Pompholyx/Dyshidrosis eczema, anyone else have it?

[MooMoo!]

Ive had this since I can remember. Ive been to the doctors about it, and was told "oh no-one really knows what it is".

I was googling something for a friend, because she complained of blisters on her foot (not related to this though), and I came across the condition. I finally had an answer as to what I had suffered from for years, and I felt some relief that it was fairly common. I've had no-idea what these pinhead size blisters on my hands have been until now, and Ive had to make up excuses to people about all the scabs and cuts on my hands because I was too embarrassed to talk about it. I dont even think Ive told my best friend about it.


But something about knowing its an actual condition makes me feel a lot more comfortable about it. Unfortunately, there doesnt appear to be any clear treatment, which is why I bring the subject up.

Do you suffer from it? And what do you use as a treatment? I'd like any input or stories, since Im the only person I know who has this.

 

[Sicy]

Ok that is insane, because I went to the doctor many years ago as well for what I NOW know is eczema (like you, found it online), and they were like 'we dont know, its a rash of some sort here's some creme'. lol

I get it on my hands. It's itchy and annoying. It comes and goes.. seems to come more when I'm stressed, but I have this creme that works freaking wonders. I put some on at night and by morning its gone. I cant remember the name right now but Khan would know, I think she uses it too.

 

[MooMoo!]

See I never really get an itch unless its a big cluster of them. On a regular day theres literally 2 or 3 on the finger. Today its been pretty bad, so I was a little concerned.

I just tried soaking in vinegar and water (sposed to dry out the blisters) so Ill see if that works any.

(though I normally end up popping them myself Thus causing cuts and sores. )

 

[Sicy]

I'll get you the name of the creme and you should ask the doctor for a prescription, it literally works miracles.. I never get to the cuts and sores stage...

 

[Angela Harlem]

I might have this. I get spontaneous bleeding woundy rashy things on my arms, from my wrist to elbow. I sound like I have a horribly visible disease here, lol.. But I'm covered in freckles and moles anyway, so they blend in until they start bleeding. I also get it on one leg, from my foot/ankle up to my mid calf. It leaves scars, which is a shit as my legs are a ghostly white so I'm left with pale purple blotches. It's just lovely.
It's not itchy, as such, but it does itch, if that makes sense? It's not primarily an itchy allergy type thing i don't think. I've been meaning to go to the doctor for a while but I'm not interested in hearing, "oh, that's... odd, here's some cream - don't scratch?" Yeah, thanks!

I might google to see what it looks like. I probably should have done this before replying. Or now before hitting the submit button...

 

[Angela Harlem]

ooh, no. this is not what i have. i think i'll check with the skin cancer guy and see what he thinks next time i get my stupid moles checked.

 

[Angela Harlem]

According to google, mine is related to Coeliac Disease, so that explains that.

Are these things you guys get like a heat rash?

 

[redkat]

it sounds like an allergy. I've gotten blisters from handling acidic foods like tomatoes. I also get rashes from being in the sun. Seems like everything gets more sensitive each year.

You might be sensitive to something.

 

[VintagePunk]

It's so weird that you made this thread, I've gotten these for a few weeks every spring for 10 years or so, and never knew what they were! A couple of weeks ago they started again, and I googled and found this: tiny fingers blister-like >> Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs, Health Insurance The consensus there seems to be that it's dyshidrosis.

The funny thing is, so many people in that thread are all "I thought I was the only one who had this!"

Mine are only on a couple of my fingers, and like I said, they go away after a few weeks, so I've never seen a doctor about them. Mine are really mild, compared to some of the pics I've seen since, online. According to that thread, many doctors have no idea what they are or how to treat them, many people have diagnosed them on their own by looking online. Also, they list many causes of them, including stress and allergies. I tend to think that mine are related to seasonal allergies, since I only get them for a few weeks at this time of the year.

 

[Sicy]

That's a good thread, sounds like exactly what I have. I cant read the whole thing right now though. But, I am not sure it has to do with allergies, because as far as I know I am not allergic to anything. But I've had the problem since I was a teen. I think stress does play a big factor in it though.

 

[VintagePunk]

Well, as you know, my life is a giant ball of stress right now, so...

Maybe there's something that consistently stresses me every year at this time? I don't know. I just assumed allergies, because it's at the same time each year. Maybe there are different causes for different people?

 

[Sicy]

Maybe. For me its not just a certain time of the year. It's really just sporadic throughout the year.

 

[bono_212]

Stress and changes in the weather make my eczema break out. I have a prescription medication for it though that clears it right up. I usually get it all up and down my left arm and hand, and a little bit on my right arm

 

[BAW]

My son started getting the same kind of blisters on one of his fingers when he was 4 or 5 years old. They would happen randomly and his doctor said they were viral and he would probably continue to get them randomly for the rest of his life. They would go through dormant and active phases depending on his health (he was sick a LOT) as a kid and as he got older, his stress levels.

He did have really bad allergies as a child but I never saw any relationship between the blisters and his allergies.

