Rash On Hands

[Guest Lindam]

Hi all, I need some advise, help, anything. I have been plagued with this horrible, painful, ugly rash on my hands. As I think back this all started when I was diagnosed, back in March. I have been to numerous Dermatologists, as a matter of fact I am going to a new one today. I have about 20b tubes of different creams, ointments at home and nothing is taking care of it. It has now gotten so bad that it's painful to hold a pen, I can't make a fist because my fingers are so swollen. I can't even wear my rings, which normally slide around on my finger.

The rash has small fluid filled bumps that start on my palm then go the the fingers. After the fluid does whatever it does, then my hands crack and peel in very large sheets. Someone said it looks like callouses (sp) all over my hands.

Does anyone else have this problem? Please let me know if you have and what you are doing about it.

Thank You,

Linda

[kathyhay]

I just wrote a long reply and then my 2 year old just erased the whole thing by pushing just one button! Anyway, I have eczema and at times, I wished I could just scratch my skin off. Thankfully I haven't had that kind of itching for at least a year. Pain was more bearable than the itching. The itching made me crazy. The cream that worked for me was the prescription triamcinolone cream.

[Niteyx13]

It sure sounds like eczema, especially with the bumps (that look kinda like pimples?) and then the dry flaking. My daughter and husband both have it. I try to use lubriderm on my daughter, especially when she starts to get it. She has been lucky enough to not have to go to a dermatologist. My husband fought it for years when he was a kid, and still gets break outs when he is stressed. Don't know how much help this is, but I wanted to share.

Deanna

[Guest Lindam]

Hi Deanna, I just looked at the website for Lubriderm, and unfortunately all the products contain oats. AHHHH! My new Internist looked at it the other day and said this all has to do with Celiac disease. I am wondering why no one else has this? I am putting vaseline all over and then wearing gloves to bed. If nothing else, my hands are softer, LOL.

Thanks for your input.

Linda

[astyanax]

i think i might have something similar to that. i get little almost invisible bumps, all over my palms and fingers, but only when i go through an extreme change in weather. this summer i went from 60 degree days to 90 degree days very suddenly and sure enough they broke out. then as they disappear my skins becomes very flaky and peels off. they aren't painful though and it's not really that noticeable, just ends up looking like i have really dry hands or something. i just put regular hand lotion on it and it goes away in a few weeks.

[IWantPopTarts]

I have the very same thing. Or at least it sounds similar. Most of my family has celiac and for the longest I just ignored it. A year or so ago I started getting the same symptoms you are over my hands. A dermatologist said it was psoriasis.

I tried plenty of cremes and ointments and none helped. Eventually I gave up trying. Later I found out that my grandfather has these same problems , but only when he accidentally gets Gluten in his diet so I attributed it to being a celiac.

Funny thing is I asked one of my dermatologists about celiac and he said it has nothing to do with it. Which means I've either been misdiagnosed or that doctor was a quack.

Since then I have had other issues to make me want to try and be gluten-free. The symptoms on my hand change according to the weather. Worse during the warm weather and better during the winter. I think the cold dries out your hands is why. Also when the barometric pressure goes up it also gets inflamed.

I've been gluten-free for about 3 weeks now. My problems with my hands continue , but has gotten much better. I attributed it to getting better by the change of seasons and being a little more healthy from my diet , but I'm not that sure about it.

I believe others have had skin problems as a result of being a celiac. At least from articles I have read.

Dry weather seems to make it better. When I was in Vegas my rash got much better , but when I returned home it came back full force. I'm hoping my diet will make it dissapear , but your post is not very encouraging.

[Guest Lindam]

I'm sorry that my post isn't encouraging for you. I can't take this anymore! For about one week a month I seem to have no problems and then the other three weeks I have a terrible outbreak and then the swelling and then the healing. My new doctor said that it is an autoimmune problem and that it will never go away! Now that's encouragement if I ever heard any. This outbreak had left huge blisters in between my fingers and the skin just keeps peeling off. This looks completely different that what I had before. Anyone else have this? Any suggestions to get rid of it? HELP!

