Dermatitis on hands

[misssarahlouise]

I finished college in June this year and got my first job as a Spa therapist, we use ESPA products and for the first few weeks my hands were fine. After that they started to itch and broke out in what looked like dermatitis. I went to the doctors and I was right so they gave me a mild steroid cream. That didn't do much so I went back and they gave me a stronger one. The redness went down but they still itched and are very dry. I've been back to the doctors and they said it doesn't seem like a cream will work, it's time to think about changing something at work. But obviously I can't stop using the products as that's what my job is. I've tried barrier creams etc but they haven't worked either.

I now feel like my only choice is to change career paths, but spa is my passion and I really have no idea what else I want to do in life. If anybody has been in this situation themselves, I would really appreciate some advice on what to do :-(

 

[squidgernetball]

There have been several posts about this recently. I'll try and find a link. It is possibly something in the ESPA range that you're using - I know for some on here it was another premium skin range that caused their problems.

There were several suggestions - using gloves or changing the range, but ideally you want to find out what you're reacting to.

Vic x

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[trudy.trudylee]

I finished college in June this year and got my first job as a Spa therapist, we use ESPA products and for the first few weeks my hands were fine. After that they started to itch and broke out in what looked like dermatitis. I went to the doctors and I was right so they gave me a mild steroid cream. That didn't do much so I went back and they gave me a stronger one. The redness went down but they still itched and are very dry. I've been back to the doctors and they said it doesn't seem like a cream will work, it's time to think about changing something at work. But obviously I can't stop using the products as that's what my job is. I've tried barrier creams etc but they haven't worked either.

I now feel like my only choice is to change career paths, but spa is my passion and I really have no idea what else I want to do in life. If anybody has been in this situation themselves, I would really appreciate some advice on what to do :-(

How rubbish. I have problems With my thumb with the manis I do & it looks awful so I understand how u feel. I read on here only today about dermal shield. Might be worth trying ? Good luck

 

[jadeejordan]

I sympathise with anyone who has dermatitis I've had it for years and no matter what I use from the doctors it never clears, I've had steroids which destroyed my hands and the basic e45 ect. Mine blister they're red raw and flake constantly. I'm hoping one day I might grow out of it. I'm a hairdresser but honestly I suffer more when I'm not working. I hope you find something that soothes yours. Just don't let the docs give you steroids, my hands are scarred.

 

[Spa Therapist]

Keep your eye out for mineral oil in the ingredients of products, it's a major cause of contact dermatitis. I had to massage with pure mineral oil for 2 years at a spa and within 6 months I'd developed severe, infected dermatitis all the way up to my elbows. It only went away when I stopped using it and changed jobs.
I also get it from using products with red or yellow colourings, in particular anything lemon or almond scented such as handwash, washing up liquid etc. within 3 uses my hands blister. It's awful, I sympathise.

 

[eve1969]

I had dermatitis on my hands for months turned out it was the white power free latex free gloves, I have to wear the purple accelerator feee gloves, worth a shot

 

[little-miss-owl]

I finished college in June this year and got my first job as a Spa therapist, we use ESPA products and for the first few weeks my hands were fine. After that they started to itch and broke out in what looked like dermatitis. I went to the doctors and I was right so they gave me a mild steroid cream. That didn't do much so I went back and they gave me a stronger one. The redness went down but they still itched and are very dry. I've been back to the doctors and they said it doesn't seem like a cream will work, it's time to think about changing something at work. But obviously I can't stop using the products as that's what my job is. I've tried barrier creams etc but they haven't worked either.

I now feel like my only choice is to change career paths, but spa is my passion and I really have no idea what else I want to do in life. If anybody has been in this situation themselves, I would really appreciate some advice on what to do :-(

Ok ladies, I just had my tests back. I am allergic to Geraniol, Citral and Coumarin. They aren't actual essential oils but found in tonnes of them. They work down to the bottom layers of your skin and aggrovate it from there, hence why my hands feel like they are burning from the inside out, and why I can never "get" to my itch.

If I were you, I would get to the doctor ASAP, INSIST on having allergy patch tests and INSIST on having the fragrance mixes individually tested. They normally just test a mix, so when you react to the mix you wont know for sure which ingredient you've actually reacted to, so by having them individually tested, this will save you having to go back and save you time (when you get referred this will make more sense).

The doctors are rubbish, get to a dermatologist as soon as you can. All the doctors will do is prescribe this cream and that cream and rub their hands together and sigh a lot and frustrate you. This is your livelihood so really push that, be adament and get your referral.

I am seeing my dermatologist tomorrow and I guess I will find out if I have to give beauty up or not. My allergy has been caused by using Pinks Boutique and Decleor, however I don't blame the two skincare companies at all, just my f*cked up immune sysytem. Devastated doesn't come close.

