Contact Dermatitis/Sore hands

[gazwigan]

I have very rough skin on my hands and have had for many years, it often becomes really flaky and creates cuts in my skin that are very sore and bleeds. Having looked it up it points to me having contact dermatitis, although i work in an office and wouldn't consider myself to be exposed to anything irritating?

I also play sports like Squash and Golf, and after i have used anything that requires me to grip it again becomes very sore for a number of days and develops more cuts.

Can anyone recommend a way of treating this? I have visited my GP a number of times and he has prescribed Betnovate cream, although this has very little effect and when i mention it to my GP he still supplies me with the same stuff.

[shaneystar2]

You could try Diprobase
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100004782 .html
You can buy it over the counter in a tube or pump bottle .
Use it to wash your hands with and then rub it into the skin as a hand cream .Avoid soap .Betnovate is a steroid type cream and long term use of it will thin the skin leaving it prone to cracking and splitting even more .Diprobase will pump the moisture back in as it's an emollient ,. brilliant stuff.
I use it regularly for sore hands especially in the winter when they get dry.

[pastafreak]

You can get a product called Dermaguard from Lakeland......it serves as a barrier cream. Put it on before handling whatever is irritating your skin. It really works..i have used it on my hands as I sometimes need to wear kitchen gloves which have caused a reaction in the past.

[Ice.Maiden]

I'd definitely say you need a good barrier cream. Perhaps one of the ones suggested above might help, or you could have a word with your pharmacist.

[pastafreak]

I found pharmacists were useless when I needed something.

[Ice.Maiden]

Oh dear - and : (
Didn't realise that it was you who'd posted, pasta!

[pastafreak]

hummppff!!!!

[daffy654]

If it were me suffering this I would visit my GP again and ask for a referral to a dermatologist.

[sqad617]

Sounds like contact dermatitis.
As shaneystar says....use the Diprobase first, wait for a couple of minutes then use the Betnovate.

[momac]

Potassium permangate(Condy's crystals)if you can find a chemist that sells them are a very old remedy but they worked for me.They are tiny purple crystals that come in a jar,put one or two of them in tepid water and keep soaking your hands in it,they worked wonders for me,and when I mentioned to my G.P that I'd used them for my sons athletes foot he said I couldn,t have used anything better,I believe at one time they were used in operating theatres,I can truly recommend them for contact dermatitis,good luck.