Linda

[sophie2040]

hiya

I realize this is an older thread, but I'm new and just browsing some of the posts. The rash people were describing sounds familiar. I don't have it, but my mother ...who is deceased, but who in hindsight I suspect had celiac disease as well.....had horrible rashes on her hands and elbows. My daughter has had a similar thing on her hands and legs periodically. One thing that helped both of them was a concoction I mixed up:

2 - 4 oz olive oil [or any good quality carrier oil ie almond (if you don't have nut allergies)]

10 drops patchouli oil

10 drops lavender oil

Probably a good idea to do a patch test before using it on rash. For a really bad rash, I'd just use the lavender in oil. Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used neat on wounds.

My mom used it on her hands at night, and wore cotton gloves over. Its quite oily, but worked a treat. I used it as a facial skin cream for ages, especially in winter. Now that I'm having to avoid gluten, I'm going to start using it again.

One note of caution-- if you use it on your feet, wear socks!! It can have you doing unintended pirouttes on hardwood floors. Ermmm, don't ask how I know

Sophie

[Nickie]

hiya

I realize this is an older thread, but I'm new and just browsing some of the posts. The rash people were describing sounds familiar. I don't have it, but my mother ...who is deceased, but who in hindsight I suspect had celiac disease as well.....had horrible rashes on her hands and elbows. My daughter has had a similar thing on her hands and legs periodically. One thing that helped both of them was a concoction I mixed up:

2 - 4 oz olive oil [or any good quality carrier oil ie almond (if you don't have nut allergies)]

10 drops patchouli oil

10 drops lavender oil

Probably a good idea to do a patch test before using it on rash. For a really bad rash, I'd just use the lavender in oil. Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used neat on wounds.

My mom used it on her hands at night, and wore cotton gloves over. Its quite oily, but worked a treat. I used it as a facial skin cream for ages, especially in winter. Now that I'm having to avoid gluten, I'm going to start using it again.

One note of caution-- if you use it on your feet, wear socks!! It can have you doing unintended pirouttes on hardwood floors. Ermmm, don't ask how I know

Sophie

This is an older post but just joined up. Have your dermatologist check for DH dermitits herptiformis. I just got diagnosed with DH after having the rash for 20 years in many different places, and yes very painful and unsightly. Just had my bloodwork done on 2/27 waiting for results. Might be DH doesn't hurt to ask I actually asked my dermatologist to check for it after reading an article and being diagnosed with pustular psorasis, which nothing worked for, now on Dapsone an antibiotic for about 6 days and the rash has not reappeared just healing the old stuff no waking up in the middle of the night scratching either. Good Luck!

[jnclelland]

I also had a nasty rash that sounds similar for many years - but only on my right hand, so I don't think it's DH, since DH is apparently usually symmetric. It has improved dramatically since going gluten-free. After awhile gluten-free, I noticed that it seemed to flare up whenever I had vinegar or alcohol, so I cut those out as well for a few months. After about 3 months, I was able to gradually add them back in without obvious problems. The rash still occasionally flares up slightly and I never know why, but it's not even close to what it was before.

Jeanne

[lindalee]

hiya

I realize this is an older thread, but I'm new and just browsing some of the posts. The rash people were describing sounds familiar. I don't have it, but my mother ...who is deceased, but who in hindsight I suspect had celiac disease as well.....had horrible rashes on her hands and elbows. My daughter has had a similar thing on her hands and legs periodically. One thing that helped both of them was a concoction I mixed up:

2 - 4 oz olive oil [or any good quality carrier oil ie almond (if you don't have nut allergies)]

10 drops patchouli oil

10 drops lavender oil

Probably a good idea to do a patch test before using it on rash. For a really bad rash, I'd just use the lavender in oil. Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used neat on wounds.

My mom used it on her hands at night, and wore cotton gloves over. Its quite oily, but worked a treat. I used it as a facial skin cream for ages, especially in winter. Now that I'm having to avoid gluten, I'm going to start using it again.

One note of caution-- if you use it on your feet, wear socks!! It can have you doing unintended pirouttes on hardwood floors. Ermmm, don't ask how I know

Sophie

Sophie, I just got the cluster of blisters on my left hand. It is not oozing. Do you still get yours? I haven't had these in ages. Thanks, LL

[cgurl03]

I get this rash alot in between my fingers when I have too much sugar. Looks kind of like the beginning of ringworm. Coconut oil and antifungals seem to help.

