Hand Eczema and Working

[Verbena37]

Hi,
After years not working whilst my kids were little, about 15 months ago, I started a part time job in a coffee shop. As well as waitressing, I serve customers and wash up.

However, I used to waitress as a teen and had really bad hand eczema/dermatitis and then, after having the kids, it mostly cleared up as long as i moisturised well, they've been fine.

Since last year and starting this job though, my hands have been deteriorating.....to the point when they look awful (see attached picture) and I feel really self conscious. They hurt and itch all day, every day and wake up in the night to find I'm using my teeth to scratch them!

As a teen, my GP prescribed Dermovate steroid ointment (which was quite effective) but my current GP last year would only prescribe Eumovate and said I sh Lent be using Dermovate regularly......so my sore, broken skin hands aren't having chance to heal up. I work at opposite ends of the week to give them as much time as possible to heal but it just isn't enough.

I love my little job though but I'm starting to feel depressed about my skin again and thinking about giving up working there. wwyd?

Thank you. I think a soap allergy is at the root of my problems.

I've just booked a phone appointment with the GP for tomorrow.....hopefully he will see I've had Dermovate before and prescribe it just to heal my hands.
Then with the couples weeks off work over Xmas, I'll be able to go back to work and keep on top of it. If not, I will have to quit.

I
Boudica I was (a couple of hrs ago) training to be a midwife......only just into my training, occupational health put me on their watch list because of my hands.....and that's when they were really good. She was very concerned with the amount of hand washing, I'd damage my skin too much. Then I left for other reasons anyway. If I was literally only waitressing, they'd be fine I'm sure.....it's the water and allergy of soap and food touching them that is the culprit.

Hand eczema often needs stronger steroid cream than elsewhere on the body. And you should only be washing your hands in Dermol 500 - with a supply at work as well.

If you haven't got the Dermol, ask for it on prescription as well. Worth asking (or checking the GP surgery website) to see if any of the GPs there have a special interest in skin. A lot have done the Diploma in Dermatology - you should be seeing the one with a special interest in skin if your surgery has one, rather than just any GP, given this has now been going on for a year.

Yep, I've asked to talk to one with skin interest.
With regards the Dermol 500, whilst it's fine to take it with me to work/leave it under the sink for my shifts etc, I can't quote so easily take it into the loo every time I need a wee. It's the loo we here with the customers so I can't leave it in there either.

This is one of my hands this morning....after slathering on Eumovate last night before bed. Whilst the itching has much reduced, it's still really red, angry and dry.

Definately ask if you can get dermol 500 prescribed then and ask for a referral to dermatologist. I assume you have seen a dermatologist at some point in your life. on the pic it doesn't look like typical eczema to me. I am no expert but contact dermatitis comes to mind.

Lakeland do gloves which are non latex an for people who have allergies, its the only gloves which I don't react to.

Bodicea dermatitis is a type of eczema.
I've had it all my life....it can flare up when I touch water, if I'm stressed, if I touch allergens etc (it's possible to have more than one eczema at once). My skin dries out ultra fast....literally minutes after getting my hand wet, they feel as though I've covered them in chalk.

onlyif as I mentioned above, I can't wear any gloves (another reason I left midwifery)..... Once my eczema flares up, gloves of any kind make my hands sweat and then flare up more.

Verbena that sounds really tough. You have my sympathies. Maybe a nice office job is the way forward xx

I think yes

So the GP called and he is going to prescribe me Betnovate to see if it will heal....he said it's not the ideal job though.
Will reassess it all after Xmas I think.

Would gloves in a bottle be worth a try? They claim it's good for contact dermatitis, I don't know anyone that's used it though.

On the steroid ladder Eumovate is moderate potency, Betnovate strong and Dermovate very strong. Fingers crossed for you.

You can get little pocket bottles of dermol. Or if you can't get them could decant into your own pocket bottles. A pain but needs must.

Thanks everyone. Will google gloves in a bottle.

I'm so happy to find other people with this condition!!
Like you OP I scratch with my teeth at night and cannot wear gloves. Fortunately hubby does most of the washing up!
I get Fucibet (fusidic acid/beta methadone) from the GP to take the itch away... It's the only thing that helps. In regards to moisturising them I find that anything with hemp seed oil in is good.
When I have a good day I really cover them in moisturiser as much as pos!
X

The go also prescribed doublebase cream in a pump dispenser style bottle which is a lovely moisturiser.

Sorry. GP*

Can't seem to get on with double base. My sister uses it but it leaves a silly sheen on my hands.....which isn't good when waitressing....I already have to be really careful not to drop plates and I'm often making sure I wipe teapot handles before give them to customers so they don't pick up the pot and slip on my moisturiser, spilling their boiling tea!

I will look at hemp seed oil though although even very natural products affect my skin. I can't use L'Occitane Divine Cream because my eyes run and my hands itch and yet it's supposed to be really good. I must be allergic to the flower it's made from. If I walk past lush, my lips start stinging and my skin itches so I never go in unless I'm with DD and she makes me!

I know what you mean about double base. I like the consistency of Aveeno Dermexa. Is very, very bland (I also react to lots of natural ingredients and often do better when the ingredients list is "chemicals").

A lot of natural products contain essential oils which can be potent triggers of skin reactions - unfortunately 'natural' doesn't really mean your skin will like it, after all the natural ingredients used aren't the same things your skin is made of so there isn't any guarantee your skin will benefit from them

Verbena I have to say that I think you're not being very sensible in working where your hands are wet.

Get a job somewhere else. As you say it's not like you need to work, so find a dry job.

I get contact allergy with lots of things, and wear cotton gloves inside massive catering light plastic ones. It works well, but there's no way on earth I'd let my hands get so bad, especially if I didn't need to work, as you say you don't.

Choose somewhere else to work, and let your hands recover. Look after yourself properly, and stop complaining about how your job is ruining your hands!

It's like the Doctor joke:

"Doctor, doctor, it hurts when I do this" whacks himself with a hammer...
"Well, stop doing that then"

Check out the reviews of 'working hands' by O'keefes on Amazon. Lots of people with eczema use it including my DH and DB.

It does sting when you first use it but if you keep up to it that stops.

Venus I didn't mean to sound like I was complaining that my job is ruining my hands (although it is ).... I just wanted advice about coping with it. The job is a great title part time job that is school hrs and term time only so it's perfect and gets me out the house. The people there are really lovely too. DH has had a talk to me though and said if I have to give up, there's no rush to find any ther job. That takes the pressure off I guess.