To think people at work shouldn't ask 'what happened to your hand?'

Asking about a walking stick is completely different though because it's more than likely to be a long term issue so that really is prying into someone's potentially upsetting medical info.

A bandage on the hand is unlikely to be anything other than a short term injury.

I totally get this. I have had rheumatoid arthritis for many years and use a walking stick when I'm out and about. I regularly get people (total strangers) asking me 'What have you done then? Injured your leg?'. I feel like telling them to fuck off and mind their own business.

Oh god, I laughed at this at the bus stop

Not the point of the thread but this really shows how few people even read the first post after they've formed an opinion based on the thread title.

I'm glad the majority of people don't think like you. What a horrible world to live in.

People are asking because they care about you. I don't understand why you're so annoyed. A simple 'my eczema has flared up' is all you need to say. You seem to be making a big issue over people caring about you. It's perfectly normal for people to show concern.

I was about to say the same thing.

Or make up even more elaborate stories like you were shot by the king at Balmoral. I'm training to be an astronaut.

Or the old favourite, I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you.

I have elasticated tube bandage on both legs 24/7. It's to keep germs off my skin and keep moisturiser in. I have multiple very severe medical issues (multiple organ failure and diabetes, for starters but also eczema too) that cause circulation problems and oedema. A spot, a rash or even cracked skin can lead very quickly to an open sore, then onto an ulcer. The bandage is white and very noticeable. People out on the street never mention it but medical people, especially nurses not involved in that part of my care, have frequently and quite aggressively challenged me with this nugget, "wha's going on with that then", usually accompanied by a snotty look and an accusatory tone. I explain my heart failure nurse told me do it to protect my legs and why. I remain polite about it but my god does it piss me off. I have enough going on mentally in coping with all the internal warfare going on in my body with all the symptoms, drugs, side effects and drugs for the side effects and blah, blah, blah, without Nurse Judgey Pants sneering at my ugly leg protectors.

I bet you're fun at parties

Oh don't be so ridiculous. I worked in a customer facing role for over 40 years, I couldn't care less if 100 people had asked me every day what had happened if I was sporting a bandage. It was part of my job to talk to people.

Like most people on this thread I don't see it as nosiness. However, this is MN, home of the socially inept, where every little thing is such a drama and something to be offended by.

Wow, you must know some really strange people. I don't know a single person who has such a dull life that they would gain glee from gossping about someone with a bandage on their hand.

I once had a bad bee sting on my hand and walked around the whole afternoon at work with my hand held up as it hurt to have it hanging down - and not one person commented. I was quite miffed (maybe they just thought I was weird!). It's just natural curiosity to ask, and 99% of people wouldn't be bothered by it (and the other 1% are all MNers).

There really is a parallel universe out there.

Good grief people won't be able to ask anything soon.

Nothing about your body. About injuries. About relationships or family.

I wonder what people will talk about? The weather? But no opinions of course. Just dry facts. 'The app says it's going to reach 26 degrees'
'Ok'

🤣

It would be narcissistic and weird if they didn't ask when you have bandages on your hand. You don't have to lie just say eczema flared up. It's nice that people took notice and care.

I hardly think a bandage on someone's hand is juicy gossip..

Jesus some people on this thread!

I don't think people have that much time on their hands to go crazy over someone else's bandage.

I think people are just curious/nosey about injuries and health related stuff, really. I had an injury that left me with one leg slightly shorter than the other, plus nerve damage, which means that I need a stick to walk with, and even with that I limp badly. Most people don't question it, but once I was waiting after a gig by my favourite singer, to get a CD signed, and he asked "Oh, what happened to your leg?" I just shrugged, as I didn't want to get into a lengthy explanation. I don't mind though, I know people mean well.

I don’t think people ask because they are unprofessional. People are just engaging and trying to be friendly. Why not keep the response brief and pretend you got your hand on the oven door. That is very boring to hear.

(I liked the post about pretending a baby shark got the hand - that would continue the conversation for sure!).

Of course people will ask. Out of curiosity or concern/empathy. They are just chatting and showing an interest. It's not rude at all. If you don't want to tell people just make something up as PPs have said, either serious or jokey.

I have a shed load of health conditions. Some I tell people, some I don't. You can pick and choose what you say.

I had a skin cancer removed from the side of my nose and needed a small skin graft so I had a pretty large dressing on my face. When I dropped my kids at preschool all the other mums politely made chit chat with me without mentioning it which actually felt quite awkward. It was a relief when one of the 3 year olds asked dramatically what happened to your nose?!

DH said they probably assumed it was cosmetic surgery but who has a nose job on half their nose? He also said they didn’t want to be nosy and then chortled to himself for ages 🙄

So I think if you know someone then expressing concern is normal but I can understand why getting multiple questions from strangers would be annoying.

Honestly, this. It's totally normal to ask, and it's a bit weird not to

Wow, the gossiping Cathie's don't like to be denied fodder. My view, as much as it is obviously unpopular, is that very few people enquire out of genuine concern. The majority gain glee from getting juicy gossip to pass on.

But you know what it's weird when you have a huge black eye, it really did look like a punch 👊 and nobody says a word.
I walked in to the office my boss and colleague both looked at me then looked at each other and neither of them said anything. OK I'd only just moved departments so they didn't know me well. But neither of them said a word.

Then later that day I met another colleague who burst out laughing and asked what happened, that was much easier to deal with than the weird looks. It was a drunken trampoline incident.