Is prednisone good to take for eczema?
Question posted by Irving Harrell on 15 Oct 2016
Last updated on 7 April 2017
Answers
I have terrible flare ups of dyshidrotic eczema on the palms of my hands. When it gets so bad that I can no longer move my hands without pain, prednisone is the ONLY drug I have found that is effective in stopping further outbreaks. The problem is that obviously it is a steroid, so no long term use. Often times I do not take the med as prescribed because in my opinion the prescription instructions are insane. If I am given a bottle of 15-20 30-50mg pills I will hoard that bottle for 3-6 months taking only one pill every 1-3 days until the flare up is under control. Sometimes I am prescribed a week long pack of methylprednisolone. In this case you are given a blister card with a 'weeks worth' of 10mg pills. When this is the case I will only take it for 3 days. I will start by taking 30mg, then 20, then 10- you get the idea. Hope this helps.
Dyshidrotic eczema, also known as dyshidrosis or pompholyx, is a type of eczema that causes a blistering rash on the hands or feet, especially the fingers, palms, and soles.
The blisters are small and often very itchy.
Dyshidrotic eczema is the third most common dermatitis, or inflammation, of the hands. It's twice as common in women as men.
About half of those who suffer from dyshidrotic eczema also have atopic dermatitis, a common form of eczema.
Causes
The cause of dyshidotric eczema is unknown, but more than one factor is likely involved.
It may occur along with atopic dermatitis or hay fever, flaring seasonally along with any allergies you may have.
About 40 percent of people with this skin condition are also troubled with hands or feet that perspire heavily.
Dyshidrotic eczema is more likely to occur if you:
Are under stress
Have atopic dermatitis
Have sensitive skin in general
Have allergies, including hay fever
Wash your hands frequently or your hands are often in water
Work with cement
Expose your hands to metals, such as chromium, cobalt, or nickel
Receive intravenous immunoglobulin infusions to treat another medical condition
Some basic things you can do at work to help control your hand eczema:
Avoid allergens or irritating substances in products you use on the job — like industrial hand cleansers or waterless, antibacterial cleansers that may trigger your hand eczema, or make it worse. These often contain ingredients like alcohol and solvents, that are very hard on your hands, especially during flare-ups.
Protect your hands at work with a combination of heavy-duty vinyl or neoprene gloves and cotton glove liners. Regularly wash cotton liners and vinyl gloves if they aren’t disposable.
Always carry your own hand cleanser, moisturizer and medication with you, wherever you go.
Keep your clothes, protective gear, tools and work surfaces clean and free of residue from irritating substances.
Treat wounds on your hands (even minor ones) and bandage them in order to avoid irritation from allergens or chemical substances.
Thanks,
Nav
Not sure why you posted this in response to my response. As a person who has lived with dyshidrosis for almost 10 years I am very familiar with the causes and irritants of the condition. Obviously I do everything I can to avoid an outbreak, but stress is a part of life and unavoidable so outbreaks happen. All of this information you posted can be found in a simple internet search. The key to really controlling a condition such as dyshidrosis depends on finding out what the individuals triggers are... I only recently- now in my mid 30's got diagnosed with hay fever and allergies. For people such as myself, it has taken many years for my allergies to even show up on a blood panel. (when I was tested 5 years ago, only 4-5 items showed sensitivity, however when I was tested last week several dozen items lit up like a christmas tree!) But they still do not show up on a scratch or patch test.
This has made the steroid prednisone quintessential in treating my condition since I still do not know the full extent of my triggers. Therefore, I still never know when an outbreak might happen. Sometimes outbreaks just continue like a never ending cycle. My palms will break out and the rash will spread like a wild fire engulfing my entire palm, from my wrist to my fingertips and sometimes under and around my fingernails.And let me tell you, there is no pain more poignant than having a blister under your fingernail! So my hands will completely heal and then the blisters will start popping up again -It is such a painful and all-encompassing condition that every inch of my palms and fingers is covered in blisters. It feels like bites from fire ants or like my hands are boiling. The only thing that stops the progress of the rash is prednisone and if I take it, sometimes I can reverse the progress before it reaches my finger tips.
Related topics
Further information
- Prednisone uses and safety info
- Prednisone prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Prednisone (detailed)
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