Think i have Pompholyx eczema

[charlilou]

Hi all.
Last July the lower part of my index finger on my left hand went quite red and itchy. It stayed like that untill around christmas. Since then all the fingers bare my middle finger on the left hand have been red, itchy, cracked and started with watery blisters. This has happen on all of the fingers on my right hand bare my thumb.
I saw my doctor who prescribed betnoavte cream and i have also tried eumovate ointment and most recentlly dermovate cream.

I have also been using e45 and dermol eumoliant cream.
I think it has been aggrevated by work as i am a nursery nurse, so i constantly wash my hands and use hand sanitizers. I switched to an alcohol free sanitizer and used the dermol as a hand soap also.
My current doctor i useless and couldn't care less when i last saw him. I am going back either tomorrow or friday, depends when i can get an appointment.
I have tried piriton for the itching aswell as cold alovera gel and the e45 itch relief, none of which help. Cold water helps the itch but actually makes the hands worse.
They are constantly cracking and dry, weeping, crusty and gross.
I have read the comments about apple cider vinegar and have brought some to try, but how much water do you mix it with?

I have taken some pics of my hands which doesn't show it to well but hopefully some one can tell me if they think it is Pompholyx.

As you can see i have lost the cutical. this has happened on a few of my fingers. The nails on those fingers are quite bumpy with ridges.












Thanks for reading.

[CalamityJane]

Hi Charlilou and welcome to SC.

The photos have turned out very well. The only way to confirm the diagnosis you have made is to see your primary care doc again, or better yet, see a Dermatologist. No doubt your job doesn't help matters.

I don't have that condition, but there are others here who do, and who know about the cider vinegar. I'm sure somebody will be along shortly.

Jane

[itchychick]

Hi There,

Pompholyx or dyshydrotic eczema is characterized by small, clear fluid filled blisters under the surface of the skin which are intensely itchy.  I can't tell from your photos whether you have that...

Jane is right, however... a diagnosis by a derm is the way to go.  Ideally you can go when your hands are flaring.  If it is pompholyx, it comes and goes in cycles, and often the cycles overlap.  When the blisters start drying up, they can look like your hands, but I wouldn't assume that it is pompholyx without a proper diagnosis.

Good luck!

[cecilydee]

hi charlilou. we have the same problem. mine developed when i was just 13 now im 24. i remembered that i had a contact with an insect spray. it started with my ring finger on my right hand then continued with the the other fingetips. my left hand has it also (except the ring and index finger) they dont itch that much but they crack and it gets painful when i try to stretch them especially if i leave it without a good moisturizer. i used cetaphil before but it didnt work. now i put jojoba oil and i can say that it improved.