itchyy

Former Member

about 3 days ago i woke up with my knuckles really badly itching, since then a few randomy placed tiny blister things have developed on my hands and fingers. with a few on my arm. my feet have also been feeling itchy too but i dont think there are any of those blister things.

naturally i googled it and got paranoid... it came up with scabies. i work in sheltered accomodation too so it got me even more paranoid but im rarely dealing with personal care and if i am going to touch someone, i wear gloves.

the blisters look like http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/druzair/2010-09-21_202508_scabies_burrows.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.justanswer.com/medical/40rri-believe-scabies-first-thought-bedbugs.html&usg=__7n32xMSI20EoGIsHnXSiMGeZin8=&h=750&w=1000&sz=312&hl=en&start=43&zoom=1&tbnid=CKfSXg5SQ2GWyM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=158&ei=AY2HTbuwA9L44AadtPTZCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dscabies%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SNYK_en-GBGB311GB311%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D535%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C789&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=908&vpy=285&dur=8565&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=151&ty=185&oei=44yHTdKvJ46yhAeB_vm_BA&page=3&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:43&biw=1259&bih=535 :shocking: but i dont have it between my fingers which is a big indicator of scabies.

i went to the dr today and she doesnt think it's scabies at all, she told me not to worry.. scabies is usually in between fingers and has scratch marks. she then said it could be.. chicken pox!! which i've had and told her so but she said it can reoccur, but then.. i'm not feeling ill at all and it's only on my hands and a few on my arm. she said that it could be the early stages of chicken pox and to go back to her if it gets worse.

she gave me a cream called fucidin to see if that helps. my nvq assessor is convinced that it's an allergic reaction to the gloves we use or the hand gel. but we wear gloves made of vinyl not of latex.

i dunnooo. i just want to know what it is, im freaking out rather a lot.

Former Member

Maybe you're allergic/intollerant to vinyl, the powder that's in the gloves. You can become allergic to things litterally overnight. I did with biological detergent.

Have you changed anything recently or a product that you use is 'new and improved' ? Soap, bubble bath, washing up liquid, fabric conditioner, clothes detergent. Anything that you would use on your clothes or has contact with your skin.

Of course the other thing is - didn't you move in with your boyfriend ? Maybe you're allergic to him ! But, if you have moved in, does he have pets, are you eating anything different ?

Former Member

haha no we havent moved in yet but i think you are onto something...

hmm.. i dont think i've changed anything recently other than my makeup. i use the bare minerals foundation now. but wouldnt that show up on my face? not my hands and a bit on my arms? just wants it to gooo.. all this research into scabies has left me feeling all eurgh and jumpy.

it could be ANYTHING at work, it's really hard to rule things out. i wear vinyl gloves that are without the powder but we do people's laundry there all the time (which i wear gloves for) apart from clean laundry.. maybe it's that. or the alcoholic hand gel. blahh :grump:

Former Member

Rashes on hands aren't nice at all. I had one just after starting uni. That was very painful. (probably wouldn't have been so bad if it hand't lasted for 6 weeks)

If you use soap, I'd suggest avoid using it.

Former Member

How often do you wash your hands at work?

I used to have really horrible dry, rashy hands when I worked at McD's and was washing my hands all day, because the soap was really harsh (because of the antibacterial-ness).

Also it could be shingles, since your doctor suggested chicken pox...

Former Member

we use the hygiene gel at work, maybe that is too harsh on my skin who knows.

do you know what yours turned out to be

Former Member

Dermatitis?

Former Member

clementine_the_tangerine wrote: »

we use the hygiene gel at work, maybe that is too harsh on my skin who knows.

do you know what yours turned out to be

Too much horrible soap and hand-dryers. I've started getting very dry skin again now because I keep forgetting to use hand cream after I wash my hands, but anti-bacterial stuff will be worse for it. Have you tried getting one of the aloe vera hand sanitisers? That might help.

Former Member

Slartibartfast wrote: »

Dermatitis?

:yes: I've got cracking dermatitis on my hands atm from lots of handwashing and disinfecting!

You can actually wash your hands with an aqueous cream instead of soap if that's it - it's a bit kinder on them.

Former Member

Washing your hands too much can affect the skin. I have two friends doing nursing and they both have to use a lot of moisturisor because of all the handwashing and alcohol gel involved in their jobs.

Former Member

We had an hour's talk on dermatitis from occupational health people... maybe you could talk to them at your workplace?

Former Member

Does it look or sound like pompholyx eczema?

Former Member

thanks i will have a look for the aqueus cream and aloe vera hand gel in boots this week.

leanne it looks a little like that but less severe. my hands are still itchy today after applying the cream last night and this morning. i also took a piraton last night and this morning. the tiny blisters look less sore too so i am guessing it must be an allergic reaction thank gawd and not scabies.

my nvq tutor had a look at it today and reckons it's dermatitis she's seen a lot of dermatitis on hands because she used to be a manager at a care home so this has settled my mind! had a lot of mockage today for my 6am panicky phone call to her when i thought it was scabies :grump:

i will stop using the strong alcohol gel at work and use an alternative, i guess i jsut have to try and rule things out step by step right? there is no definitive test i can take is there?

thanks for your help peoples

Former Member

Are you allowed to moisturise after hand gel? I assume it's a cleaning-after-touching thing than a keeping-hands-perfectly-clean-at-all-times thing?

If you can, see if you can grab a tube of Hemp hand cream from Body Shop. It's literally amazing and lasts ages.

Former Member

i could i guess but im not sure how easy it would be to do at work, i usually finish with a resident, squirt my hands with the gel and then go on to the next person.

cheers for the reccomendation, i might look at getting a decent hand moisturiser just to use at home, i've never had sensitive skin before.. been taking it for granted me thinks.

Former Member

Work may be able (do they have to?) supply you with an alternative to what caused you the problem.