Discussion
I have for a long time now suffered with eczema or some other skin complaint on my hands. It mostly effects the fingers, especially the sides and the palm of my hands. It is concentrated in one small area and doesn't seem to be spreading but wont clear up.
I use hydrocortisone when it really flairs up and is very painful and whilst this calms it down it doesn't clear it up. I apply Vaseline throughout the day and wear cotton gloves at night to keep it on. Try to avoid washing my hands where possible and use latex gloves when doing doing stuff on the bike or car and when preparing food.
I was at the Dr's about something else the other week and I mentioned it to the quack and he just looked and said yes it is bad but there is nothing I can do.
Any suggestions? Should I go back to the Dr's? Seems like a waste of time to me. I need to get it sorted, at the risk of sounding like I should just MTFU I am finding it quite depressing. I had a meeting at work the other day and had to go and wash my hands to get the vaseline off so I could shake peoples hands, then try and quietly re-apply it throughout the meeting before having to discretely wipe if off before the meeting ends so I can shake hands again. I feel like a leper.
I use hydrocortisone when it really flairs up and is very painful and whilst this calms it down it doesn't clear it up. I apply Vaseline throughout the day and wear cotton gloves at night to keep it on. Try to avoid washing my hands where possible and use latex gloves when doing doing stuff on the bike or car and when preparing food.
I was at the Dr's about something else the other week and I mentioned it to the quack and he just looked and said yes it is bad but there is nothing I can do.
Any suggestions? Should I go back to the Dr's? Seems like a waste of time to me. I need to get it sorted, at the risk of sounding like I should just MTFU I am finding it quite depressing. I had a meeting at work the other day and had to go and wash my hands to get the vaseline off so I could shake peoples hands, then try and quietly re-apply it throughout the meeting before having to discretely wipe if off before the meeting ends so I can shake hands again. I feel like a leper.
For the past year or so the knuckles on my index and middle fingers on both hands have been very dry and the skin quite tough. This means that they can crack as they dry out and it can be quite uncomfortable. I've never had any form of dry skin before.
If I ever went to the doctors, I'd mention it, but as I'm never actually ill, it seems a waste of time to go to see the doctor (and pay his consultation fee) for something about which I imagine he can do nothing.
As a result, I have used Garnier Intensive Hand Repair cream each morning and evening. It is non-greasy and soaks into skin very well, and, with limited hand washing, will last all day - I used to wash my hands frequently, but now that this problem has occurred, I avoid washing my hands wherever possible.
When the skin actually cracks I use Savlon cream to help it heal.
If I ever went to the doctors, I'd mention it, but as I'm never actually ill, it seems a waste of time to go to see the doctor (and pay his consultation fee) for something about which I imagine he can do nothing.
As a result, I have used Garnier Intensive Hand Repair cream each morning and evening. It is non-greasy and soaks into skin very well, and, with limited hand washing, will last all day - I used to wash my hands frequently, but now that this problem has occurred, I avoid washing my hands wherever possible.
When the skin actually cracks I use Savlon cream to help it heal.
I had this a couple of years ago, and found Gloves in a bottle helped.
I got quite bad for a while, but then just cleared up - I still don't know what caused it, so although theres nothing a doctor can do it hopefully doesn't mean you'll be stuck with it.
I got quite bad for a while, but then just cleared up - I still don't know what caused it, so although theres nothing a doctor can do it hopefully doesn't mean you'll be stuck with it.
944fan said:
I have for a long time now suffered with eczema or some other skin complaint on my hands. It mostly effects the fingers, especially the sides and the palm of my hands. It is concentrated in one small area and doesn't seem to be spreading but wont clear up.
I use hydrocortisone when it really flairs up and is very painful and whilst this calms it down it doesn't clear it up. I apply Vaseline throughout the day and wear cotton gloves at night to keep it on. Try to avoid washing my hands where possible and use latex gloves when doing doing stuff on the bike or car and when preparing food.
I was at the Dr's about something else the other week and I mentioned it to the quack and he just looked and said yes it is bad but there is nothing I can do.
Any suggestions? Should I go back to the Dr's? Seems like a waste of time to me. I need to get it sorted, at the risk of sounding like I should just MTFU I am finding it quite depressing. I had a meeting at work the other day and had to go and wash my hands to get the vaseline off so I could shake peoples hands, then try and quietly re-apply it throughout the meeting before having to discretely wipe if off before the meeting ends so I can shake hands again. I feel like a leper.
A lot of exzema is dietary related. I use hydrocortisone when it really flairs up and is very painful and whilst this calms it down it doesn't clear it up. I apply Vaseline throughout the day and wear cotton gloves at night to keep it on. Try to avoid washing my hands where possible and use latex gloves when doing doing stuff on the bike or car and when preparing food.