 

[discothequeLP]

I get it on my hands. It's itchy and annoying. It comes and goes.. seems to come more when I'm stressed, but I have this creme that works freaking wonders. I put some on at night and by morning its gone. I cant remember the name right now but Khan would know, I think she uses it too.

i get this too, and the stuff my doctor gave me is seriously magic. sometimes i'll lose it or forget to use it, and it gets pretty bad on my hands especially, but i'll go home and put it on and get in bed and it feels great knowing i'll be better in the morning. it even works when i get cuts and scrapes and stuff. it's called triamcinolone. the best shit is prescription

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I have this creme that works freaking wonders. I put some on at night and by morning its gone. I cant remember the name right now but Khan would know, I think she uses it too.

fluocinonide i love it.

it does work wonders! my eczema tends to flair up more in the summer, oddly enough. in the winter my main issue is just having dry skin.

 

[Sicy]

fluocinonide i love it.

 

[MooMoo!]

Im gonna ask my doctor for that fluocinonide stuff when I go. In the meantime I got something from a pharmacist called Aqueuous Cream BP. (I just asked if they had anything for dyshidrosis, so she gave me that) It was only £1.99, so I havent wasted a lot of money by trying it. Doesnt really seem to make a significant difference. :/ Some blisters have gone, but that could easily be to it just dying down naturally.

I hope my doctor will give me this fluocinonide stuff. I always get the feeling they wont take kindly to me telling them how to do their job.

 

[Illumination70]

I get exzema, but I cannot see a doctor about it due to no health insurance so I checked out other options.
The one option which has worked the best was Vic's Vapor rub where the best part is it's cheap ($2 generic version)and it's a non-steroid.

 

[Sicy]

I hope my doctor will give me this fluocinonide stuff. I always get the feeling they wont take kindly to me telling them how to do their job.

Just tell them you talked to some people with the same problem and they recommended it and said it was very good.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I get exzema, but I cannot see a doctor about it due to no health insurance so I checked out other options.
The one option which has worked the best was Vic's Vapor rub where the best part is it's cheap ($2 generic version)and it's a non-steroid.

i hear you

i can also suggest the otc moisturizer i use, cerave. it's incredibly mild (my mom uses the soap as well as the cream and her eczema's a lot worse than mine and her skin is incredibly sensitive). i just use their cream, it works well and i have to use a lot less of the fluocinonide than i used to.

 

[MooMoo!]

I can live with the dry skin (I actually dont get it unless I pop the blisters and they scab), its the blisters that piss me off. :/ Im fighting quite hard to not pop them so I have some evidence to show the doctor. (Everytime I ask, there are never any blisters so it looks like Im either making it up or have an insignificant amount to deal with. )

 

[Illumination70]

i hear you

i can also suggest the otc moisturizer i use, cerave. it's incredibly mild (my mom uses the soap as well as the cream and her eczema's a lot worse than mine and her skin is incredibly sensitive). i just use their cream, it works well and i have to use a lot less of the fluocinonide than i used to.

Right on, because the less steroids used on our bodies, the better!!!

 

[MooMoo!]

Right on, because the less steroids used on our bodies, the better!!!

Why do you say that?


Well I saw the doc today (never seen this one before), and he didnt really seem to be an eczema expert since I said "I think I have dyshidrosis" "well it looks to me like you have something called Pompholyx" (no shit. )

Anyway, he didnt give me the fluocinonide, as he hadnt heard of it and couldnt find it in his little medical book. He did give me a HUGE thing of barrier cream and a different type of steroidal cream, so Ill see how that works out.

He was hot though.

But married.

But hot.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i know my dermatologist told me to go easy on the fluocinonide because it can thin out your skin layers over time, so of course the less used the better. then of course there's plenty of negative side effects for pill and injected steroids. though i mean if you have to use any of this you have to.

 

[MooMoo!]

Oh that. Well I just figure all drugs have side effects, be it steriods or some other sort of cream. Sometimes its just unavoidable.
I was watching on TV about anabolic steroid abuse by body builders is on the increase, and that theyre finding old needles and stuff outside gyms.


Slight concern that theres still some blisters, but then Ive used it for a day, so its not likely to have done anything yet. Ill press on anyway.

 

[Mr. BAW]

i know my dermatologist told me to go easy on the fluocinonide because it can thin out your skin layers over time, so of course the less used the better. then of course there's plenty of negative side effects for pill and injected steroids. though i mean if you have to use any of this you have to.

Any topical steroid will thin the skin; I've used topicals for psoriasis for the past 30+ years...those of you that know me have seen my arm and leg scars from scrapes, cuts, falls...I've learned how to push my wounds tight to minimize scarring..

Anyone remember my fall in Oregon?; ripped my arms apart...that was from the the thin skin....

 

[anitram]

Oh that. Well I just figure all drugs have side effects, be it steriods or some other sort of cream. Sometimes its just unavoidable.

Corticosteroids are particularly strong drugs and if you can avoid using them, that is ideal. Some people cannot get around them, because their conditions don't allow for it, but it is really a very bad idea to be relying on steroidal topical creams if you don't absolutely have to not only because of the thinning of the skin (which is significant) but because they permeate into the bloodstream.

My Mom and brother have pretty bad eczema. Mine, on the other hand, is largely manageable and really only bothers me in winter.

 

[JanuaryStar]

I have this too. For me, it's related to stress/emotions and warm weather, but also to my allergies and asthma. I have some corticosteroids 'hydro cortison' creme which I only use when it's really necessary. It's a pretty strong creme, so it shouldn't be used for a long time. But except for what the doctors prescribe, there's more and more good cremes/lotions in stores and pharmacies which help a lot too and leave your skin to be able to breathe and intact. Also some good homeopathic cremes. But I'm not sure if the brands they have here are also available overseas