I'm going to cut my hand off!!!?

[123456thu]

My hand is itchy, burning, sore! And I'm about to cut it off! I've had it once before and was given steroid cream, didn't say what it actually was but it's back it's worse and I want to scream! Any ideas of what it is??

Could it be an insect bite, a bad reaction? Allergy to something you have used or picked up, many garden plants can cause a skin reaction. Before you cut your hand off, it might be worth trying some antihistamine cream or tablets first.

@Getitwright yeah that's a fair point, lol it's kind of spreading across my hand so I don't think it's a bite and I definitely don't garden so not that lol I feels like I've put my hand in stinging nettles but 100x worse.

I had something very similar once and never found out what caused it. Not much help I know.

Have you been in the sun today?
There are certain plants, and probably other things which splash you once and then any time there is light on your skin it re-reacts.

Ok then, try stage two of caring for oneself. Pop into a pharmacy, tell them about your rash, and ask what they suggest you use. I have to take antihistamine tabs all through the Summer months, as I know an insect bite will be really bad for me. With the one a day tablets (very cheap) there’s no drama. They can probably help you with this. Try ice cubes in a plastic bag, see if that has any effect. Do not use ice direct, it can give ice burns.

Have you had your nails done recently? I get similar and it’s the resin and/or Uv I’m allergic to. I also get it on my face which is hideous.

Cold will help to stop the itching. Agree with an oral antihistamine and over the counter steroid cream HC45 or similar, a pharmacist should be able to advise.

I had pustular eczema once, when I was very stressed. It was on the palm of my hand and itched like mad!

@Punzel it started a couple of days ago, but just getting worse and worse. Don't think it's garden or plant related.. I'm definitely not a gardener and I only have 2 dead plants in my house lol

@Getitwright last time I went to our pharmacy to double check my daughter had chicken pox when buying lotion and she had to Google it.. I haven't got much faith lol

I had one flare up which looked like this years ago. So itchy. I can't recall what is was, sorry, but tea tree oil did stop the reaction when put on broken skin (broken because I'd scratched it so much). I hope it gets better soon.

@Pwincessb Ive had them redone since getting it, which probably hasn't helped but I never had a reaction before.

Have you been out in a park/ near a river? As PP said there are some plants that cause horrendous issues. Google giant hogweed. It’s the sun on the areas that have touched it that’s causes the problem.

@beetface no haven't been near anything that I can think of. I think it started Saturday, Sunday I was at a country park but I was mainly trying to stop kids falling off things. Last night it started hurting more and today I'm ready to get a bread knife to it. Lol

It will remain an issue unless you decide to do something. Self care is the first step, pharmacy second, GP next, then if you are up for it, hours of wasted time in A&E. I’d start with the first option I suggested, antihistamine and ice.

Does calamine lotion help?

Or bicarbonate of soda in cool water dabbed on?

I'd try taking some Piriton to see if that helps.

My hands went like that once when I was pushing a shopping trolley. I assume I had a reaction to whatever they clean them with. It felt like they were burning and swollen (though didn’t look swollen) and itchy as hell 😣

Have you took an antihistamine OP?

@Getitwright I've got ice on it (it's burning) and taken the antihistamine tablets, steroid cream has definitely made it worse over the last few days.

Contact dermatitis it looks like to me. It needs a steroid cream. Try a hydrocortisone over the counter stuff first. I get it if I use cleaning products with no gloves.

Contact dermatitis ....... I only have to touch a cloth that's been near washing up liquid and comes out like this, agree the itch is so bad you want to bite it off! Steroid creamnthe only thing that stops it, usually needs 2-3 applications before calms down, then scent free moisturiser as goes very dry.

@gamerchick does it?? I started steroid cream Tuesday, Wednesday and it feels so much worse. Today it's swollen, itchy and burning.

Another vote for contact dermatitis.

Eurax cream is amazing for the itching.

I agree that it's best to see the pharmacist and then a nurse / GP depending on what they say.

Chilblains

Pompholyx. It’s a kind of eczema. Hydrocortisone cream should help!

Snap, posted at same time!
@123456thu which steroid cream is it as one of them that you can buy over the counter has perfume in it which made mine worse once. you may need to see GP for prescription type or email asking for it does the trick at my surgery. Last time Dr sent eumovate