New Solutions For Your Itchy Hands
Itchy skin conditions that affect the hands are one of the most common skin problems I treat in my patient clinic. The most common cause of itchy hands that I see is pompholyx eczema. Pompholyx eczema (often referred to as dyshidrotic eczema) can affect hands and/or feet but is far more common on the hands. I see this condition A LOT people who work in the medical field, the food service industry, and any occupation that requires them to wear gloves most of the day. It is very common in adults who had atopic eczema in childhood.
It is very cyclical, at least in the beginning. The skin starts getting itchy or prickly between fingers or on the palm, and maybe the fingers sweat a bit more than usual. Pretty soon after, tiny vesicles (blisters) erupt. These little itchy bubbles look like tapioca pearls. Sometimes the skin will get red, too, but sometimes just the vesicles erupt without much redness. It can be maddeningly itchy!
Typical clusters of vesicles at sides of fingers in pompholyx eczema
After a week or 2, the vesicles either rupture or get reabsorbed. The affected skin then can peel and get raw and dry. The skin may return to normal before the next cycle starts all over again. In more extensive cases, the lesions can spread beyond the wrist and creep up the arm as far as the neck and face.
Conventional dermatologists will prescribe topical steroid creams – this may help the first few times this condition erupts, but eventually the corticosteroid creams will stop working and often actually make a real mess of the skin on the hands – thinning of skin, persistent redness, the vesicles may become infected pustules, and the skin can become resistant to treatment.
Chinese Medicine Dermatology offers a MUCH better way to treat pompholyx eczema. CMD Skin Solutions has a line of all-natural herbal products specifically for this condition, called Solution PE (for “Pompholyx Eczema.” In our way of looking at disease in the body, we say this condition is Damp Heat and it affects the hands and/or feet. When practitioners of Chinese Medicine like me treat patients in our clinic with herbal medicine, we prescribe slightly different internal herbs when treating pompholyx of the hands compared to when the condition only affects the feet. But the external medicine we offer will be the same.
Topical Products
Soak/Compress: Our Solution PE: Damp Heat Hands & Feet Herbal Steam/Soak is for use during the vesicular phase. Each tea bag contains a combination of herbs to help dry out those little blisters and reduce itching. Follow the directions on the package to use it first as a steam and then, once it cools, soak your hands (or feet) in the herbal liquid.
Herbal Cream: Our Solution PE: Damp Heat Hands & Feet Herbal Cream helps reduce itching further and can be applied after doing the steam/soak. This cream is particularly effective for the phase after the vesicles resolve, when the skin is dry, peeling, and itchy.
Internal Herbal Formulas
Active Phase of the Condition: When pompholyx eczema is active, we prescribe internal herbs that reduce inflammation, dry up vesicles, and stop itching. If the lesions are mostly on the hands, your practitioner will write a formula accordingly or choose our premade concentrated granule formula called Solution PE: Active Damp Heat Hands. If the condition mostly affects the lower body and lesions erupt on the feet, your practitioner will prescribe Solution PE: Active Damp Heat Feet. You can purchase these herbal formulas directly from us, but we always recommend seeking dosing guidance from a licensed practitioner of Chinese Medicine for best results.
Long-term results: The most powerful thing about using Chinese Medicine to treat inflammatory skin problems is that we can get very long-lasting results. We do not suppress the immune system, like conventional pharmaceutical medications do. Instead, we balance the immune system and restore normal function to the skin. To achieve this, we prescribe a different combination of herbs that address the underlying imbalances that allowed all this inflammation to accumulate in your skin in the first place. Once most of the skin inflammation has been resolved, your practitioner will switch you to Solution PE: Stabilize Hands & Feet for the final 4 to 8 weeks of your treatment. This way, when you are ready to stop treatment, your skin will remain clear for as long as possible (many months, years, or possibly forever).
It will be important for you to continue to take care of your hands to keep them clear of pompholyx eczema. Here are some tips:
Wash hands as infrequently as possible. Use very gentle cleansers. Gently pat hands dry with a clean towel.
Avoid direct contact with household cleaners and detergents. Wear cotton or plastic/nitrile gloves when doing housework, especially washing the dishes and cleaning your bathroom or countertops.
Avoid exposing hands to known irritants (e.g. handling fresh fruits, vegetables, fresh meat, wool, etc.). Wear gloves when preparing raw fruits, veggies, and meat.
Wear warm gloves in cold weather.
Use plastic/nitrile rather than rubber gloves (rubber can further aggravate hand rashes). It is best to wear white cotton gloves under plastic gloves. Do not wear plastic gloves for more than 20 minutes straight.
Do not apply any lotions that have fragrance in them.
It is a good idea to follow these instructions for at least 4 – 6 months after the hands have healed (maybe forever) because they are still very vulnerable to inflammation.