to get impetigo several times. Yuck.

Whatever you do, don't use any fragranced crap on your hands!

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

Have you tried any change in diet? Emedicine suggests a low nickel or low cobalt diet

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1122527-treatment.

I noticed a few years ago that if I minimize the amount of wheat in my diet my skin is much softer and smoother and less itchy, but I don't have the dyshydrotic type that you describe.

Best wishes!

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Specializes in ER.

I sympathize with you. I have the same thing, only I am not yet a nurse. I do, however, work on cars. I too have the need to wash my hands excessively, and it does contribute to the condition. Stress also seems to contribute. I use Vanos (steriod topical Rx) for bad flareups. They wanted me to use Protopic daily also, but I found that it irritated my hands too much. Staying hydrated, managing stress, using nitrile glove, and catching the flareups quickly (and using Vanos overnight) is the best I can do for myself at this point. I was told it will never go away....but if I can alter the conditions my hands endure, that it may be less aggravated.

It does stink!

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Specializes in Hospice.

This sounds similar to what I've experienced. For me a couple of things have helped minimize the occurances of this. First of all, try figure out of you have any sensitivities to ingredients in soaps and lotions. One of the biggest offenders for me is sodium lauryl/ laureth sulfate. I'm at the point now where I'm ok to use the soap at work and out in the community, but at home I'm very careful to use a soap that I know don't aggravate my hands. For a while though, I too had to carry my own soap. Now I seem to be able to tolerate different soaps, just not all the time. For lotion, I always use my own lotion and rotate between several. It's not a big deal, I just have different lotions in my purse, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom so I naturally rotate them.

The other thing that's helped me was to increase my intake of omega-3. There's lots of research on this topic.

I don't know if my suggestions will work for you, but I hope that you find something that does work. Cracked hands can be increadabily uncomfortable!

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Well for starters you need to take the gauze off your hand. You are NOT supposed to bandage eczema. Buy a tube of vaseline or a tube of Eucerin. My dermatologist said that the worst thing to use is lotion because its mostly water, he said something thick and creamy is the best thing to use. Also can you wear nitrile gloves? It would help reduce how often you have to wash your hands since water and soap make you breakout. For anti-itch cream I would recommend Honeymark's Anti-Itch Cream. http://www.honeymarkproducts.com/anti-itchcream.aspx.

Trust me I feel your pain I used to have severe eczema on 90% of my body and it was hell, but for about 3 years now its been under control and only pops up occassionally on my hands or face. My dermatologist prescribed protopic and triamcinolone for breakouts/inflammation.

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I have dishydrotic eczema on my hands.

*snip*

My dishydrotic eczema (sounds exactly like what you're describing) has helped me to get impetigo several times.

Ouch, I have it too. My flares are DIRECTLY related to stress. Clearing it up requires aggressive treatment with a strong topical steroid.

Avoiding petrolium based moisturizers also helps.

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