How does hand eczema affect people’s lives?
The hands are one of the most common parts of the body to be affected by eczema. As well as having a physical effect, hand eczema can also have a psychological, economic and social impact on people’s lives. Because we use our hands so much every day, the itching, painful blisters and cracks in the skin can make doing even the simplest tasks difficult. If you suffer from hand eczema, even preparing food, washing dishes, or using a pen can be a challenge. This can make looking after yourself, looking after your family and holding down a job extremely difficult. In a Danish study, almost a quarter of hand eczema sufferers were so badly affected that they reported losing their jobs during the previous 12 months.
Some professions are at higher risk of hand eczema, so if you work in one of these, you should take special care. You might like to try the tips we’ve listed in the previous section.
Catering
Hand eczema is one of the main areas of poor health for catering staff, such as chefs, cooks and catering assistants. Every year, the number of new cases is twice the average of all other industries.
Construction
In the construction industry, there are many substances that can cause problems with the skin on your hands. In one study of construction workers, the prevalence of skin problems was partly associated with a poor use of gloves.
Dentistry
Work-related contact eczema is the most common skin condition in the dental professions. It is nearly ten times greater in dental nurses and seven times greater in dentists than the all-profession average.
Hairdressing
Hairdressers suffer from contact eczema at a rate of 120 cases per 100,000 per year.
Health services
It is estimated that 1,000 nurses develop work-related contact eczema each year, and that the rate of work-related hand eczema that can be diagnosed is nearly seven times higher than the average for all professions.
Metal machining
Among machine tool operators, there is a rate of 56 cases of contact eczema per 100,000 per year, and 34 cases per 100,000 per year among machine tool setters. Metal machining involves the use of large quantities of chemicals and fluids that are often applied in a continuous jet or spray which can cause hand eczema if the skin is exposed.
Motor vehicle industry
There are 35 cases of contact eczema per 100,000 car assemblers per year. Frequent or prolonged contact with used engine oil, and cleaning and degreasing substances may be just a few of the causes of hand eczema in the motor vehicle industry.
Printing
The printing industry has a rate of 71 cases of contact eczema per 100,000 per year. Print workers who use chemicals, such as inks and washing up solutions, during the course of their work are at a higher risk of developing eczema than other workers.
However, hand eczema doesn’t just affect people at work. Because chemicals in cleaning products and frequent exposure to water can be linked to it, even cleaning your home could result in hand eczema. The same factors can result in hand eczema in women with young babies. Constant cleaning up and washing of the hands, which are common when you are looking after a baby, can lead to hand eczema. Some hobbies may also be associated with it. Gardening is commonly associated with hand eczema because plants themselves can cause allergic contact eczema as can the chemicals used in gardening. Certain gloves that you may wear while gardening can also cause allergic contact eczema, as can the drying effects of dealing with soil and frequent exposure to water.
The pain and discomfort caused by hand eczema can also affect sleep, which can lead to exhaustion. Some people get very embarrassed by the way their hands look when they are having an attack of hand eczema. This may mean that they avoid going out in public, or wear gloves to stop people seeing their hands.
Not being able to easily manage day-to-day life can be very upsetting and can cause some people to feel hopeless, especially if their hand eczema has developed into chronic (long-standing) hand eczema. It’s not surprising that a number of people with work-related hand eczema also suffer from depression.
"It was so bad, I couldn’t sleep"
"I was constantly in tears because I just couldn’t move my hands"
There is some good news though. No matter how helpless you may feel, there are ways of managing and treating hand eczema that can help you. As mentioned earlier, your hand eczema may come and go, or you may be fortunate and only have one attack. The severity of your hand eczema may also vary. Everyone’s experience is different. Even those who suffer from more severe or chronic hand eczema find successful ways of dealing with their condition.
"You can still see where it was, especially on my palms, so it’s slightly red still, but it’s much better than it was"
"Out of the 6 years, I’d say maybe 5 months have been really severe"
"I can go for months and you wouldn’t know that I had it; and I go through a spate when it is really bad"
The trick is spotting and treating your hand eczema early, before it becomes worse, and finding a treatment and management strategy that works for you. This website contains information about managing and treating hand eczema, but it is no substitute for seeing a healthcare professional. Only they will be able to diagnose you properly, and advise you on management techniques and treatment specific to your hand eczema. Work with your healthcare professional to find the right strategy for you.
"Some of it, I know, was triggered by latex at the beginning...various hand creams...citrus is a no go. I can’t put citrus on my hands because it will flare up."
"I think it flared up worse when I was a bit stressed"
