I was so glad to find this forum. My symptoms are very similar to those described by the majority of posters here: my hands itch insanely, at night. The skin on my hands and feet cracks, quite painful. It even bleeds. Where I scratch, little bumps form, almost like tiny blisters. The skin thickens, then stiffens, then peels and flakes away. This has been with me for almost one year. I have been to see half a dozen dermatologists, and have received diagnoses of psoriasis and pompholyx eczema. I have had other symptoms of psoriasis for years, on my fingernails and scalp. Since this started a year ago, I have felt like I have been going mad. Nothing I have tried has worked, though running very hot water or putting ice on my hands does stop the itching for awhile. I was prescribed fexofenadine and that does seem to control the itching so that I can sleep through the night, but I would do anything to solve this problem! I am now going to stop drinking alcohol and coffee completely, and I'm going to keep a food diary. I can't help but think that this is some kind of allergy OR is somehow liver-related.
Does anyone know whether or not fexofenadine has any side effects?
Does anyone know whether or not fexofenadine has any side effects?
Gah, it's been two months since the last post. I apologize in advance for bumping this topic.
Well, I'm a sixteen year old female and I think i have the same condition. I get little bubble-like things on my fingers and sometimes on my palm and in rare cases, my toes. Sometimes, to make it go away I scratch or pop them and squeeze the "water" out. My hand doesn't bleed or anything but the skin gets hard, cracks and peels off eventually.
It itches like heck and I run my hand under really hot water to make it stop itching but I've just noticed recently that whenever it's treated with hot water, a LOT of bubbles form. And when my hand cools off, the bubbles go away. I'm guessing this only happens under extreme weather conditions such as when it's really hot or really cold. I use a cream I got from my mother but it doesn't really help. I've even used lotion, (Lubriderm) but that doesn't help either.
It embarrasses me to no end. I don't show my hand to anyone and I seldom shake hands with anyone, unless approached, because the skin is so rough and dry. It's also affected my nails and the skin surrounding it. The skin peels off and my nails grow out all bumpy and uneven.
I read on Wikipedia, after coming up with dyshidrosis and it says that sweating from frustration or stress may add to this... disorder. It also says that it's seen in people who have asthma and/or allergies. I have both.
Avoid:
-ink.
-bleach.
-hand sanitizers (the ones that sting, like Purell).
-moisterizers that contain water.
Use/try:
-cotton gloves.
-cool water when washing.
-ointments, (zinc oxide, as they recommended) instead of said moisterizers.
-aloe vera.
-100% lavender oil.
-salt soaks.
-white vinegar soaks.
That's all I have to say. I hope they find an effective cure soon.
Well, I'm a sixteen year old female and I think i have the same condition. I get little bubble-like things on my fingers and sometimes on my palm and in rare cases, my toes. Sometimes, to make it go away I scratch or pop them and squeeze the "water" out. My hand doesn't bleed or anything but the skin gets hard, cracks and peels off eventually.
It itches like heck and I run my hand under really hot water to make it stop itching but I've just noticed recently that whenever it's treated with hot water, a LOT of bubbles form. And when my hand cools off, the bubbles go away. I'm guessing this only happens under extreme weather conditions such as when it's really hot or really cold. I use a cream I got from my mother but it doesn't really help. I've even used lotion, (Lubriderm) but that doesn't help either.
It embarrasses me to no end. I don't show my hand to anyone and I seldom shake hands with anyone, unless approached, because the skin is so rough and dry. It's also affected my nails and the skin surrounding it. The skin peels off and my nails grow out all bumpy and uneven.
I read on Wikipedia, after coming up with dyshidrosis and it says that sweating from frustration or stress may add to this... disorder. It also says that it's seen in people who have asthma and/or allergies. I have both.
Avoid:
-ink.
-bleach.
-hand sanitizers (the ones that sting, like Purell).
-moisterizers that contain water.
Use/try:
-cotton gloves.
-cool water when washing.
-ointments, (zinc oxide, as they recommended) instead of said moisterizers.
