Eczema on hands

[pielsita]

Hi all, my hands have been with eczema for nearly 6 years moving from one sector to another. I've been using doublebase gel which manages to keep it under control but it doesn't go for good. Any advice will be much appreciated. Many thanks.

[lovesradio]

Morning pielsita, I have had hand eczema (along with other places) for as long as I can remember. I intermittently use a mild to moderate corticosteroid( 1% hydrocortisone or Eumovate) if they worsen (cracks, redness, itchiness increase) and routinely use doublebase gel as an emollient or other non perfumed moisturing hand cream. The National Eczema Society magazine, Exchange, had a good article on hand eczema a wee while ago. You might be able to access it on their website eczema.org.

Good luck with it xx

[pielsita in reply to lovesradio]

Thanks for your time. Initially, my GP prescribed corticosteroid which had no effect othen than to eliminate the "flowered" skin like a sandpaper. By chance, I tried E45 which basically did (ish) the job but blocked my skin porosity increasing itchiness exponentially. Such experience brought me back to GP who introduced me to Doublebase (apparently a sort of E45 but without lanolin -- the sheep wax). This together with gloves for doing dishes, cleaning, etc. worked very well for my palms. However, as palms cleared it move to the outer part of my fingers more than two years ago... and the fight continues. Many thanks again.

[johnsmith]

Try evening primrose oil. I found that it worked for me. It took a month before it began to work.

Hope this helps.

[Eve123]

Try avoiding all products containing methachlorthiazoline- I had hand eczema for years and discovered I was allergic to this. It is in washing, cleaning and makeup products and some baby and cleaning wipes. Doing this reduced my hand eczema considerably however it was only when I gave up dairy that my eczema went away altogether (after 36 years of suffering). Good luck!

[pielsita in reply to Eve123]

Thanks for the clue... will try going off dairy to test the water. Cheers.

[Tothemax Volunteer]

You could try using salvation by mama nature. My boyfriends hands were a real mess (he is a car mechanic) and he was in agony with rashes and cuts and eczema due to the chemicals in the engine. He smothered his hands with this stuff and wore cotton gloves to bed to protect the bed sheets. After a couple of weeks the skin on his hands were like new.

He now sometimes smears this over his hands (except his palms) before works as he says it protects them.

[pielsita in reply to Tothemax]

My eczema worsens when swimming, washing car, etc. and even when doing dishes with hot water (yes, wearing gloves!) so there is def a link to some chemical products. Just read Salveation contains beeswax which I fear could unfold similar experience I had with E45 (blocked skin porosity which introduced unprecedenting itching). Will do my research and maybe consider trying, many thanks for reading and taking time to share your experience.

[Tothemax Volunteer]

Glad to be of help.

[Liz07]

I also experience severe hand eczema. I have found QV gentle wash and the cream is good.cotton gloves when doing any housework and overnight when having a flare up. I have strong steroid creams for flare ups and use with gloves overnight. Despite all this I still get flare ups, but I guess it's finding something that doesn't make it worse. Emulsifying ointment BP is also good a really greasy emollient. I had allergy patch testing and found I am allergic to formaldehyde (used as a preservative in lots of cosmetics, soaps, household cleaners) but it has about 5 different chemical names, this is good to avoid. I also took to toctino for 6 months which helped (only via dermatologist) but that isn't a long term treatment. Hope this helps x

[mariamels95]

Hello pielsita! two years ago I was diagnosed with eczema. I have eczema mostly on my neck and chest. The treatment that has helped me to control it is Fooderma treatment, I really recommend it!