[bartfull]

Old thread, I know, but this is palmoplantar pustulat psoriasis. It is what I have, and it hurts! Gluten free started clearing it up, until I ate gluten free cornbread. I have found out (in a very painful and disappointing way) that I am also corn intolerant. But I will do whatever I have to do in order to be rid of this crippling rash.

[STEPHERZZ]

http://celiac.nih.gov/Dermatitis.aspx

I have these same bumps on my hands currently and have had them on my elbows, knees, back, scalp  and buttocks in the past and have never been able to get answers as to what it is. I have also recently been dealing with substantial stomach discomfort, especially after I have eaten oatmeal, or quinoa & brown rice or multigrain breads and crackers. In my research and trying to figure this out, I came across the above website and it all makes sense with some of the things that I have been dealing with for years!! I am going to make an appointment with my primary and request that she send me to a Dermatologist to test for DH and also do lab work to test for Celiac. I feel confident that I am on the right path now to getting the answers I need. Encouraging!!

Edited April 13, 2016 by STEPHERZZ

[cyclinglady]

5 hours ago, STEPHERZZ said:

http://celiac.nih.gov/Dermatitis.aspx

I have these same bumps on my hands currently and have had them on my elbows, knees, back, scalp  and buttocks in the past and have never been able to get answers as to what it is. I have also recently been dealing with substantial stomach discomfort, especially after I have eaten oatmeal, or quinoa & brown rice or multigrain breads and crackers. In my research and trying to figure this out, I came across the above website and it all makes sense with some of the things that I have been dealing with for years!! I am going to make an appointment with my primary and request that she send me to a Dermatologist to test for DH and also do lab work to test for Celiac. I feel confident that I am on the right path now to getting the answers I need. Encouraging!!

Welcome to the forum!  Be sure to browse through our DH section.  You do need to find a dermatologist who know EXACTLY how to biopsy for DH.  

Edited April 14, 2016 by cyclinglady

[ashleydew01]

Hi Linda!

So glad I found your post because now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in late December 2016. To say that my journey has been a nightmare since the beginning is an understatement. Like you, I have been dealing with this exact same flare-up on my hands, and it's even effected my face, but I've had it for close to 3 years now & NOTHING has given me any sort of relief. Not a gluten free diet, not a cream, not a pill, not a phototherapy session....NOTHING.  It is so discouraging, because I was told that it would clear up as soon as my small intestine begins to heal. If you've learned any tricks to help this horrendously itchy and painful rash disappear, I would love to hear from you.

[Beenish]

Hi i am same like you same boat...i M gluten free for sometimes now but dont know what if rice is too a big no for me..please tell me if you have something done with that cured or any updates.

[cyclinglady]

3 hours ago, Beenish said:

Hi i am same like you same boat...i M gluten free for sometimes now but dont know what if rice is too a big no for me..please tell me if you have something done with that cured or any updates.

What are you eating?  Many of our DH members swear that they must eat a non-processed gluten-free diet and often have to reduce iodine temporarily (for some reason it causes issues).  Please read through our DH section.  Member SquirmingItch and Ravenwoodglass usually offer excellent advice.  You can read some of their previous postings.  

Rice is safe.  Buy plain rice (not parboiled or instant just to be extra safe),  wash it three times while looking ( this is a RAW agricultural product which does have some arsenic) and cook it.  Avoid ANY gluten free grain that is not certified with the exception of rice which is not grown next to wheat, rye or barley.  NO oats at all, even gluten free oats.  Once  you get relief, you can experiment with grains.  

Of course, your rash might not be DH at all. If your diet is strict, you should consider consulting with a dermatologist and find out   Exactly what you are dealing with.  

Edited April 22, 2018 by cyclinglady

[nicholashaley]

My sister is also suffering from the same condition. I cannot understand which treatment should I go for.

[lemonyrain]

This looks like dyshidrotic eczema, a skin condition that appears as tiny fluid filled blisters. Factors such as metal exposure, stress and moisture can exacerbate this condition. Use of topical steroidal ointment is successful usually to treat an outbreak, and in rare non-responsive conditions use of oral steroid can be helpful.

https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/types-of-eczema/dyshidrotic-eczema/