I was at the Dr's about something else the other week and I mentioned it to the quack and he just looked and said yes it is bad but there is nothing I can do.
Any suggestions? Should I go back to the Dr's? Seems like a waste of time to me. I need to get it sorted, at the risk of sounding like I should just MTFU I am finding it quite depressing. I had a meeting at work the other day and had to go and wash my hands to get the vaseline off so I could shake peoples hands, then try and quietly re-apply it throughout the meeting before having to discretely wipe if off before the meeting ends so I can shake hands again. I feel like a leper.
Perhaps try a different moisturiser to Vaseline? Some of the medicated moisturisers such as Doublebase should be far more effective. Also avoid anything containing Linalool (such as E45) as I find this actually aggravates my skin rather than helps it and avoid any cosmetic products containing Lanolin.
OP I swear by this stuff.
http://www.purepotions.co.uk/
Ive had eczema all my life and after using this its never returned. I highly reccomend you give it ago.
A word of warning though it does stain clothes/bed sheets.
http://www.purepotions.co.uk/
Ive had eczema all my life and after using this its never returned. I highly reccomend you give it ago.
A word of warning though it does stain clothes/bed sheets.
Your doctor is a GP, you need to see a dermatologist who will be able to diagnose the condition. It's only once you have a diagnosis that proper treatment can be applied.
You can get moisturiser prescribed and it's a lot better than 99% of the stuff you can buy at your local supermarket although the key is to apply regularly. Using topical steriods is likely to lead to skin thinning and unless you're careful about how you come out of a treatment period you can promote a flare up. I'd be especially wary about using topical steriods and then using gloves/clingfilm etc.
My experience is from psoriasis - I spent 6 months dicking around with various rubbish from the doctor, dropped some cash with a dermatologist and within days went from useless coal tar to an assessment for UVB-B light treatment.
There are treatments out there, you need to speak to the right people, do that and it'll be 100% better.
You can get moisturiser prescribed and it's a lot better than 99% of the stuff you can buy at your local supermarket although the key is to apply regularly. Using topical steriods is likely to lead to skin thinning and unless you're careful about how you come out of a treatment period you can promote a flare up. I'd be especially wary about using topical steriods and then using gloves/clingfilm etc.
My experience is from psoriasis - I spent 6 months dicking around with various rubbish from the doctor, dropped some cash with a dermatologist and within days went from useless coal tar to an assessment for UVB-B light treatment.
There are treatments out there, you need to speak to the right people, do that and it'll be 100% better.
GnuBee said:
Your doctor is a GP, you need to see a dermatologist who will be able to diagnose the condition. It's only once you have a diagnosis that proper treatment can be applied.
You can get moisturiser prescribed and it's a lot better than 99% of the stuff you can buy at your local supermarket although the key is to apply regularly. Using topical steriods is likely to lead to skin thinning and unless you're careful about how you come out of a treatment period you can promote a flare up. I'd be especially wary about using topical steriods and then using gloves/clingfilm etc.
My experience is from psoriasis - I spent 6 months dicking around with various rubbish from the doctor, dropped some cash with a dermatologist and within days went from useless coal tar to an assessment for UVB-B light treatment.
There are treatments out there, you need to speak to the right people, do that and it'll be 100% better.
And 110% this You can get moisturiser prescribed and it's a lot better than 99% of the stuff you can buy at your local supermarket although the key is to apply regularly. Using topical steriods is likely to lead to skin thinning and unless you're careful about how you come out of a treatment period you can promote a flare up. I'd be especially wary about using topical steriods and then using gloves/clingfilm etc.
My experience is from psoriasis - I spent 6 months dicking around with various rubbish from the doctor, dropped some cash with a dermatologist and within days went from useless coal tar to an assessment for UVB-B light treatment.
There are treatments out there, you need to speak to the right people, do that and it'll be 100% better.
Thanks for the tips. I work at a desk all day so I don't get my hands dirty at work (well metaphorically speaking I do). Interesting about it being dietary, I hope to god its not the red wine!
Will have a try of the others potions that has been posted. Vaseline was recommended on the Eczema association website, it seems to work whilst it is on but makes my hands very greasy. I get what you are sating re: E45, that didn't do mean any favors trying that.
In terms of a dermatologist should I go to my GP and get a referral or just pay and go private straight away?
Will have a try of the others potions that has been posted. Vaseline was recommended on the Eczema association website, it seems to work whilst it is on but makes my hands very greasy. I get what you are sating re: E45, that didn't do mean any favors trying that.
In terms of a dermatologist should I go to my GP and get a referral or just pay and go private straight away?
944fan said:
In terms of a dermatologist should I go to my GP and get a referral or just pay and go private straight away?
