Tips for Treating Hand Eczema
Do you experience hand eczema or what is called dermatitis? Many people do; the condition is caused often by genetics but sometimes by allergies and sensitivities. It’s also true that exposing the skin to different elements and chemicals can also cause hand eczema. The skin is not meant to be consistently exposed to harsh chemicals and often reacts by becoming overly dry and sensitive; rashes, bumps, and even bleeding can then occur.
So how do you treat hand eczema? One thing you must do is consider whether or not you’re protecting the skin on your hands properly. Do you work with chemicals of any sort? This might include cleaning solutions, styling products, and so on. Getting your hands wet constantly can also cause dryness; this means that if you wash your hands consistently throughout the day you may be contributing to your hand eczema.
If you work with any type of chemicals or solutions you definitely need to consider wearing gloves even if they seem a bit uncomfortable. If you don’t want to wear gloves you might consider a thick lotion or cream on your hands as this not only gives your hands moisture but also serves as a barrier between your skin and those chemicals. Replenishing this cream or lotion several times throughout the day also helps to ward off hand eczema.
Dust and dirt can also contribute to hand eczema. Many who work in manufacturing or construction environments are exposed to dust constantly. Because dust and dirt are microscopic they get caught in the pores of the skin as well as the hair follicles and then cause constant irritation.
This irritation also causes dryness as the dust and dirt absorb the natural oils of the skin. Without those oils, there is a greater risk of hand eczema. It’s not unusual for those who work in very dusty and dirty environments to experience dermatitis on their hands especially if they don’t use gloves consistently.
Moisturizers and lotions are good for treating hand eczema but these products should be made specifically for eczema. Regular lotions you get at the pharmacy are not meant to treat such severe cases of skin irritation and may have ingredients that actually make the problem worse.
With hand eczema, it’s not uncommon for the skin to break because of this irritation and when you use regular hand lotion, these ingredients get into those broken areas of the skin and cause even more irritation. It may also cause burning, itching, more redness, and peeling. Washing the hands constantly is also good for avoiding hand eczema if the hands are exposed to chemicals or dirt and dust, but replenishing lost moisturizers is crucial. Without doing that this can actually makes washing even worse.
Severe cases of hand eczema can and should be treated by a doctor. He or she will have prescription creams available that you can’t get on your own and which will go a long way toward addressing and treating the problem.