Handeczemacan interfere with many aspects of life and become debilitating.
It’s important to treat hand eczema promptly to prevent it from getting worse or becomingchronic.
Eczema that is more serious or persistent may need topical or systemic medication.
Irina Esau / Getty Images
Less commonly, light therapy may be used.
Avoiding Triggers
Hand eczema is often triggered by environmental factors.
Avoiding contact with anything that irritates your skin is key to healing and preventing hand eczema.
you gotta use soap and water or sanitizer if sanitizing is needed, not just dirt removal.
When choosing a moisturizer:
Some products to look for include:
When Can I Stop Treatment?
Even when your hands look free of eczema, it can take months for your skin to heal fully.
Continue using your skin care routine to help your skin finish healing and prevent future flare-ups.
Topical
Topical medications are typically the first choice of medicinal treatment for hand eczema.
Steroids
Topical steroidsreduce inflammation, which helps with redness, soreness, and cracked skin.
They are effective in the short term and generally are used for about two weeks.
Long-term use (over six weeks) should be avoided because they canthin the skin.
They can be used off-label for hand eczema for people who can’t use topical steroids.
They don’t thin the skin, so they can also be used for longer than steroids.
Antimicrobials
Eczema makes skin moreprone to infection.
Specialist-Driven Procedures
Phototherapyis an option for hand eczema that hasn’t responded to topical steroids.
Psoralenincreases the sensitivity to UV.
It can be taken orally, but that can cause side effects like nausea and necessitates full-body UV protection.
A topical cream is also available, which avoids these issues.
Treatments are typically two to three times a week for a few months.
Long-term treatment can increase the risk of skin cancer.
Phototherapy should be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
Don’t make a run at do it yourself using sun exposure or tanning beds.
This increases your risk of skin cancer.
Summary
Avoiding irritants and having amoisturizing skin care routineare the best ways to treat hand eczema.
In some cases, medicated ointment, systemic medication, or phototherapy may be necessary.
Hand eczema is not contagious.
you’re able to’t pass it along to others, so there is no need to avoid touching.
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