You will need a referral from your GP. If you tell him/her that you want to go private, you get to choose the Dermatologist, location etc. Plus you are unlikely to wait more than a week for an appointment.pp
944fan said:
Thanks for the tips. I work at a desk all day so I don't get my hands dirty at work (well metaphorically speaking I do). Interesting about it being dietary, I hope to god its not the red wine!
Will have a try of the others potions that has been posted. Vaseline was recommended on the Eczema association website, it seems to work whilst it is on but makes my hands very greasy. I get what you are sating re: E45, that didn't do mean any favors trying that.
In terms of a dermatologist should I go to my GP and get a referral or just pay and go private straight away?
Yes, ask your GP for a referral to a proper dermatologist. If the wait is too long, then you could go private I guess.Will have a try of the others potions that has been posted. Vaseline was recommended on the Eczema association website, it seems to work whilst it is on but makes my hands very greasy. I get what you are sating re: E45, that didn't do mean any favors trying that.
In terms of a dermatologist should I go to my GP and get a referral or just pay and go private straight away?
I've had dry, cracking skin on my hands for years. It was so itchy and pus would leak out (or water?). I've tried everything on the market that you can buy on the shelves and OTC.
One day, someone said I should try "moisturising from within" so I started eating E45. Only joking. I starting drinking more water. Never had a problem since. And my skin does get dry sometimes reminding me to drink more water not put more cream.
One day, someone said I should try "moisturising from within" so I started eating E45. Only joking. I starting drinking more water. Never had a problem since. And my skin does get dry sometimes reminding me to drink more water not put more cream.
Hoofy said:
I've had dry, cracking skin on my hands for years. It was so itchy and pus would leak out (or water?). I've tried everything on the market that you can buy on the shelves and OTC.
One day, someone said I should try "moisturising from within" so I started eating E45. Only joking. I starting drinking more water. Never had a problem since. And my skin does get dry sometimes reminding me to drink more water not put more cream.
This is also extremely good advice.One day, someone said I should try "moisturising from within" so I started eating E45. Only joking. I starting drinking more water. Never had a problem since. And my skin does get dry sometimes reminding me to drink more water not put more cream.
You can never drink too much water.
It is something to do with diet or stress.
I suffered for years with horrible dry skin on my hands which would crack and split. I tried all kinds of potions and unguents with little or no benefit.
I noticed that it went away completely when I went on 2 week holidays abroad so concluded that I was stressed. Since then I have tried my best to eliminate stress and my hands now only flare up when something goes badly wrong and I am forced out of my comfort zone.
Relax, stop thinking about it and try to eliminate stress, it might help to see a dermatologist and look at diet problems as well. If you improve it then you feel better and it will probably almost go away.
I suffered for years with horrible dry skin on my hands which would crack and split. I tried all kinds of potions and unguents with little or no benefit.
I noticed that it went away completely when I went on 2 week holidays abroad so concluded that I was stressed. Since then I have tried my best to eliminate stress and my hands now only flare up when something goes badly wrong and I am forced out of my comfort zone.
Relax, stop thinking about it and try to eliminate stress, it might help to see a dermatologist and look at diet problems as well. If you improve it then you feel better and it will probably almost go away.
Getragdogleg said:
It is something to do with diet or stress.
I suffered for years with horrible dry skin on my hands which would crack and split. I tried all kinds of potions and unguents with little or no benefit.
I noticed that it went away completely when I went on 2 week holidays abroad so concluded that I was stressed. Since then I have tried my best to eliminate stress and my hands now only flare up when something goes badly wrong and I am forced out of my comfort zone.
Relax, stop thinking about it and try to eliminate stress, it might help to see a dermatologist and look at diet problems as well. If you improve it then you feel better and it will probably almost go away.
The key element here is also sunlight. The one thing I can pinpoint to clearing up my all-over eczema was a weekly visit to the sunbed, mixing it with all the chavvy teenagers and wrinkly orange yummy mummys I suffered for years with horrible dry skin on my hands which would crack and split. I tried all kinds of potions and unguents with little or no benefit.
I noticed that it went away completely when I went on 2 week holidays abroad so concluded that I was stressed. Since then I have tried my best to eliminate stress and my hands now only flare up when something goes badly wrong and I am forced out of my comfort zone.
Relax, stop thinking about it and try to eliminate stress, it might help to see a dermatologist and look at diet problems as well. If you improve it then you feel better and it will probably almost go away.
And this, despite the doctor's advice to stay away from sunbeds. Sure, too much exposure will do long term harm, but I found that a 6 minute session twice a week for the first fortnight and then once a week thereafter for a couple of months, cleared my eczema completely.
I used to go through a large tub of Doublebase once a week. Now the same tub will last over a year.
Stress? Oh dear.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Since that post I have been promoted again to general manager.
Time for a new job then.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Since that post I have been promoted again to general manager.
Time for a new job then.
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