Hand (foot) eczema is a condition that causes itching, cracking and peeling of the delicate skin of the hands. It is generally specific to the palm area of the hands and may be more prevalent on the dominant hand. Irritant or allergic contact dermatitis is usually responsible for eczema of the hands. The hand area may be more difficult to treat than other areas of the body, because the hands are so often exposed to irritants that may exacerbate the condition. Here are some treatment and cures for hand eczema that may help to alleviate symptoms of the condition.
There are many kinds of eczema, and too few people who can tell you how to cure them. Scientists are trying get a better handle on the causes of such eczema as hand and foot eczema, but they may still have years to go before they find a tested and sound way to prevent the condition.
In the meantime, your best bet is to follow the latest advice that health experts offer on the problem.
To get relief from hand and foot eczema and other forms of the condition, it is important to make key lifestyle modifications. These may not necessarily be an eczema cure, but they can help to prevent flare-ups.
First, see your dermatologist regularly for treatment. Second, use the medication that he or she prescribes. They may not be quite as reassuring as an eczema cure, but these steps, can be the difference between keeping the condition at bay, or letting it ruin your life.
What You Can Do First To Help Yourself
Start your assault on your hand and foot eczema by avoiding the many things around your home that can irritate the condition.
Things that can irritate your skin include household cleansers, detergents, aftershave lotions, soap, gasoline, turpentine, and other solvents. Try to steer clear of these things that make your hand and foot eczema flare up.
Of course, it’s also essential to wash your hands only when absolutely needed. Soaps and wetness can cause skin irritation. Dry your hands completely, as well, after you wash them.
The Importance of Wearing Gloves
Other ways to experience a temporary eczema cure involve all the methods under the sun to protect your hands. These include wearing gloves to protect the skin. Put on vinyl or plastic gloves for work it it requires you leaving your hands in water for long periods of time.
Wear gloves and shoes, too, when you think your hands will be exposed to anything that can irritate your skin and bring on hand and foot eczema.
Another potential temporary eczema cure are cotton gloves underneath plastic gloves, as well as cotton socks in plastic or leather shoes. The cotton can soak up sweat from your hands and feet. If even this cotton is getting drenched, then take frequent breaks from your activities or work.
Remove your gloves and shoes to prevent a buildup of sweat inside them. Don’t forget your gloves when you go outside during the winter either. Cold air and low humidity are enemies of your skin and can easily bring on hand and foot eczema by drying out your skin.
Other Eczema Triggers You Should Think About
Besides cold and dry air, stress and other psychological factors can also be an eczema trigger. Learning how to manage your emotions can be an eczema cure all to itself. You may not be able to get at the root cause of eczema by cutting back on the stress in your life.
But controlling your emotions and avoiding stressful situations can be a potent way to reduce the frequency and the intensity of your eczema attacks. Your behavior, then, can be a powerful eczema cure until doctors come up with the ultimate one.
The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Hand eczema includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.
Identification and avoidance of causative agents
If agent unavoidable (eg necessary for occupation), use barriers such as gloves to avoid contact
Emollient creams – e.g. Sorbeline for dry skin
Wet dressings of zinc oxide and coal tar
Topical glucocorticoids (steroid creams)
Antibiotic creams for infected areas
Oral glucocorticoids if severe or widespread over other parts of body
UV or PUVA therapy
Topical immunomodulators – Pimecrolimus and Tacrolimus – may be used as an alternative to topical steroids, but long term side effects have not been fully elucidated
Things You’ll Need: Corticosteroid cream Washcloths Antihistamines Hand lotion Humidifier
1. Consult with your physician. You’ll need to consult with your family doctor to establish the type of hand eczema you’re currently suffering from. This will allow your doctor to better treat your condition.
2. Apply a corticosteroid cream, like Temovate, on your hands each day. This prescription medication cream is commonly used for most types of eczema that affect the hands. What it does is essentially speed up the process of healing and treat the dryness and cracking that may occur during a flare-up.
3. Wrap each hand in a cool, moistened washcloth. According to the Mayo Clinic, wrapping the hands in a moistened cloth can actually increase the efficacy of the cream and reduce both itching and blistering (which is common in dyshidrotic eczema).
4. Start taking an antihistamine. Sometimes, your doctor may recommend that you start using an antihistamine as an adjunct treatment for hand eczema. This type of over-the-counter medication can help to eliminate the itchy sensation you’re currently feeling on your hands.
5. Moisturize your hands with a fragrance-free hand lotion. Anytime you wash or wet your hands, you should thoroughly and gently dry them, and then apply a hand moisturizer.
6. Swap out all your soaps and detergents for milder versions of the same product. Sometimes, soaps and detergents can worsen hand eczema, so you should consider switching out all these types of products for those that do not contain harsh chemicals, perfumes or dyes.
7. Humidify your home. While using a humidifier won’t necessarily treat your hand eczema, it can change your environment for the better by adding more moisture to the air. Really, this is more of a concern during the winter months, but it’s a good practice to get into.
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