One of the inflammatory skin diseases that develop as a result of exposure to irritants outside or inside the body is dermatitis. On the hands, the back of the palms, between the fingers, the skin is affected more often than on the rest of the body. In the predominant number of cases, the disease is diagnosed in women - they are more likely than men to come in contact with detergents, household chemicals, cosmetics, and harmful substances. Depending on the causes of dermatitis in the hands, an individual treatment regimen is selected.
Why does skin disease occur?
The causes of dermatitis on the hands are manifold. The etiology of the disease determines the form and nature of its further course. All skin irritating factors are conventionally divided into several categories:
- Biological - this group includes substances of natural origin (pollen of plants, homeopathic or alternative medicines).
- Chemical - this category includes detergents, paints, cosmetics, perfumes, medicines.
- Physical - provoke dermatitis on the hands can prolonged friction on the same area of the skin, exposure to ultraviolet rays, high pressure pressure.
- Food - in this case, foodstuffs can be allergens, including strawberries, nuts, citrus fruits, seafood, egg white, chocolate and much more.
In addition to these factors, a genetic predisposition to skin diseases must be taken into account. If at least one of the parents suffers from dermatitis all his conscious life, the probability of developing the disease in the child is extremely high. A favorable background for the occurrence of skin pathology can be problems with the gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the endocrine system, weakened immunity. Often the upper layers of the epidermis become inflamed due to serious hormonal disorders, stress, and psychoemotional shock.
Symptoms of the disease
Regardless of the cause and type of dermatitis in the hands, pathology always proceeds actively. The disease does not develop latently, but with lightning speed, as a result of which patients suddenly have inflammation and a number of other unpleasant symptoms. Patients with skin dermatitis complain of severe itching, burning and soreness in the lesions of bright red or pink color. In addition to hyperemia, erythematous edema of various degrees of severity appears. Their intensity may vary depending on the form of the course of the disease - chronic or acute. Edema becomes stagnant with recurrent dermatitis in the hands.
Many people know what the disease looks like - these are primarily small serous vesicles, which, when opened, form large inflamed surfaces. The shallow layers of the epidermis in the affected areas gradually die off, passing into the stage of weeping erosion. Exudative discharge from wounds resembles small wells. When healing, they are covered with scaly crusts. At the same time, the skin becomes very dry and peels off very much, and in severe cases, it cracks.
If dermatitis in the hands is caused by mechanical irritants, scuffs and watery vesicles will be noticeable in the inflamed areas. Hyperkeratosis is characteristic of the chronic form of the disease - the patient forms painless hard calluses. The cause of necrosis of the upper layers of the epidermis is an increased susceptibility to irritating agents.
The main types of dermatitis
As already noted, all types of disease differ in etiological factors, that is, the reasons that provoked the disease. On the arms and legs in adults, dermatitis is of the following types:
- Contact. The disease occurs as a result of an attack of external stimuli. Unlike other forms, this one is characterized by limited lesion sites. In most cases, there is no need to treat such dermatitis, since the epidermis regeneration processes are started by the body independently, as soon as the irritant is neutralized or eliminated.
- Actinic. This type of dermatitis appears on the skin of the limbs due to prolonged exposure to the sun, as well as when exposed to radiation. The disease is often diagnosed by radiologists, farmers, welders, builders. The severity of symptoms can be different.
- Allergic. It occurs as a result of an allergic reaction, manifested by itching, rash and burning on the palms, between the fingers. In order to prevent a relapse of allergic dermatitis, it is important to avoid contact with the allergen.
- Seborrheic. Dermatitis on the hands of this form is practically not found. The reason for its development is the pathological activity of the sebaceous glands against the background of a fungal infection. Basically, the disease is localized in the scalp, can go on the skin of the forehead, cheeks, back, shoulder blades, chest.
What dermatitis happens in childhood
Some experts highlight another type of dermatitis. Red-blue swelling may appear on the fingers of the hands with prolonged exposure to low temperatures, and the skin itself begins to itch strongly - these manifestations are considered symptoms of the so-called cold dermatitis. Most often, the disease appears in children, and in the absence of adequate treatment, atrophy of the epidermis is possible.
