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Eczema/contact dermatitis

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  • #1

    Eczema/contact dermatitis

    I have no idea where this should go... but I threw it here.

    Anyone ever have contact dermatitis or eczema on their hands? I'm dying. I totally did this to myself. It all started like 3 years ago with a sensitivity to foaming hand soaps. Every single time I used them I broke out in an eczema rash (I actually think I was pregnant this first time it happened... and it's still going on).

    Last spring my kids got in this annoying "I won't wash my hands" phase and I used a foaming soap because the nanny put it the kitchen and they loved it. So day after day, I stupidly kept using it because it was easier than fighting with them... then on top of that, I have also become a huge germaphobe. I think it was the premie babies... or the fact that we were in the ER constantly with one of the kids both winters of his life. Anyway, so I will admit to using hospital grade wipes while we traveled on rental equipment (and sometimes airplanes &#128534 sometimes without wearing gloves ... and the. I got back to town (whee it is super dry) and I couldn't get my regular skin care products the first week, so I bought some weird retinol product that turned out to be super liquidy and got all over my hands... and then I also started putting my hands in so many stain fighting products... f'ing preschool stains on clothes and insane hard water. It's a nightmare.

    Anyway, I have like zero barrier left according to derm. But I've also had my one thumb like blister and/or shed (for lack of a better term, it just gets dry and ANOTHER layer of skin peels off - this happens like every one to two weeks right now).

    Anyway.. anyone ever have a similar issue? I have two friends that did (both live here - very dry climate - and it was after having kids - just so hard on your hands). They both just said the dr told the to stop washing their hands... I have really cut back, but I can't wash my hands three times a day. That's crazy. I have to wash my kids hands when they get to school, and when they get home -already that's almost 4.... then I totally do like "scrub in" to the house.. and I make them wash their hands before eating if they have been out maids again (but I still have to help... ). I just don't see how washing my ha da 3 times a day can happen. But Jesus... my ha dan(mostly my right thumb) are in really bad shape!!!


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  • #2
    Find a soap (?) that you can tolerate, and some steroid cream to treat topically. (Maybe 1%)
    If the thumb is really bad, I’d use 5% on the thumb. Gloves gloves gloves. (We have a huge Costco sized box of nitrile and I put them on all the time)

    What does derm say?


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    Wife to Family Medicine attending, Mom to DS1 and DS2
    Professional Relocation Specialist &
    "The Official IMSN Enabler"

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    • #3
      My SIL has an allergy to something in soap/cleaning products/sunscreen. It makes her hands peel and crack and it was exactly like eczema and it took her months to get diagnosed. Is it definitely dryness with soap? Or is it anything that gets on your hands?


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
      Married to a Urology Attending! (that is an understated exclamation point)
      Mama to C (Jan 2012), D (Nov 2013), and R (April 2016). Consulting and homeschooling are my day jobs.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Thirteen View Post
        Find a soap (?) that you can tolerate, and some steroid cream to treat topically. (Maybe 1%)
        If the thumb is really bad, I’d use 5% on the thumb. Gloves gloves gloves. (We have a huge Costco sized box of nitrile and I put them on all the time)

        What does derm say?


        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
        I'm reacting to nitrile gloves now too - so now I have to wear a cotton liner also. I'm a sight at preschool drop off!!! (We all line up to wash their hands before going in because of a really bad food allergy).

        Derm said I have no barrier. Wash my hands less, use the barrier cream plus a regular moisturizer under it. It worked sort of for a little less than two weeks, then I must have touched things again and boom... gross peeling blistered nastiness. I'm just down so many layers of skin on my thumb.

        They didn't want to give me steroid cream (of course things looked okish the day I finally got in). I had 2.5% from prepregnancy that wasn't doing much (actually, now that I think about it - I'm sure it's expired - oops!). So I was fine with not getting a new steroid cream Rx. But maybe I need to ask for one.

        I called Monday to go back in and couldn't get an appointment. I go back end of November.

        Sorry if that was repetitive - forgot what info I put in original post.


