Fagile Skin, Itchy Swelling Hands

[ohsotired]

This may not be at all related to my diet and/or Celiac Disease, but I've recently noticed a few odd things.

I've always bruised quite easily, and am commonly covered in bruises from head to toe, and often have no idea how I got them.

But since I started this new job, I've noticed that my skin seems really fragile or thin. I'm constantly cutting myself on the stupidest things.

On the cash drawer of the register, on the top edge of a blender (where the lid fits on), on a metal pitcher handle.......anything, really.

It just seems like any little thing will actually cut through my skin and make me bleed. (I've actually started carrying band-aids and antibiotic ointment on my person because of this!)

I've also developed what at first glance seem to be huge callouses on both of my index fingers (on the outside, closest to the thumb, starting just above the top joint, and extending almost all the way to the knuckle where my finger joins my hand).

I'm not sure that they are callouses, though, as the skin seems to be splitting/tearing. It looks like deep papercuts, and they sting like mad.

Several times in the last week, I've had stiff, swollen, puffy hands (my fingers, mostly) that take a while to loosen up and become usable again. A couple of times, it was bad enough that I even had trouble washing my hair or holding my poof sponge in the shower.

Tonight, they're not so much swollen (that seems to be just in the mornings) but they itch and sting.

Other than the skin tears, cuts and callous like things, I see no visible irritations. No blisters, no rash.

Now, I do have my hands in and out of soapy dish water and 'sanitizer' through out the day, and that definitely seems to irritate them, but I'm not sure that's the cause of all this, as I had the weekend off and noticed the stinging/itching/new skin splits on my index fingers. The 'callouses' started a few months back, but they have definitely gotten worse (and quickly) in the last couple of weeks.

Any body ever have anything similar to this? Any ideas on what I might do to help heal these callous things up and/or make my skin less fragile? I'd hate to think I need to quit this job I just started because I can't deal with the sanitizer stuff (and we use it for all kinds of things).

[ravenwoodglass]

Now, I do have my hands in and out of soapy dish water and 'sanitizer' through out the day, and that definitely seems to irritate them, but I'm not sure that's the cause of all this, as I had the weekend off and noticed the stinging/itching/new skin splits on my index fingers. The 'callouses' started a few months back, but they have definitely gotten worse (and quickly) in the last couple of weeks.

Any body ever have anything similar to this? Any ideas on what I might do to help heal these callous things up and/or make my skin less fragile? I'd hate to think I need to quit this job I just started because I can't deal with the sanitizer stuff (and we use it for all kinds of things).

It does sound like you are having an adverse reaction to that sanitizer and or whatever you are doing the dishes with. Is there some way you can use disposable medical (these would be nonpowdered) quality nonlatex gloves and eliminate or at least cut down on the use of the sanitizer?

[sickchick]

poor thing!!

[trents]

I would also suspect a reaction to the sanitizers and detergents you are using at work. I work in a healthcare setting and am constantly washing or santizing my hands. Ove the 16 years of working in this environment the hospital has used various agents and switched brands several times, sometimes as a cost cutting measure and sometimes in response to employee feedback about dermititis issues. It really makes a difference what you are using to cleanse your hands when you do it often througout the day.

[ohsotired]

I've started wearing gloves, but it's tough to have them on all of the time.

I put them on when I'm actually doing dishes, but when using the cash register or making drinks, sometimes I'll take them off because my hands get so hot (the ones I've been wearing are non latex vinyl). But then when I go to wipe down counters or clean up the espresso machine, I'll grab a rag out of the bucket (full of the same sanitizer we sanitize our dishes in) and not remember to put the gloves on first.

I'll try to make more of an effort to wear them all the time, but I sure hate sweaty hands. LOL

On another note, I have started putting vaseline on the cuts and tears to see if that keeps them from drying out and splitting even more.

[ravenwoodglass]

I've started wearing gloves, but it's tough to have them on all of the time.

I put them on when I'm actually doing dishes, but when using the cash register or making drinks, sometimes I'll take them off because my hands get so hot (the ones I've been wearing are non latex vinyl). But then when I go to wipe down counters or clean up the espresso machine, I'll grab a rag out of the bucket (full of the same sanitizer we sanitize our dishes in) and not remember to put the gloves on first.

I'll try to make more of an effort to wear them all the time, but I sure hate sweaty hands. LOL

On another note, I have started putting vaseline on the cuts and tears to see if that keeps them from drying out and splitting even more.

I don't know if it might be something you could use but I have used a product called 'Surgeon's skin secret'

The main ingredient is beeswax with light mineral oil and lanolin. The beeswax provides a barrier that keeps the skins moisture in and outside moisture out. I found it quite helpful when I had to have my hands in water a lot. I haven't checked the gluten statis in a long time so you might want to double check with the ones with fragrance. Just thought I would mention.

[ohsotired]

Any idea where I might find this product? Is it something you can buy at at someplace like Walgreens, or do you have to have a prescription for it?

I found the website, complete with ingredients:

Ingredients: Water, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetyl Esters, Isopropyl Myristate, Beeswax, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Fragrance, Sorbitol, Methylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Tetrasodium EDTA, Lanolin, Propylparaben, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl p-Cresol

[GFinDC]

This might interest you. There are products that you can apply to your hands to prevent some contamination. There is one called Liquid Gloves that I have read some artists use to keep paint off their skin. This Skinwear product is the US version of the Liquid Gloves product. I haven't tried these products so I don't know how well they work.

Open Original Shared Link

Quote //

"It

[ohsotired]

Thanks for the link! I was thinking just the other day that maybe there was aproduct out there like this, but forgot to go looking.

I'll definitely check it out.

I'm also glad you mentioned the possible connection of skin changes and hypothyroidism. I'll be talking to my doc about possible thyroid issues next week - sooner if I can get into my GP this week.

Like I mentioned before, the callous type things had started months ago, and I think the dish water and the sanitizer are just really aggravating them. The Vaseline is helping some - there's still some major stinging going on, but the skin isn't quite as dry, and I haven't seen any new cracks/tears since I got home from work today. Just need to remember to keep using it......

[ang1e0251]

On another note, I have started putting vaseline on the cuts and tears to see if that keeps them from drying out and splitting even more.

[home-based-mom]

Ever heard of Open Original Shared Link ? It's what farmers have used on cow's udders since 1899. It's a bit on the greasy side and is not foo-foo scented, but if you put just a bit of it on under gloves - your hands will soften up in no time. You can also mix it with lotion when you apply it.

You can find it cheap on eBay.

[GFMM88]

My hands swell so much sometimes that it is hard to hold a pen and write. My feet and face swell as well. Though I have been gluten free for eight years, I have only become completely vigilant about gluten in the last five months, with a number of slip ups. I have also only recently cut out dairy and soy temporarily. My other symptoms have gotten better, and I expect to see an improvement within one to two years of strict adherence to the gluten free diet. We'll see how important it is for me to continue to cut out dairy and soy, as Enterolab testing indicated that I am not intolerant but I notice an obvious improvement. I would expect your hand swelling to be related to gluten intake and the healing process, as that has been my experience. Hope it goes away soon for you!