Suddenly they appear: Usually numerous small blisters between the fingers, on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, filled with watery fluid. In most sufferers, they itch intensely and often lead to unpleasant changes in the skin. Experts disagree about the causes and treatment. Many sufferers experience these blisters particularly in the warm months. In the past, it was therefore assumed that they were associated with a malfunction of the sweat glands – hence the name (Dys = missing, Hidrosis = sweating/sweat). According to today’s opinion, there is no direct connection, however, some of those affected have an increased sweat production (hyperhidrosis).
Dyshidrosis: typical symptoms
Other names for dyshidrosis are dyshidrotic and dyshidrosiform eczema, respectively, as well as pompholyx – which is also called cheiropompholyx on the hands and podopompholyx on the feet (especially in the case of large-area blisters).
The blisters, which blossom in episodes, not only cause intense itching, but after they burst, the skin often becomes very dry and cracked.
Some sufferers develop large, inflamed and weeping areas of skin; sometimes the hands or feet swell. This can severely (and extremely painfully) affect grasping or walking, for example. The blisters come and go – sometimes isolated, for example on the sides of the fingers, sometimes covering the entire palm or sole of the foot.
Causes of dyshidrosis
What causes the blisters, which are bulging with lymph fluid, remains unclear. They occur particularly frequently in people who suffer from atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, or even allergies such as to nickel. It is also discussed that dyshidrosis is a consequence of a strong skin stress (for example by disinfectants) or a fungal colonization on another external (for example athlete’s foot) or internal body part (for example intestine) and thus a sign of an immune reaction.
In addition, it often occurs in dependence on psychological stress situations.
A hereditary component is also discussed. Connections with diet and stimulants such as coffee, alcohol and cigarettes are described, but are not proven.
Avoid allergy triggers
The treatment options are as varied as the triggers discussed. Not infrequently, the suffering of those affected continues for years without the disease being cured.
If triggers are known, they should be avoided. It can therefore be helpful to take an allergy test. A change in diet – for example, a diet low in milk and meat, avoidance of cheese, onions and peppers (tip from Chinese medicine), no alcohol, coffee, no smoking – is also well worth a try.
Local treatment of dyshidrosis
Local treatment of the skin with creams or baths rarely leads to a healing success, but can improve the itching and the skin appearance and support other measures.
The range of possible active ingredients here includes, for example:
- Tannins (for example, tannosynt.
or baths with oak bark extract, sage or apple cider vinegar). - Wound and protective creams with zinc (including those that are otherwise used for a sore baby bottom) or urea (urea).
- Mostly fat-containing cortisone ointments (for short-term use).
Cortisone can also be taken as tablets for severe symptoms for a few days to weeks. Also preparations such as neogitasone or alitretinoin, which are used in psoriasis, can help in severe courses.
Alternative treatment methods
Alternative medicine recommends sanitation of the intestines (where many immune processes take place), for example, by means of microbiological therapy and purification procedures, homeopathic remedies, and methods of Far Eastern medicine such as acupuncture and Chinese or Tibetan herbal medicine. The basis of these concepts is the view that disorders of the skin are only the visible part of fundamental processes taking place in the body, which thus require a holistic approach.
Supportive relaxation techniques can help to reduce stress and attenuate the flare-ups. In principle, those affected need a lot of patience; ultimately, it must be tried out individually what helps and what rather does not.