-aloe vera.
-100% lavender oil.
-salt soaks.
-white vinegar soaks.
That's all I have to say. I hope they find an effective cure soon.
My left hand has been itching like crazy on and off for the past 5 years. I can't stand it right now it seems to be worse than ever. About 4 years ago I went to a dermatologist and he prescribed me some kind of steroid that thinned the skin on my hand to the point that you can tell that the skin on the left is alot thinner than the right. He made my condition worse. I don't know what to do nothing seems to work, I guess it is genetic. Everyone asks me whats wrong with your hand what wrong with your hand? I try to just keep my left hand in my pocket and out of site. It sucks pretty bad. The only thing I know to do is cut it off :'( lol :-P
Hello,
I have a similar problem, however it started with my foot - I always though it was due to the red ants in my house, but when I moved out still got it occasionally. Now I get it on my right hand two fingers. Their white bumps and they look like craters when I peel them open, however mine do not itch. But they go away. I don't get them often. It this the same because like I said it does not itch.
I have a similar problem, however it started with my foot - I always though it was due to the red ants in my house, but when I moved out still got it occasionally. Now I get it on my right hand two fingers. Their white bumps and they look like craters when I peel them open, however mine do not itch. But they go away. I don't get them often. It this the same because like I said it does not itch.
I am 44 years old, and I started developing this hand problem when I was in college. It has been coming and going, and right now I'm experiencing a new outbreak. My mother just started seeing very similar symptoms for the first time at age of 73! I now believe I'm genetically inherited this problem.
I'm on a steroid treatment after visiting an emergency room, but I'd like to cut it short. (It got that bad.) In long term, following precautions may help me and you to avoid another outbreak.
I'm wearing cotton groves at home and nylon groves over it when I wash dishes take shower (to avoid contact with shampoo and detergent). It seems helping.
I'm on a steroid treatment after visiting an emergency room, but I'd like to cut it short. (It got that bad.) In long term, following precautions may help me and you to avoid another outbreak.
I'm wearing cotton groves at home and nylon groves over it when I wash dishes take shower (to avoid contact with shampoo and detergent). It seems helping.
Catching it this quick would be brilliant!
(I think there are a mixture of conditions here, and some may well have the eczema as described, but some may be experienceing a different condition.)
I believe mine is caused in a similar way to Omega who posted a reply back a while. I have the tiny itchy spots mainly on my index finger nuckle though they are now appearing in my other fingers as my condition worsens. I bite them and a milky white substance seeps out, and eventually brown flaky skin forms which eventually peels off to leave nice smooth skin.
I have just returned from the doctor after trying to pursuade him that my recent diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis is really gout. My uric acid levels are only high to normal, but this has been building up undiagnosed for around 15 years, getting gradually worse until attacks are now quite frequent.
I believe these spots are a lesser form of tofi which some gout sufferers get to the extreme, and is the body depositing these uric acid crystals. I now remember I had this condition on my big toe originally but like many assumed it was a fungal infection.
If any of you are getting repeated unexplained joint strains which are happening quite often (without remembering what may have caused it), I would suggest that it would not hurt to look into the possibilities of gout or arthritis. I always assumed my wrist pains were due to joint weakness and strains until the shoulder started up
(I think there are a mixture of conditions here, and some may well have the eczema as described, but some may be experienceing a different condition.)
I believe mine is caused in a similar way to Omega who posted a reply back a while. I have the tiny itchy spots mainly on my index finger nuckle though they are now appearing in my other fingers as my condition worsens. I bite them and a milky white substance seeps out, and eventually brown flaky skin forms which eventually peels off to leave nice smooth skin.
I have just returned from the doctor after trying to pursuade him that my recent diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis is really gout. My uric acid levels are only high to normal, but this has been building up undiagnosed for around 15 years, getting gradually worse until attacks are now quite frequent.
I believe these spots are a lesser form of tofi which some gout sufferers get to the extreme, and is the body depositing these uric acid crystals. I now remember I had this condition on my big toe originally but like many assumed it was a fungal infection.