Atopic dermatitis is very common among babies. Its symptoms are extremely rare in patients in adulthood. Atopic dermatitis is localized on the hands, cheeks, elbows, knees, it is characterized by prolonged inflammation of the skin surface. Despite the fact that this species is classified as an allergic form, an hereditary predisposition plays an important role in the development of an ailment.
How to recognize a disease
The treatment of this disease can not be put off the shelf. But before taking any medicine or applying ointment for dermatitis on the hands (a full list of drugs that are recommended for this disease will also be presented in the article), you should make sure the diagnosis is correct. It is important to consider that in the acute form the symptoms are most pronounced - severe swelling, burning and itching. In addition, watery blisters may appear at the site of the disease. Without treatment, dermatitis on the fingers can be complicated by blood poisoning and psycho-emotional disorder.
Before proceeding with the treatment of this disease, it is necessary to determine the nature of the irritation, the exact boundaries of the inflammation and the moment the first signs of the disease appear, and also go through a series of laboratory tests. To confirm the diagnosis, it is not enough for the doctor to familiarize himself with the symptoms alone. Diagnosis of dermatitis in the hands requires:
- clinical blood and urine tests;
- immunological and serological studies;
- allergo tests to detect irritant.
If the disease needs to be differentiated from malignant skin formation, a biopsy is performed, and the resulting tissue samples are sent for histological examination.
General treatment plan
Therapy of the disease can not be carried out independently. Dermatitis on the hands is treated with medication and folk remedies, but their choice depends on the etiology of the disease and the severity of symptoms. If the pathology has an allergic nature of origin, it is important to first stop the interaction of the skin with irritating agents and minimize contact with water. In addition to medical and preventive procedures, the observance by the patient of a special diet is of great importance.
Drug treatment of skin on the hands is often carried out externally and internally. For the treatment of dermatological ailments, creams and ointments containing anti-inflammatory and antibacterial components are mainly used. It is impossible to provide the entire list of numerous drugs used for local treatment of affected areas, so in this article we will try to mention the most popular remedies for dermatitis on the hands:
- "Gistan" is an antihistamine that helps get rid of itchy skin, relieves swelling and inflammation. Together with the external drug, systemic antiallergic drugs Zodak, Zirtek, Erius, Claritin and their analogues are also used.
- "Exoderil" - is used in case of attachment of a fungal infection to the affected foci, and with bacterial infection, local antibiotics are applied ("Tetracycline ointment", "Baneocin").
- "Radevit" - eliminates the inflammatory process, relieves itching, actively fights infection and quickly regenerates damaged skin.
With a severe course of the disease on the hands, local preparations with hormonal substances are prescribed. These include ointments based on hydrocortisone, prednisolone and drugs such as Elokom, Lokoid, Sinaflan, Dermoveit, Celestoderm. In combination with steroids, external immunomodulators Protopic, Elidel, Tacolimus, Pimecrolimus are used, and Multitabs, Perfectil, Alphabet are used to replenish vitamins. To stabilize the psycho-emotional background, the patient can be prescribed light sedatives based on plant components (valerian, mint, lemon balm, motherwort).
Diet rules
Compliance with diet is another important condition necessary in order to cure dermatitis on the hands. How to eat with this skin disease? Everything is very simple: eliminate all harmful products and allergens from the diet. Diet means giving up:
- fish;
- chicken eggs;
- citrus fruits;
- Strawberries
- tomatoes and tomato-based dishes;
- hot spices and seasonings;
- carbonated drinks with dyes, flavors and other artificial additives;
- chocolate;
- cocoa;
- nuts
- honey and more.
In the daily menu, it is recommended to include vegetable oils, more vegetables and fruits (preferably not red, but yellow and green), as well as dairy products, low-fat varieties of meat and fish. Such a diet is suitable not only for patients with dermatitis in the hands, but also for other dermatological patients.
