Living with any form of eczema can be debilitating and make your life miserable. You may have found out that you have dyshidrotic eczema and are now seeking help. Now the question you may be asking yourself is, ‘how to treat dyshidrotic eczema at home.’
Dyshidrotic eczema affects the feet and the hand when small, painful blisters appear on those areas. You can treat this form of eczema at home by applying moisturizer, cold compression, taking light therapy, taking prescribed or OTC medicines, regulating showers/baths, etc.
Are you interested to find out more? Let’s dive in!
What is Dyshidrotic Eczema
Dyshidrotic Eczema is a common form of eczema. It is also known as Dyshidrosis, vesicular eczema, and palmoplantar eczema. This form of eczema causes small, itchy blisters on your hands (fingers, palms) and feet (toes, soles). This is why it’s also known as foot-and-hand eczema.
There is no lab test to identify dyshidrotic eczema specifically. But your doctor can still order tests to rule out other possible causes. Women are twice as likely to develop this type of eczema, and people between the ages of 20 and 40 are at greater risk.
Symptoms
Symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema look like signs of eczema. Possible signs are:
- Small blisters on the palms of your hands or side of the fingers.
- Small blisters on your toes, the sole of your feet, or toe fingers.
- Itching of the blisters.
- Sweating around the blisters.
- Burning, tingling sensation of the blisters.
Dyshidrotic eczema affects the soft skin areas like hands and toes, which we also use a lot. These blisters can result in open areas of these soft skin. So, you may be at greater risk of getting a skin infection.
Causes
There are a few causes of dyshidrotic eczema. If you’re facing this type of eczema, it may be caused by one or several of the following factors:
- Excess sweating of hands and feet/
- Staying in water or too long
- Allergy to specific types of metals (nickel, cobalt, etc.)
- High or severe stress levels
- Seasonal allergies that affect our eczema
- Result of medical conditions such as hay fever, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis
- Genetically passed down, family history of dyshidrotic eczema
- Staying in warmer temperatures for too long during summer or spring
How to Treat Dyshidrotic Eczema at Home
If you notice or realize you have dyshidrotic eczema, there’s no need to panic. You can even treat them at home primarily. Here are a few ways you can treat dyshidrotic eczema at home:
1. Moisturize Properly
Apply moisturizer or moisturizing cream to stop your skin from drying out and developing more blisters. A great way to keep your skin hydrated is by applying cream, lotion, or moisturizer right after the shower. There are now many products available that are made especially for eczema patients. You can also try applying petroleum jelly. These products can help your skin lock in moisture.
2. Cold Compressions
We’ve mentioned how a warm environment and staying in water can cause dyshidrotic. Once infected, a cold or hot compress can help relieve the itching. Make sure not to apply the cold or wet compress for too long. After using compression for 10-15 minutes, air dry the area as best as possible and use moisturizer.
Rinsing your affected areas with cold water can also help relieve itching. Make sure you’re not doing so for longer than 10 minutes and are not using hot or warm water.
3. Light Therapy
Light therapy, also known as phototherapy, refers to using ultraviolet (UV) light to treat affected areas. In the past, doctors used broadband UVB light and PUVA (psoralen plus UVA) light in a controlled environment. But those treatments are risky and have multiple side effects. Doctors have recently found that narrowband UV-B helps more and has little to no side effects or risks. Excessive use, however, can result in delayed tan and skin burn.
UV rays have anti-inflammatory properties. This is because UV light can reduce an overactive immune response in your skin. Uv ray can be applied to the affected area. The process is so hassle-free and straightforward that you can now buy your own narrowband UVB light. Doctors used to apply UV light therapy professionally before, taking many preventive measures. But the suitable device can help you safely treat dyshidrotic eczema at home.
Simply cover your unaffected areas or apply sunscreen, and wear UV-safe glasses or sunglasses as a precaution. Follow the instructions of your UV light manufacturer to switch the device on. Keeping a safe distance between the device and your skin, hover the light over your unaffected areas.
This process varies and depends on what type of narrowband ultraviolet (NB- UVB) device you have at home. Ask your doctor for precise advice about the process. Depending on the severity of your eczema, they will suggest if you need to apply anything before phototherapy, what you should apply, how long and how frequent home sessions will be, and so forth.
4. Applying Creams and Taking Medicines
You can easily find some over-the-counter (OTC) anti-itch creams and corticosteroid creams. Corticosteroid creams help reduce skin inflammation and irritation. You can also take oral steroids to reduce inflammation (such as prednisone) and antihistamines to reduce itching. Since these are all OTC medicines, they don’t require a doctor’s prescription, but you can still ask your doctor for advice. Store them at home, so you are well prepared to fight a dyshidrotic eczema attack.
Bottom Line
Living with eczema can be painful. Leaving it untreated is extremely risky. Undoubtedly, you should start treatment as soon as you see signs of dyshidrotic eczema and take precautions and preventive care. We hope this article has helped you understand how to treat dyshidrotic eczema at home.
If you have any more questions, let us know!
FAQs
Q. Can dyshidrotic eczema spread?
Usually, dyshidrotic eczema doesn’t spread. But in severe cases, it can spread to the back of hands, feet, and limbs. You may also develop skin infections while dealing with severe or prolonged dyshidrosis (dyshidrotic eczema).\
Q. Is Vaseline good for dyshidrotic eczema?
Vaseline is a type of petroleum jelly and works well on dyshidrotic eczema. Petroleum jellies like Vaseline have soothing and moisturizing properties. So, it can help alleviate discomfort, itching, irritation, redness, etc. Vaseline can also work as a protective layer for your infected skin.
Q. Can I use salt water to rinse my dyshidrotic eczema-infected area?
Yes, you can rinse your eczema-infected areas with saltwater. Salt contains magnesium, which is a known antibacterial and anti-inflammatory mineral. So, it will help with itching and inflammation.