If any of you are getting repeated unexplained joint strains which are happening quite often (without remembering what may have caused it), I would suggest that it would not hurt to look into the possibilities of gout or arthritis. I always assumed my wrist pains were due to joint weakness and strains until the shoulder started up
I have severe peeling on my thumb, index, and middle finger - only on my right hand and it never spreads beyond the third joint. When it flares up I've tried all types of OTC creams, steroid cream, cortisone, and nothing worked. They made my fingers temporarily softer, but didn't stop the peeling, dryness, or white fissures from getting bigger and developing into a full-on peel. No luck with doctors diagnosing it correctly. My dad has it, too.
I read on another blog about someone having great luck with Theraplex Emollient for Severely Dry Skin and it's the only thing that has ever worked in clearing up a bout of peeling. It's hard to find so I buy it at Amazon or from the Theraplex website. It has helped me so much, if I apply it at the first signs of peeling - and I usually can tell when it's going to start because of a numbness or thick feeling in my fingertips, it either takes it away completely or minimizes the outbreak. You can order free samples from their site to see if it helps. I can't say enough about how much it helps my fingers and a little emollient goes a long way.
Doing some research I found tons of info about nickel allergies in relation to fingertip eczema. Keys, eyelash curlers, doorknobs, pots and pans all contain nickel and many studies from the NIH and Mayo Clinic site fingertip eczema in most cases as a contact allergy - so handling coins, keys, etc., made perfect sense considering I only get it on the fingers that I use for keys, counting change, whatever. If you're allergic to cheap jewelry chances are you have a metal sensitivity/nickel allergy. Women seem more likely than men to get fingertip eczema because of ear piercing and the high-nickel content of some cookware.
If my symptoms match yours, do a search online for nickel allergies, then try avoiding contact with nickel and not eating a lot of canned food. There is a lot of research on how to test household items for nickel and low-nickel diets. So many things contain high amounts of nickel-eliminating as much as you can really helps your fingers.
Hope this helps all you rough-and-raw fingered comrades.
I read on another blog about someone having great luck with Theraplex Emollient for Severely Dry Skin and it's the only thing that has ever worked in clearing up a bout of peeling. It's hard to find so I buy it at Amazon or from the Theraplex website. It has helped me so much, if I apply it at the first signs of peeling - and I usually can tell when it's going to start because of a numbness or thick feeling in my fingertips, it either takes it away completely or minimizes the outbreak. You can order free samples from their site to see if it helps. I can't say enough about how much it helps my fingers and a little emollient goes a long way.
Doing some research I found tons of info about nickel allergies in relation to fingertip eczema. Keys, eyelash curlers, doorknobs, pots and pans all contain nickel and many studies from the NIH and Mayo Clinic site fingertip eczema in most cases as a contact allergy - so handling coins, keys, etc., made perfect sense considering I only get it on the fingers that I use for keys, counting change, whatever. If you're allergic to cheap jewelry chances are you have a metal sensitivity/nickel allergy. Women seem more likely than men to get fingertip eczema because of ear piercing and the high-nickel content of some cookware.
If my symptoms match yours, do a search online for nickel allergies, then try avoiding contact with nickel and not eating a lot of canned food. There is a lot of research on how to test household items for nickel and low-nickel diets. So many things contain high amounts of nickel-eliminating as much as you can really helps your fingers.
Hope this helps all you rough-and-raw fingered comrades.
I have had this finger condition since I can remember in 2nd grade. My right ring finger would itch like crazy, the skin would start to break and i would also see small fluid bubbles underneath my skin. It would itch so much but I would not use my fingers to scratch it; I would wrap my finger in my shirt and twist and twist and rub my finger in the shirt. (feels much better than scratching lol). Sometimes I would get what appears to be similar to a deep laceration in my finger tip as well. But I knew after about a week or two my finger would be back to normal.
