Treating Hand Eczema When At Home And Away From Home

Posted on: 17 March 2020

Hand eczema can be related to genetics, allergies, and environmental irritants. It is also thought to be more common in those working in certain industries such as cosmetology, food service, janitorial or cleaning, and healthcare. It typically causes itchiness, scaliness, and redness of the skin, however, blisters, pain, and peeling skin can also occur.

If you develop any of these symptoms, it is important to see your doctor for further hand eczema information. After your doctor examines your skin, he or she will suggest treatment options. Your doctor may also recommend the following things to do while you're at home and away from home to help manage your eczema. 

At Home

When you're at home, wear soft natural fiber gloves to protect your hands when while doing household chores. Soft gloves help protect your eczematous hands from further irritation and injury. Always wash soiled gloves in hypoallergenic and non-scented laundry detergent to avoid irritating the compromised skin on your hands.

When washing dishes, wear plastic gloves to avoid getting your hands wet. Also, if you don't have large open areas on your hands, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly on your hands and then put on cotton gloves before going bed. Doing so helps your skin retain moisture and helps prevents further epidermal damage.

Away From Home

Avoid touching harsh chemicals at work without wearing heavy protective gloves. If you have open areas on your hands as a result of your eczema, always keep them covered with bandages or gauze dressing when you are away from home.

This will help prevent bacteria from getting into the open areas, lowering your risk of infection. Keeping eczema wounds covered will also help prevent irritation should you come into contact with irritants or allergens.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can exacerbate hand eczema, and because of this, wash your hands with mild soap and water instead, if possible. If you need to use hand sanitizer for infection control purposes, follow up with moisturizer so that your hands don't dry out.

Finally, if your doctor prescribed medications such as oral or topical corticosteroids for your hand eczema, bring it with you whenever you leave home. It is important to never miss a dose, because doing so may delay healing.

If you develop any of the above signs or symptoms of hand eczema, see your doctor as soon as possible. When treatment is implemented early on, hand eczema can be very well-managed. 

 

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