I went to see my doctor yesterday as I have a tendancy towards dry hands (requiring multiple applications of hand cream a day) and occasionally little pimples crop up in patches on my hands and feet, they dry out and then peel off, I don't have any for a month or two and then they come back. I seem to be particularly plagued at the moment so I thought I'd get it checked out.
It turns out this is the warning stages of eczema. Whilst my hands are not as red as in the picture above they do have the same lumpy texture - although mine is restricted to the palms of my hands and feet.
My doctor asked me what I did for a living - did I come into contact with chemicals, dyes or detergents? As a secretary I can't say that coming into such things is an occupational hazard. He advised me to get some soap flakes to wash my clothes in as apparently you only need to use a detergent if you are a mechanic for example and get all greasy. My dad was amazed that you could still get soap flakes as he hadn't seen them since he was a boy. I am sceptical as to whether this will work but I'm willing to try it as it is cheaper than detergent.
Doing some research on Wikipedia (where would we be without it?) I have discovered the specific type of eczema I have is called dyshydrosis. The fact that it is called housewife's eczema makes me laugh. I am a slut (meaning 3) when it comes to housework and when I do the washing up I wear rubber gloves as I know that makes my skin itch.
I also suffer from IBS and occasionally get sore, lumpy armpits - both of which are related apparently. It doesn't metion scalp conditions though as I also suffer from that too. At least I know what one of the problems is and I can now get on with tackling it.
Ooh what an attractive package I make: toad hands, lumpy armpits, farting, bloating, and a furfuraceous scalp!