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        • #5
          Originally posted by TulipsAndSunscreen View Post
          My SIL has an allergy to something in soap/cleaning products/sunscreen. It makes her hands peel and crack and it was exactly like eczema and it took her months to get diagnosed. Is it definitely dryness with soap? Or is it anything that gets on your hands?


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
          Now anything. Started with foamy soap. Now almost all soap. He said to stick with soft soap - I honestly feel like even just water causes a problem.

          Re: Sunscreen - I absolutely had a bad reaction to coola baby sunscreen last Saturday (we had been using for over a year, but I switched them to blue lizard over the summer). I think I've always had some photosensitivity at times, but usually just on my chest. But have considered that this is sun related. My hands must get a ton of sun driving. I suppose I should wear gloves maybe, need to find some that aren't lined. All the ones I've looked at have bad reviews for slipping on wheel - which I don't want to risk. So maybe just leather?

          I think this derm (he was the PA, the derms here seem to spend all their time doing moh's or cosmetic procedures. But I felt like he knew more about eczema than the dr that came in for 5 seconds. She definitely punts all these cases to him) thought that an allergy test wasn't worth it right now because he thought I'd react to almost everything, which might be true. But I noticed we have some kind of contact dermatitis institute close by that I could try.

          Ugh. What an f'ing pain!!!

          So was your SIL able to find sunscreen that didn't cause a reaction?


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          • #6
            I know your kids are young but could you try letting them wash on their own sometimes. They may not do the best job but it would be better than nothing. We use foaming soap too with the kids because it's easier to clean up when they spill but we make our own. You just reuse a foaming soap container and fill it out half full with soap and half with water and shake it up. That might be helpful if you can find a soap that doesn't bother you. It sounds miserable, I hope you get some relief soon.


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            • #7
              We have sensitive skin people and make our own as well with Dr. Bronner’s and water (foaming soap pump containers we bought off of Amazon).


              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
              Wife to Family Medicine attending, Mom to DS1 and DS2
              Professional Relocation Specialist &
              "The Official IMSN Enabler"

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              • #8
                She got so she was reacting to literally anything including hot and cold water because her hands were so reactive. Once she started avoiding this ingredient she was allergic too, it completely went away. But she went through about 50 docs before they figured it out. They were all just like, "Yup, Eczema".
                Married to a Urology Attending! (that is an understated exclamation point)
                Mama to C (Jan 2012), D (Nov 2013), and R (April 2016). Consulting and homeschooling are my day jobs.

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                • #9
                  Yes, to the gloves, gloves gloves!! I've had eczema all my life and now it is pretty much under control. I keep gloves on top of the washer...I do not even touch the wet clothes to the dryer. I also buy the boxes of gloves and wear those to clean/polish stuff. I even wear them when I am cooking something which requires many steps and hand washings in between. I wash my hands with the gloves on. I also keep lotion (think moisturizing lotion) everywhere. In the car, my purse, every sink. Oh - and I treat my feet almost the same. I use to have it on my hands and feet. Feet are lathered in lotion after every shower, dog washing, gardening. etc. I use all natural hand soap BUT only at home...Out and about I have to use the harsh soap. I do have an antibacterial lotion that is not as drying if I am only trying to kill germs and not necessarily wash off sticky, dirt, etc.

                  When I do have a flare-up, it is usually because I did not take the precautions (only have to use the steroid creme for a bit) AND when I am under stress. For me - stress can make it flare up.
                  Finally - we are finished with training! Hello real world!!

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by TulipsAndSunscreen View Post
                    She got so she was reacting to literally anything including hot and cold water because her hands were so reactive. Once she started avoiding this ingredient she was allergic too, it completely went away. But she went through about 50 docs before they figured it out. They were all just like, "Yup, Eczema".
                    Ahhh. I know this is going to be the problem.


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                    • #11
                      I've developed eczema too. My mother had it so badly. Hers disappeared completely when she stopped doing housework. I do a lot of cleaning, laundry, kid bathing and I'm not diligent about moisturizing. I have gloves and shoukd wear them more often.

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