Hand infected (Warning, gross photos)

[PIPpityDoodah]

I do have another thread on this but I've been on antibiotics since Thursday and it's just getting worse.

It's still hot and new puss filled blisters are appearing.

Shouldn't the antibiotics have kicked in by now?

It's so sore and embarrassing

No, carry on the steroid cream until you are 100% confident it's settled down.

It's better on the back of your hand but not be any means normal.

If you give up too soon it will be straight back.

Yes carry on with the cream or it may flare up again. Looks like its clearing up which is good.

Use moisturiser several times a day, around the edges of the steroid cream.

For me, stress, sweat and heat are the triggers.

When it was bad on my feet I stopped using shampoo and conditioner and it cleared up.

I think it’s one of those stacked trigger situations.

I washed my hair yesterday and my hands were on fire with itchiness.

I had to go to a chemist to but a moisturiser

How am I supposed to wash my hair?

How about using the spray dry shampoo temporarily?

I used egg, beer, gelatine, oats, sodium bicarbonate… sorry, it’s a bit of a thing!

You may not need to!

There are also these hair washing caps that shampoo and condition your hair, plus don't need rinsing.

Pack of 5, Luxura Shampoo Cap, Conditioning, No Rinse https://amzn.eu/d/eWL69xa

Avoid washing it as much as possible until your hand is better, and switch to something like baby shampoo temporarily.

You wash your hair with SLS free shampoo. Often marketed for curly hair or those who have had permanent straightening. You will need silicone free conditioner as the shampoo doesn't strip out any build up.

Similarly SLS free shower gel. Or just use emollient like Cetraben to wash with.

How am I supposed to wash my hair?

Gloves. Or go to a hairdresser just for a wash once a week.

I would probably get some of those cheap disposable glove that you use to dye your hair and use them as it's only the shampoo and conditioner you want to keep off your hands, a bit of wet won't matter

There are ‘itchy Ms’ as well.

While your hands are so sore, the hair and water will be enough to sting. It’s too early to panic about shampoo.

True @KeirSpoutsTwaddle I'd forgotten about when my eczema was so bad the hot water in the shower was unbearable.

Definitely keep up with the FuciBET. And make sure you apply enough. Follow the instructions in the leaflet above how many fingertip units to apply. Most people don’t use enough. Can you get away with gloves for the short time you’re washing your hair? Those thin disposable ones perhaps?

Moisturising is good as long as you don’t react to the moisturiser. Ointment is better than cream generally (although it feels sticky when you apply it). Something like Cetraben.

I used to work in the medical department of a pharma company that sold dermatologicals (specifically for infected eczema and psoriasis) and the dermatology nurses used to recommend putting emollient on last thing before bed and then covering the area with cling film to keep the moisture against the skin. Or you can use the cotton gloves. It’s called wet wrap therapy. Might be worth a try?

I actually love the hot water on it. It feels like the ultimate itch relief

Thankyou for this.

I suffer from (at times really quite terrible) allergic and irritant contact dermatitis on my hands and if I'm having a bad flare, and then just for maintenance after, I find that putting the moisturiser/ointment on the whole of the hands, followed by my steroid cream on the affected areas afterwards, then putting on cotton gloves and then plastic disposable gloves (not like vinyl/nitrile ones, but the looser and bigger ones) over the top helps to stop the cream getting everywhere and really helps it to be absorbed.

I usually do it for at least a few hours but sometimes a bit longer if it's particularly bad. The wet wrap therapy is what I've used for years and is the most effective method I've found for treating it. I actually thought yours was bad, possibly infected allergic dermatitis to begin with as I get horrible fluid filled pustules with mine too and it can be so painful and itchy as well.

I have been hospitalised several times with eczema herpeticum where I literally wanted to scrape the skin off my arms it was so agonising.

See a dermatologist with photos and get a long term plan.

Use these gloves from Lakeland… I literally don’t put my hands in anything except water without them.
https://www.lakeland.co.uk/46543/lakeland-small-deluxe-washing-up-gloves-white

Good luck, thing with skin is it’s so personal to the individual and you have to painstakingly find a ritual that works for you… even my brilliant dermatologist didn’t get it right first time.

When I've had particularly bad flare-ups I have on occasion treated myself to holding my hand under the hot tap for that weirdly blissful feeling. Obviously not a good idea though.

I think your blisters must be catching after all OP as today I've developed a breakout of them across my palm, up the back of my hand and onto my index finger

A friend who has recommended this ( once it's settled)

Still new yellow spots appearing on palm and more pompholyx spots on my hands in general but it's alot better!

Yay! It will quietly settle if you do all the right things.

Glad for you it’s headed in the right direction.

Could it be m pox?