Is this phomplox execma ? ( pic )

[Jennalong]

Despite creams from Dr and trying every cream known to woman / man , this is the best I can get my hands and they have been like this for 18+ months .
Any thoughts .

Hopeful bump.

Have you seen a dermatologist?

I've had eczema all my life and have seen dermatologists , I have steroid creams on repeat prescription , and a nurse saw this about 6 weeks ago and prescribed fucibet Cream but it never seems to go. It gets to this stage , but never any better.

Creams alone may not be the answer. I have had allergy testing and have been put on methotrexate too.

Are the little blisters fluid filled and itchy? Then they pop, form a small a dark red scab (the same sort as you get from a cut). Then the scab and some surrounding 'dry' skin flakes away in one big piece and it's gone (until next time). That's my experience of dyshidrotic eczema (also called pompholyx) mostly on my feet, occasionally on my hands and this is what helped me.

Try wearing gloves as much as you can, especially outside/touching metals. Try to keep soap away from your hands as much as you can, just a little moisturiser if you really need it, not oily, a little aveeno lotion every night before bed is good. Just try to touch less stuff and put less on your skin, it needs to get more 'waterproof' to stop stuff irritating it.

Do you have any other skin/allergy stuff? I've started taking a daily anti-histamine after reading something about mast cell activation syndrome (sounds dramatic, but it's basically a just group of related allergies) and all of my allergy stuff has stopped, it's bloody brilliant.

@VeganVampire
I always wear gloves for washing up , I've also given up on hand sanitizer in shops ( use my own on fingertips only )
I do get allergies , and in the summer months take antihistamine.
Yes to blisters , and agree they are super itchy.
I am quite used to itchy skin as get eczema in and behind ears which itch and weep.

I was prescribed Protopic 1% ointment for my Pomphlox eczema by a consultant dermatologist

It has some side effects (skin can feel like it's "burning" at times and it gets flakey after an attack) but it helps so much

I also use Vagisil and haemorrhoid creams (the lidocaine helps to stop the horrendous itching!)

But sometimes holding under hot water and rubbing with a rough towel is also all I want to do probably totally the wrong thing to do

Are you stressed? I get this when my stress levels are out of control. The creams just about keep it under control when it flairs up, but they don't make it go away. Weirdly, my latest bout actually went away when I had covid and I felt too crap to worry about putting on the cream. So maybe take a break from putting anything on it for a few days?

I would suggest never using sanitiser (wear disposable gloves briefly if necessary instead) never using soap (use aqueous cream as a soap substitute) and applying fifty:50 ointment* liberally at night then put on cotton gloves before bed. Regular moisturiser throughout the day.

*highly flammable

Thanks for the suggestions , much appreciated .