(no subject)

[alexseanchai]

I complained to my sister about not having lotioned my hands soon enough to avoid the owie from getting lotion in the cracks (the skin on back of my hands always cracks when it's cold, more the right than the left), and she told me off for using lotion instead of Vaseline (but I hate Vaseline) and for not having seen a doctor about what, if it's the same as what she's got which she says it sounds like it is, is a treatable medical condition, a flavor of eczema. Which I'd thought wasn't a thing that came in different varieties and its key symptom is a rash which I have not got and therefore this couldn't be eczema. But Wiki tells me otherwise, so now I'm wondering if I should bug my primary care provider (but I just saw her two weeks ago) or skip straight to one of the dermatologists on my insurance's list of providers or just buy some hydrocortisone at Walmart since apparently that's likely to be the treatment anyway.

Comments

[recessional]

Just buy some hydrocortisone, at least to start with. That's the family rule of thumb with skin stuff - put regular lotion on it, if that doesn't fix everything put OTC hydrocortisone on it, if that doesn't fix it see the doctor.

[alexseanchai]

All right, thank you. (I knew somebody reading me would have more experience.)

[recessional]

Np. Also, vaseline is icky. If you're having problems with normal lotion stinging, it's probably the alcohol they put in it (any "non greasy" formulation will have a little bit of alcohol to help drying). This is the stuff I used when I was on Accutane and had skin so dry that my tan flaked off in the summer and normal lotion was a burning torture. Not as gross as Vaseline, no burning; it's more or less the base they use for hydrocortisone cream (as opposed to ointment). (Note: I used their cream formulation; I'd check the ingredients of the new lotion formulation.)

[alexseanchai]

Yeah, I think it is nongreasy, but I don't want to run back upstairs to check.

Thanks for the tip.

[lliira]

I've had horribly dry skin on my elbows since forever. It got particularly gross and scabby lately, so I decided to try Aveeno Skin Relief shower and bath oil, and it works REALLY well. The first application got rid of the scabs, and after about a month of using it once a week my elbows are almost soft. Maybe it would help?

[alexseanchai]

Maybe. Thanks.

[neotoma]

Fr what it's worth, I use shea butter on my winter rough patches, which might be an alternative you can try.

[alexseanchai]

Thanks