I am now a college grad working as a RN in a hospital. Now that I have been working in a hospital, my condition has been more frequent that it has ever been. We are required to either wash our hands or use those purrell hand sanitizers every time we leave and enter a patient's room. (So imagine I am cleaning my hands 30+ times a day .... GEEZ!! my poor finger lol). And now after 18+ years of only having it on one finger, it now appears on my right middle finger as well. I hope it will not spread to any more of my fingers. I also have a nickel allergy (belt buckles and watches are my worst enemies).
I have been using elocon cream as well as a hydrocortisone cream which seem to help somewhat but I NEED A CURE!! lol Hopefully someone will one day develop a cream or medicine for this. =)
I am now a college grad working as a RN in a hospital. Now that I have been working in a hospital, my condition has been more frequent that it has ever been. We are required to either wash our hands or use those purrell hand sanitizers every time we leave and enter a patient's room. (So imagine I am cleaning my hands 30+ times a day .... GEEZ!! my poor finger lol). And now after 18+ years of only having it on one finger, it now appears on my right middle finger as well. I hope it will not spread to any more of my fingers. I also have a nickel allergy (belt buckles and watches are my worst enemies).
I have been using elocon cream as well as a hydrocortisone cream which seem to help somewhat but I NEED A CURE!! lol Hopefully someone will one day develop a cream or medicine for this. =)
I am 47 years old, and am experiencing a bad case of these bubbles. I occasionally get single bubbles over the years, but the last time I had clusters, and many of them was when I was 12. I figured the common element was hormone changes. I'm also going thru a lot of stress at the moment, and these bubbles appear under lots of stress (stress creates an excess of hormones in body). What relieves the stress for me is to obssess about the bubbles, and pop them. I'm grossed out by the holes but even more grossed out by the bubbles, and I compulsively pop them (anyone like popping packaging bubbles? Ok, you get it) This exacerbates the condition because the little hardness that occurs as the raw area dries becomes itchy against the softer raw tissues. Scratching them is a source of intense pleasure!!! unfortunately, drawing more inflammation, liquid to the surface, creating even more bubbles. the tissue is trying to heal, so a hard hand scab forms over the wounded area, which wil crack because your hand needs to flex. best cure: stop looking at the bubbles, ignore them, don't scratch, don't pop!!! I use latex free bandaids when I come home so I'm not tempted (latex bandaids will only increase itchiness for me). bandaids also help to bind cracked areas together to heal faster, and remind you to not flex finger until cracks heal. bandaids are also useful in keeping inflammation (and thus more bubbles) down when you bind a freshly popped area firmly. wash hands if you're a popper, to decrease infection. then get a really heavy handcream (pure shea butter works great for me) and slather it on without too much pressure (remember pressure increases bubbles) and make sure you keep reapplying at home. If I follow these rules, they go away in just a few days. Of course, the wounded areas will go through 1-2 weeks of healing, as normal skin would. I think all the people that are saying this is fungus are wrong. I think it's stress/nerves that cause leaky vessels and the liquid serum has nowhere to go except to surface. hands affected in some people because of sensitive nerve tissue. that may be the genetic component. they may be scratching fingers as a nervous tic (or in their sleep) and not realize it.
This has NEVER!
happened to me and now that i read these reply's i feel like it's going to happen to me more then once and that's horrid.
And i'm 15 I'm TO YOUNG TO DIE!
On my palm's,between my finger's and just under my hand there are these liquid filled bubble's that are so itchy.
it's been 4 day's that ive had these and the first day i had noticed the bubble's i went to the doctor's but the bastard didn't say much.
He prescribed me a cream And i see no effect on my hand's but they are spreading more and more though out my hand
and also people are saying it happens around summer time it's almost summer and I'm getting them.
And also before i got these bubble's on my had i had the same problem with my foot it itched but there were no bubble's
but i knew what that was so that's cool
Could that have anything to do with my hand's?
happened to me and now that i read these reply's i feel like it's going to happen to me more then once and that's horrid.
And i'm 15 I'm TO YOUNG TO DIE!
