Really itchy/dry index and ring fingers

[tracyk]

Am I allergic to something? I alternate between using hydrocortisone cream-dries the skin out, vaseline-seems to 'feed' the itch. Sometimes its like hundreds of little itchy water blisters, which then all dry and go cracked.
I've got psoraisis on my elbows - but its different - not itchy at all.

Allergic dermatitis? I always get this when I go to my mum's, the water there is very different.

It does get worse when my hands have been in water. and it stings like hell if I'm cutting juicy fruit.
Anything help it?

it snot ringwoem is it?
i had it

I have this on my ring finger beneath my engagement and wedding rings. I seem to (after 7 years of wearing them) become allergic to gold. Am trying to persuade dh to replace them with platinum ones

Mine are the same - I never thought about being allergic to anything - just put it down to age..

I use Body Shop hemp hand cream and that has really reduced it.

what's ringwork like then?

itchy liek excema

but often wiht one spot that comes to a ehad
also in a ring

I've had this - the Body Shop hemp handcream's good, as is Aveeno.

I get this sometimes but it's not an allergy to the metal it's dermatitis, usually caused by a build up of soapy scum underneath the ring inside the setting, or by not rinsing hands after using handsoap etc. I find if I give my ring a good scrub (ooh err missus) then it resolves the problem.

I use Norwegian Fisherman's handcream or whatever it's caused, and I find it's doing loads of washing up etc that triggers it. Started with me when I was a student doing bar work. Rubber gloves help, but I hate them. The washing up equivalent of durex.

the itchy blistery things sounds a bit like pomphlox (sp?) which is a form of eczema. Dh had it - a reaction to plaster ofparis originally. You can get them on palms and feet.

He was prescribed strong hydrocortiseon. Maybe you need a better emollient to use with it?

Pointydog I just googled Pompholyx and it has answered a question that no doctor has ever been able to answer for me. I have these tiny blisters on my feet and hands periodically and it must be pompholyx, it fits the description to a "T". Thankyou.

I get itchy blisters which are a sort of dermatitis associated with gluten intolerance.....but this sounds like contact dermatitis or a maybe a fungal infection if your not drying your hands properly and water is getting trapped under your rings.....best see the doc as using hydrocortisone for prolonged periods isn't good for the skin.

quelle coincidence, cov!

glad it helped

I hav ethis too! if i avoid washing up (and strong soaps,,, and shampoos and shower gels... it goes away for a while...) it started with a tiny black blister under the skin...

Same here, dermatitis. Flares up unexpectedly and I can't work out what causes it. Betnovate cream usually clears it up. Often get it on a couple of fingers that I don't wear rings on too so I don't think its linked

I don't have the symptoms you describe - I get uncomfortably dry, itchy hands which go on to sore red patches and crack and bleed - regular excezma as far as I am aware - brought on by dust, cleaning materials, and washing too much (lots of nappy changing etc!) I found hydrocortisone creams to be horribly greasy and of course every time you need to wash again... However, you can use aqueous cream as a soap substitute which is great if a bit gunky, and otherwise Lotil cream (ask for it over the counter at Boots), is brilliant - really soothing even on open bleeding cracks. Hope you get to the bottom of your mystery!

I too googled pomphlyx - yuk wish I hadn't now! lots of gorey photos - but I reckon this is what I've got.
Read someone's story on a bulletin board saying that keeping it completely dry and no cream whatsoever is best. Just as I suspected - the creams seem to 'feed'the blisters. The guy mentioned a peroxide treatment which seemed to clear it up in days rather than weeks - but was an american site - so not sure what that treatment is??
ps I don't wear rings at the mo - the blisters are at the top half of my fingers.

Tracyk

I get this and yes it is from dust or some other contact dermatitus. I do have a friend who after she gave birth became allergic to her gold rings - she now has Platinum .

All my allergies are worse since having DD so maybe it is hormonal and will die down.

I try to keep my hands clean so I don't have to wash too often (gloves etc), use aqueous cream and Neutrogena (the fishermans stuff!!!) and don't burst the blisters! If it gets too much soak your hands in very cold water for a minute or two then pat dry with clean kitchen roll and keep them aired (sound like a laundry advert!).

If it covers more than a centimetre or two on your hand ask the GP for a steroid such as Synlar. V strong but one or two days and you will be sorted! The blisters can get infected if you are not careful.

I have it, and at the mo it's not too bad but it gets awful and is so painful. I had it on my feet and it got infected so badly I couldn't walk, took months and months to clear up. Anyway, I digress.....keep them dry, don't get wet unless you are having a bath or shower buy a big box of latex gloves and wear them every time you do anything wet - preparing food, washing up, putting any moisturisers or anything on yourself, bathing LOs etc. You will need a box becasue you will go through so many of the things. Plastic ones make your hands sweat more and that will irritate it. Use an emolliant like crazy - something from the docs is better than over the counter (diprobase, unguentum, something like that). For the next few weeks you need to be overly religious at keeping your hands dry. It will clear up in a few weeks but only if you are very careful - if it gets infected you will be in a mess and it will just keep coming back. TBH hydrocortisone isn't strong enough probably, you'll need a step or 2 up the steroid ladder and then you won't use it for as long. Suncreams are one of the biggest irritants, I use gloves whenever I apply cream now. So watch out for them!