Contact dermatitis of the hands can be of various types. The most common one occurs due to the constant exposure or use of certain harsh chemicals in our daily life. It could be industrial solvents or general household items like bleach, soaps, cleaning liquids, harsh detergents, etc. You need to find out the cause for your contact dermatitis. Once you know the cause you can avoid it and then it will be easier to treat it. The symptoms of contact dermatitis include dry, scaly skin, rashes, and itching, blistered skin with sores or a reddish appearance. You need to take care and see to it that your hands are clean to prevent infection. Do not use harsh soaps and cleaning agents on your hands. Wear rubber gloves with soft cotton lining while doing your housework to protect your hands. Avoid excessive drinking and smoking as this dehydrates your body and causes your skin to dry out making your problem worse.
You can try the following remedies at home:
If your skin has cracks and is flaking out, you need to moisturize it to prevent further damage. Cook oats in milk and run thru a blender. Soak your hands in this warm oatmeal mix for about half an hour. This will soften your skin and deeply nourish it. Rinse off with plain water. Apply pure petroleum jelly and cover your hands with gloves with a cotton lining. Do this preferably at night before going to bed. You will wake up to soft smooth hands free of contact dermatitis. Alternatively you could also apply warm oil of olive, vitamin E or cod liver oil.
Take two cups of fresh buttermilk. Warm it slightly and soak your hands in it for about half an hour. Rinse off with plain water and dry using a soft towel. Do not rub your hands with the towel, just pat gently. Then apply plain vitamin E oil or pure butter or ghee and massage well into the skin. Cover your hands with warm gloves that have a cotton lining. Do this at bedtime and leave until morning.
You can also use cold compress to relieve the itching. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a glass of cold water. Soak a clean cloth or handkerchief in it. Squeeze out excess water and use this as a compress on your hands to sooth the irritated skin. Wash your hands with cold water after you're done. Dry and apply vitamin E oil.
answered by M W