 

[Flopsey]

I completely feel for you!! My allergy started off by using gels.. So I started wearing gloves.. I now get it from the gloves so use nitrile gloves, within the last few month I'm now reacting to massage oils, after just one massage my arms are patchy and red raw, sleepless nights etc.
That feeling when you can get the itch as it's burning from what feels like the inside, iv made my arms and hands raw from scratching so much with my nails and even teeth. Steroid creams just don't cut it as it's a job and can't say no to particular treatments.
Devastated to even admit it might lead to a career change but what else is there to do/try!!? 😢

 

[little-miss-owl]

I completely feel for you!! My allergy started off by using gels.. So I started wearing gloves.. I now get it from the gloves so use nitrile gloves, within the last few month I'm now reacting to massage oils, after just one massage my arms are patchy and red raw, sleepless nights etc.
That feeling when you can get the itch as it's burning from what feels like the inside, iv made my arms and hands raw from scratching so much with my nails and even teeth. Steroid creams just don't cut it as it's a job and can't say no to particular treatments.
Devastated to even admit it might lead to a career change but what else is there to do/try!!? 😢

That was me last night, had to do 3 massages and only had Decleor massage oil in the salon. 3am woke up with burning arms "from the inside" as well.

Are your oils particularly fragranced with essential oils?

Have you had allergy tests?

 

[shellbert]

Hiya
I feel your pain too!
After doctors gave me creams, and a useless patch test from a dermatologist I had to find the culprit myself!
So when I woke up at 3 am the next morning having to put my hands under the cold water tap to stop them itching, I had to think what I'd used the day before.
I've since discovered I react to "lavender" & "citrus" based oils, lemon/lime etc. so I stay away from lavender and have to be very careful what's in waxing aftercare creams too.

 

[KMack_Ox]

I had contact dermatitis for 3 years back and forward to doctors nothing worked until a friend gave me hemp hand cream & body butter from the body shop & it worked wonders! I never get dermatitis now! Zx

 

[Flopsey]

I can't put my finger on exactly what's making me react, iv used dermalogica clean base massage oil, that's the worse culprit. Iv tried their massage cream and ultra rich body cream. Last resort is extra virgin olive oil, then I'm off massage for good.

 

[Male Waxing]

Try fractionated coconut oil too

Coconut, Fractionated (liquid)

 

[kamikate]

I used ESPA on my face, it came out MEGA dry & flaky. Luckily I stopped before the itching began. Had a lot of problems with Arbonne. I use aromatherapy oils and have to be careful with certain oils that contain geraniol, also I've been burnt by lavender and tea tree oils. If a range has certain ingredients that upset your immune system, you need to find some way of avoiding them. Hard I know when you have to work with them. I use Dermaviduals now, a range that's designed to repair impaired skin barrier.

 

[ejboyle]

My right hand has been everything your all describing over the past few weeks.

I work in a nail bar/salon and also do volunteer work in a holistic centre at a hospital where I work on the wards. Occy health at the hospital gave me cream Dermol 500 it seemed to work but then a week later cracks started to happen. I have on large on and now a tiny little one has appeared.

Trying to work out exactly what it's from is hard. I now have an idea to the Gelish bottles. They don't get cleaned a lot and when they do its with alcohol and a lot of it. I did think it was all the wash of my hands at the hospital I do but I guess it's prob a mix of everything.

Will it go eventually? Or is that it now? It's so dry itchy annoying lol xx

 

[shellbert]

Hi ejboyle
I would say for sure its the alcohol causing it.
As you can see in my earlier post I've suffered quite badly over the years with certain aroma oils but now I'm finding it's the acetone/alcohol that's causing my skin to dry and crack. Try and use gloves when cleaning or taking off polish and moisturise LOTS.
Hope this helps. X

 

[ejboyle]

It's strange how it's only happened in the last few weeks and one hand (I'm left handed and it's all on my right hand). I'm putting loads of cream on and also wearing a cotton glove when I can when I'm home or in bed to help with the cream.

Do you think oils will do it in the future to coz I do massage and reflexology? And looking to do more of them treatments xx

 

[laurakate]

A girl i worked with in a spa used to have bad allergies to espa products. She asked to be put on other treatments. The spa were a bit crap with it because they valued profit over people to a drastic extent at this particular place but my point is that if you have a decent employer there are ways round it.

Rightly or wrongly, if there was a product I didn't want to be overexposed to I would use a different one. Most rooms had grapeseed oil in them and I would use them on the quiet regardless of what I was told to try to sell that week or tell the customer it was. Not something I'm proud of but you've got to look after your health.

 

[FakeBakeLover99]

I get dermatitis but it's cleaning products that cause mine so I have to be so good with wearing gloves when touching any cleaning products. I'd it starts to flare up though any other beauty product make it worse. I got given steroid cream from the doctors and if even I feel a small itch coming I put. Tiny bit on the affected area and it stopes the flare. Xxxxx

 

[Soobs]

I'm a nurse in my usual day job and have to frequently wash my hands with harsh soaps and use alcohol gel in between all the hand washing. I used to frequently develop hacks and cracks in my hands until I started to use a balm recommended to me by a joiner of all people. It's called O'Keefe's Working Hands Cream. It's fabulous!!! My nails have become stronger, and I've never had a contact dermatitis breakout ever since. A little goes a long way, it's fast absorbing and lasts a couple of washes with the harsh soaps and hand gels. You can get it from Amazon xx