Unconventional methods
Many people suffering from a chronic form of the disease are saved by folk remedies. Treatment of dermatitis in the hands with the help of natural remedies avoids those side effects that are associated with the use of medications. The simplest recipes for the means with which you can treat affected lesions at home are:
- Chamomile baths for hands. To prepare them, you need flowers of dry medicinal chamomile. The solution is made on the basis of the following proportion: 4 tbsp. l raw materials - one glass of boiling water. The medicine should be infused for 20-30 minutes, after which it is diluted with warm water and dip your hands there.
- Lotions with olive oil. To get this remedy, you need the juice of two lemons and 1 tbsp. l olive oil. The mixture is thoroughly mixed, after which a clean napkin (cotton sponge) is dipped into it and applied to the inflamed areas. This is a simple remedy for redness, blistering, and peeling of the skin.
- Hypericum ointment. The basis for the preparation of homemade composition is often butter. To prepare the ointment, St. John's wort juice is used, which is thoroughly mixed with softened oil. The resulting formulations are lubricated with dermatous patches on the hands and between the fingers at least twice a day.
Despite the safety of folk remedies, you must always consult a doctor about the possibility of their use. As a monotherapy, natural formulations, as a rule, are not used. They are able to produce the maximum effect only in combination with pharmaceutical preparations, as well as subject to all preventive measures, including basic dry skin care, proper dietary nutrition and the exclusion of contact with irritants.
Features of the treatment of childhood dermatitis
In babies under the age of seven, dermatitis appears especially often. Treatment of an ailment in a child is prescribed taking into account the symptoms. In most cases, external anti-inflammatory hormone-free drugs are recommended. These include creams “Bepanten”, “Advantan”, “Pimafukort”, “Panthenol”, ointments based on zinc, boric, tar and salicylic. If local treatment does not bring the expected effect, the child is prescribed systemic drugs.
During the treatment of dermatitis, the baby’s delicate skin needs sufficient moisture. “Exomega” milk, “Hydrolipidic” cream is able to cope with this task “perfectly”. In addition to pharmacy medicines, you can get rid of unpleasant symptoms with the help of natural remedies (almond, sea buckthorn, apricot oil), which moisturize and nourish the epidermis well.
Anti-allergic ointments and creams in the treatment of dermatitis on the hands and cheeks relieve itching, reduce swelling and inflammation, so most of them are not contraindicated in childhood (Elidel, Gistan).
It is also important during treatment of a child to especially monitor his diet. Diet involves the saturation of proteins, slow carbohydrates, vitamins. If dermatitis in a child is caused by a reaction to allergens, it is important to prevent it from contacting with detergents and various chemicals.
Dermatitis in pregnant women
Usually, this skin disease proceeds without any complications, manifesting in the expectant mother only externally. In some cases, dermatitis in pregnant women is a reaction to hormonal changes in her body. After childbirth, as a rule, the disease gradually recedes and the skin on the hands heals completely.
If dermatitis is very worrying, causing unbearable itching and irritation, the doctor will help to alleviate the general condition and select safe drugs. Ordinary creams and ointments can not be used for dermatitis, since they can harm both the mother, having the opposite effect and increasing the severity of symptoms, and the fetus. Therefore, referring to a dermatologist, a woman should first of all declare her interesting position.
To combat the unpleasant manifestations of the disease, a pregnant woman is prescribed antihistamine drops or tablets, and as a means for external use:
- antipruritic cream or Calamine lotion;
- anti-inflammatory Skin-Cap;
- pharmacy ointments based on natural ingredients (eucalyptus, sea buckthorn).
There are other drugs that are used to eliminate dryness and peeling of the skin. One of these is La Cree, a completely safe composition for treating dermatitis and a number of other skin diseases in children and adults, including during pregnancy and lactation. Its composition contains exclusively natural components that trigger the regeneration of the skin and the healing of microcracks.
For prevention, it is advisable to avoid contact with household chemicals, and when washing dishes, cleaning the house, gardening or the front garden, it is imperative to wear rubber gloves. It is important to choose a mild gentle soap with a neutral pH level and in the cold season to protect the skin from exposure to low temperatures, wind, moisture.