Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

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dmad
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:15 am
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by dmad on Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:29 am

Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

Hi all- never posted here before, but believe me, I understand the angst and discomfort that comes with pompholyx. I have suffered with this eczema subset for about 7 years, and have been home bound for days at a time due to my severe hand and foot blisters. About a year ago, I finally scored an appointment with a derm specialist in San Francisco who admitted there is no "cure" for pompholyx, but gave me a treatment that has changed my life- and here it is! When I see even one small blister on my hand(s), that night before bed I apply a thin layer of clobetasol ointment, then put on cotton gloves, then latex gloves over the cotton ones. The theory is that the skin on your hands is special- it's very thick, and there is no hair, so it's hard to penetrate with medicine. The latex gloves "force" the ointment into the hands, and the cotton gloves wick any sweat away so as to not dilute the clobetasol. This method is thought to increase the efficacy of the clobetasol by up to 10%. All I know is, even if I'm having what I deem to be a "bad" breakout, 2 or 3 nights with my "butler" gloves clears it up VERY quickly- this "trick" has seriously changed my life and I have not had a debilitating episode for over a year since I learned what to do. I hope this helps others as it has been a complete godsend for me. Good luck!! :) d

DeeDee1984
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:22 pm
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by DeeDee1984 on Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:14 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

I know this post is old-ish, but I wanted to say "thanks" for it, nonetheless!

I've just recently been diagnosed with dyshidrotic eczema (pompholyx) and am researching treatment options. I've been experiencing flare-ups for the past 5 years or so, without diagnosis.

My doctor gave me clobetasol, but I think I was too late in the game for it to do much good. It doesn't seem to be doing much, but the flare-up was well on its way before I got the ointment. I will try the glove trick tonight and see how it goes.

I'm currently sitting with one hand in a bowl of salt water (one-handed typing it hard!), trying to see if a 40 minute salt-soak will dry up some of these blisters. The plan is to soak only one hand and compare results in a few hours.
Allergies ~ Dyshidrotic Eczema ~ Contact Dermatitis ~ Seborrheic Dermatitis

SezSarah
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:01 am
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by SezSarah on Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:17 am

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

I've experience the first flare-up just recently. It's currently affecting only one finger, which seems to be worsening/improving on a weekly basis. Blisters will appear (although the itching isn't as bad as it used to be at first- I wonder whether this is because of the thickening of the affected skin?) and then they'll disappear for a few days, the skin will harden and sometimes scar, only for the same thing to begin again a few days later.
The blisters are quite small and to begin with, were see-through, clear vesicles but now have started to get slightly bigger and infected at times... yummy.
I'm at the end of my wits, I've experience exczema episodes on my arms and legs over the last 2 years but this only started this summer. I have a feeling it happened around the same time that my nails started to become very fragile- is this possible?
I really, really need some advice on how to alleviate these symptoms, doctors I've been to seem clueless.
Thank you

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Dr_Andrew_Wright
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Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:05 am
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by Dr_Andrew_Wright on Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:21 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

you dont say what treatments you have used but this pattern of eczema often needs a strong steroid combined with an antibiotc to settle it down
Dr Andrew Wright
Consultant Dermatologist

molly123
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Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:09 pm
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by molly123 on Thu Apr 05, 2012 11:26 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

Hi first time on here. I am 43 years old and had excema in my teens that went away. I then had dermatits on my hands, which was controlled with steroids. Last Nov Nummular excema, and this spread to my hands and in fact it was all over my body, to the extent I lost all my hair and what I didn't lose, I had to shave off, for a woman this is heartbreaking. When the excema travelled to my face, I had enough. I had to do alot of research, as I had never seen this type of excema before, let alone heard of it.
I would never wish this type of excema on my worst enemy. The itch would drive me insane, the long sleepless nights took it's toll, I was a mess and could not manage even the most basic tasks. I struggled into work most days, but had to leave early cos I knew my feet would be too swollen. It got to the point where I had to go off sick, which I hate doing. My feet and hands were too swollen, itchy, cracked and painful and I could not get shoes on, nor walk.
The dermatologists gave me antibiotics for the infection and steroid creams, also had the bandage treatment as skin so dry. Anyway the steroids were not really helping, hands and feet ugly and full of very hard skin. I did my own research and started to take Flax oil for moisture, and various other vitamins. I then came across a Manuka honey website, so sent my sis to purchase some for me, apparently it has to be over 10 to be effective. Well what a revelation, I put some on my hands,then covered with vinyl gloves and my cotton gloves on top. I left this on overnight, when I woke up, I took the gloves off and washed my hands, the hard skin began coming off with a vengeance. I cried to see my pink healthy skin underneath, within two days of this, most of the hard skin on my finger digits on one hand had come off, then some of the skin on the same palm came off. The honey had done wonders in two days, what the steroids could not achieve in months.
The feet took much longer, finally all the hard skin has peeled away tonight. However although the hands were clear and the feet nearly clear, the chronic intense itching was still there, so I remembered using tea tree oil and lavender oil. The tea tree has taken away the itchy hands completely, so far. I also take the honey internally.

