The soap, the gloves or BOTH.

[Bonny619]

My hands are an itchy, bumpy, red mess.

I'm a new grad, been working for about 5 weeks now. I have no idea if it's the soap or the gloves or both. They do not use latex free gloves at my hospital, but we do have them....I suppose I should start keeping some in my pocket.

How do I know if it's the soap or the latex? I really hope it's not a latex allergy.

Any thoughts? I was even dreaming about my itchy hands last night, that's how bad they are.

[EmmaG, RN]

Everyone has such great advice I just want to add a bit more:

I have excema/sensitive skin and I have found that if I wash my hands, apply lotion, and then wear gloves (we only have non-latex), my hands get WORSE.

If I use my own lotion (I'm partial to Avon's Silicon Glove lotion) its even worse than if I use the hospital supplied Aquacel lotion.

So there is a chance that you might be increasing your symptoms/irritation by using the lotion too close to the time you put the gloves on.

Good luck, and definitely look into allergy testing.

Careful about using your own lotions too; some can degrade the latex making it less effective as a barrier and more prone to cause reactions.

[MIA-RN]

Careful about using your own lotions too; some can degrade the latex making it less effective as a barrier and more prone to cause reactions.

Yep, I leave my good lotion at home now and stick to the hospital stuff.

[Bonny619]

Thanks again everyone for the advice. No more latex gloves for me. I know one other nurse at night that wears the non latex, they'll just have to keep more handy!

[southernbelle319]

I have sorta the same problem. I don't get bumps, but my hands can end up getting pretty itchy and really dried out. I just don't know if it's the gloves, soap or Isagel we use. We use non-latex gloves at the hospital I work at. In fact, they are the High Five brand nitrile exam gloves (non powdered). I rarely use lotion while I'm at work since I'm constantly washing my hands. I usually lather up after I get home. I use Arbonne lotion. Anyway, I hope you're able to find where the itchy/bumps are coming from!

[Bonny619]

What's even weirder is that my right hand is 75% worse than my left. I have no idea why. My left hand is itchy but there are no bumps on my left hand, only my right.

[nightmare, RN]

Is Isagel that stuff you rub on hands? If it is then it could be the culprit!!I have used the hand gel once.My hands dried up and the skin split so badly it was bleeding!!Will never use that stuff again.

[southernbelle319]

I've actually had it where one hand was worse than the other, so it's not that weird .

[southernbelle319]

Is Isagel that stuff you rub on hands? If it is then it could be the culprit!!I have used the hand gel once.My hands dried up and the skin split so badly it was bleeding!!Will never use that stuff again.

Yup! That's the stuff! My skin has cracked a time or two before as well. I just didn't know what was doing it.

[DGood]

If you are allergic to latex DO NOT USE NITRILE GLOVES.

For some reason they have the same effect on me. The reaction that I have on my hands is not as much itching but my hands will peel. The latex allergy can also be tested by using a latex condom (do this at your own risk). OUCH

[Lorie P.]

my hands did the same thing one day. i put on a pair of latex gloves and my hands started itching turning red and hurting.

so the next time employee health came to do our 6 month ppd's i explained what happend and they did an allergy test for latex and bingo. it was the culprit!

so now at the begining of my shift i go get a box of non-latex gloves but my name on it and when shift is over i stash them in my locker. i have to or else no gloves for me because people who don't have a latex allergy will use them up.

i also try to keep a box hidden in one other place because i have noticed an increase with symptoms when i didn't have the non-latex and used latex example code browns, emesis and bleeding iv sites.

i will also put about 6 pairs in my pockets to have with me.