On my palm's,between my finger's and just under my hand there are these liquid filled bubble's that are so itchy.
it's been 4 day's that ive had these and the first day i had noticed the bubble's i went to the doctor's but the bastard didn't say much.
He prescribed me a cream And i see no effect on my hand's but they are spreading more and more though out my hand
and also people are saying it happens around summer time it's almost summer and I'm getting them.
And also before i got these bubble's on my had i had the same problem with my foot it itched but there were no bubble's
but i knew what that was so that's cool
Could that have anything to do with my hand's?
I am not yet up to that stage of the hard skin
Oh GOD!
This has never happened to me and i do not have any genetic problem's.
This just happened a few day's ago
and all the symptoms that are mentioned are happening to me
Oh don't tell me this is the beginning of a long long diseased journey.
Plus i'm only 15 and this is horrid
:'(
Oh GOD!
This has never happened to me and i do not have any genetic problem's.
This just happened a few day's ago
and all the symptoms that are mentioned are happening to me
Oh don't tell me this is the beginning of a long long diseased journey.
Plus i'm only 15 and this is horrid
:'(
I posted a short while back saying that I can associate these itchy white spots with my arthritis. I can say now that after six days of taking a magnesium suppliment and eating bananas for the potassium, my so called Rheumatoid Arthritis has cleared up, and the itchy spots have cleared up. I started taking the supplement after associating the main pain with calcific tendonitis in my shoulder and realising magnesium is essential for the transport of calcium amongst other things. So, in other words, I think that the joint problems and itchy spots were caused by magneium defieciency. I can tell you I was getting the warning spots with the odd unexplained joint problems in my teenage years, and it had been getting progressively worse in the last few years. Why spring and summer? Because that is when we sweat more and loose that precious salt and water. Just search the internet for magnesium deficiency to find out about 68% of people likely to have it. No ill effects from taking it as a supplement, as this is a crucial element for many things, including regulating salt balance in the body. Wish I had known this 25 years ago.
hey guys! Most people I heard get it in teenage years and keeps going. My mom never had it, but got it once we came to Canada, after me. So it must be something in the soap I think. See if you can buy the more expensive, but the natural BAR soap instead of the liquid soap, and wear gloves to do dishes. I really truly believe that it's an allergy of the skin that they call excema. And why do we only get it sometimes then? Well perhaps because in some seasons our hands become drier, thinner for whatever reason. So...try the soap thing and see if it'll help.
Mine itches in the middle of the night, every night. It's horrible. If I use the cortisone cream, it goes away. So I usually do that. But I shall with you all try the soap thing. My next step is to get a FOOD allergy test, very simple, and see if perhaps there is a food I'm allergic to!
Mine itches in the middle of the night, every night. It's horrible. If I use the cortisone cream, it goes away. So I usually do that. But I shall with you all try the soap thing. My next step is to get a FOOD allergy test, very simple, and see if perhaps there is a food I'm allergic to!
if you can find the cause, you'll figure it out. So basically don't rush off to a doctor for the cream, because those creams thin out your skin. So if you can figure out what chemical is cauing that...dish soap, bathroom soap, bleach, whatever you use in your house. Maybe dust - wash your sheets weekly!
Anyway, this is what I found:
Dermatitis (eczema) is inflammation of the upper layers of the skin, causing itching, blisters, redness, swelling, and often oozing, scabbing, and scaling.
Dermatitis is a broad term covering many different disorders that all result in a red, itchy rash. The term eczema is sometimes used for dermatitis. Some types of dermatitis affect only specific parts of the body, whereas others can occur anywhere. Some types of dermatitis have a known cause, whereas others do not. However, dermatitis is always the skin's way of reacting to severe dryness, scratching, an irritating substance, or an allergen. Typically, that substance comes in direct contact with the skin, but sometimes the substance is swallowed. In all cases, continuous scratching and rubbing may eventually lead to thickening and hardening of the skin.
Anyway, this is what I found:
Dermatitis (eczema) is inflammation of the upper layers of the skin, causing itching, blisters, redness, swelling, and often oozing, scabbing, and scaling.