I hope to God the excema does not come back as it was, and that my hands stay this way. My feet are still very ugly and discoloured, with the round marks from the blisters very visible, still have the marks on parts of my torso, but they are no longer bumpy.

Incidentally I still have the excema around my wrists, this is actually proving difficult to shift, perhaps cos its a joint.
Will keep you all posted. Please try the honey, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

By the way how do you look at the replies on here?

Pleased to say all treatments mentioned above combined with the tea tree oil are working miraculously, hands looking good, skin became a bit hard on the palms, but has not become rock solid and it was a minute amount, which is now peeling off, feet are also looking good, so pleased. I am not too complacent though and continue to use a small amount of steroid cream, at night, but all in all excellent, all cracks on feet are healing or have healed, and no longer hurt, whoop whoop, hope you all give it a go and good luck.

dd122436
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:49 pm
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by dd122436 on Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

So I'm new here and have had dishydrotic eczema for the past 3+ years. This past week it was the worst it's ever been and just flaring to the point where my fingers felt swollen. My doctor prescribed some corticosteroid cream, but I didn't fill the prescription. What has me floored is that in the last 2 days it's gone into fast retreat mode and the only changes I've made have been made in an effort to deal with my Hashimoto's thyroiditis or post gall bladder removal digestive problems. So here's what I've done;

Came home and applied an old steroid cream I had, out of desperation. My hands got significantly worse.

Washed my hands and applied coconut oil, hands still no good.

I decided creams were aggravating things so I washed my hands with "canus goats milk soap" original formula and left them alone.

I started taking 400 ugs (micrograms) of selenium daily to decrease thyroid antibodies

I started taking 500mg (milligrams) of ox bile with every meal to make sure I'm digesting healthy fats as I had my gallbladder removed in 2003.

Just yesterday I added NOW brand digestive enzymes with each meal, for the same reason as above and to deal with indigestion, bloating and looking pregnant after eating anything.

I take wild Alaskan salmon oil and vitamin D daily.

My doctor increased my synthroid from 100ugs to 112 ugs.

So I've made all of these changes in the past 2 days. My hunch is that the improvement for me started when I added the selenium and or ox bile salts.

Unfortunately I've made so many changes I can't be sure which of these is helping. Meow ever, for me, I know it's one of these things as it's never cleared so quickly before. I hope this helps someone.

dd122436
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:49 pm
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by dd122436 on Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:35 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

P.s. Sorry, I forgot to mention that I twice used tender flake lard as a moisturizer and I noticed some improvement after that as well. I know it sounds gross, but hey, if it works! I'll update if this improvement is just a temporary anomaly, I hope it lasts though! Best wishes to anyone else dealing with this. :)

dd122436
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:49 pm
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by dd122436 on Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:36 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

P.s. Sorry, I forgot to mention that I twice used tender flake lard as a moisturizer and I noticed some improvement after that as well. I know it sounds gross, but hey, if it works! I'll update if this improvement is just a temporary anomaly, I hope it lasts though! Best wishes to anyone else dealing with this. :)

kayleigh white
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 7:18 pm
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by kayleigh white on Thu Nov 05, 2015 7:41 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

hello to anyone out there who does or has in the past suffered with pompholyx. i do not seem to be able to link with anyone who is currently communicating. It woukd be so nice to hear of some success stories also.
do you think this condition is contagious?.

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Marcie Mom
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 3:30 pm
Location: Singapore
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by Marcie Mom on Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:06 pm

Re: Pompholyx/ hand eczema- my relief

Hi there, sorry to hear of your condition; no experience with pompholyx but likely not contagious, there's useful info on dermnetz
http://www.dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/pompholyx.html

take care!
Mei
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