Dermatitis is a broad term covering many different disorders that all result in a red, itchy rash. The term eczema is sometimes used for dermatitis. Some types of dermatitis affect only specific parts of the body, whereas others can occur anywhere. Some types of dermatitis have a known cause, whereas others do not. However, dermatitis is always the skin's way of reacting to severe dryness, scratching, an irritating substance, or an allergen. Typically, that substance comes in direct contact with the skin, but sometimes the substance is swallowed. In all cases, continuous scratching and rubbing may eventually lead to thickening and hardening of the skin.
What to stay away from:
Irritant contact dermatitis, which accounts for 80% of all cases of contact dermatitis, occurs when a chemical substance causes direct damage to the skin; symptoms are more painful than itchy. Typical irritating substances are acids, alkalis (such as drain cleaners), solvents (such as acetone in nail polish remover), strong soaps, and plants (such as poinsettias and peppers). Some of these chemicals cause skin changes within a few minutes, whereas others require longer exposure. People vary in the sensitivity of their skin to irritants. Even very mild soaps and detergents may irritate the skin of some people after frequent or prolonged contact.
Allergic contact dermatitis is a reaction by the body's immune system to a substance contacting the skin. Sometimes a person can be sensitized by only one exposure, and other times sensitization occurs only after many exposures to a substance. After a person is sensitized, the next exposure causes itching and dermatitis within 4 to 24 hours, although some people, particularly older people, do not develop a reaction for 3 to 4 days.
Thousands of substances can result in allergic contact dermatitis. The most common include substances found in plants such as poison ivy, rubber (latex), antibiotics, fragrances, preservatives, and some metals (such as nickel and cobalt). About 10% of women are allergic to nickel, a common component of jewelry. People may use (or be exposed to) substances for years without a problem, then suddenly develop an allergic reaction. Even ointments, creams, and lotions used to treat dermatitis can cause such a reaction. People may also develop dermatitis from many of the materials they touch while at work (occupational dermatitis).
Sometimes contact dermatitis results only after a person touches certain substances and then exposes the skin to sunlight (photoallergic or phototoxic contact dermatitis). Such substances include sunscreens, aftershave lotions, certain perfumes, antibiotics, coal tar Some Trade Names
FOTOTAR
ZETAR
, and oils.
Irritant contact dermatitis, which accounts for 80% of all cases of contact dermatitis, occurs when a chemical substance causes direct damage to the skin; symptoms are more painful than itchy. Typical irritating substances are acids, alkalis (such as drain cleaners), solvents (such as acetone in nail polish remover), strong soaps, and plants (such as poinsettias and peppers). Some of these chemicals cause skin changes within a few minutes, whereas others require longer exposure. People vary in the sensitivity of their skin to irritants. Even very mild soaps and detergents may irritate the skin of some people after frequent or prolonged contact.
Allergic contact dermatitis is a reaction by the body's immune system to a substance contacting the skin. Sometimes a person can be sensitized by only one exposure, and other times sensitization occurs only after many exposures to a substance. After a person is sensitized, the next exposure causes itching and dermatitis within 4 to 24 hours, although some people, particularly older people, do not develop a reaction for 3 to 4 days.
Thousands of substances can result in allergic contact dermatitis. The most common include substances found in plants such as poison ivy, rubber (latex), antibiotics, fragrances, preservatives, and some metals (such as nickel and cobalt). About 10% of women are allergic to nickel, a common component of jewelry. People may use (or be exposed to) substances for years without a problem, then suddenly develop an allergic reaction. Even ointments, creams, and lotions used to treat dermatitis can cause such a reaction. People may also develop dermatitis from many of the materials they touch while at work (occupational dermatitis).
Sometimes contact dermatitis results only after a person touches certain substances and then exposes the skin to sunlight (photoallergic or phototoxic contact dermatitis). Such substances include sunscreens, aftershave lotions, certain perfumes, antibiotics, coal tar Some Trade Names
FOTOTAR
ZETAR
, and oils.