Many people have blisters, itching and peeling hands in the summer, and they use various methods of treatment, but they can’t get rid of the root of the problem, and they keep committing it every year.
This phenomenon is more common and is medically known as herpes perspicans. The cause is not yet fully understood, but most people believe that it is a non-specific eczema-like skin reaction, related to personal constitution, plant nerve dysfunction, mental factors, etc. The disease is characterized by repeated corn-grain sized papules and blisters on the palms of the hands and fingers, no obvious inflammation around them, thicker walls, transparent herpes at first, later becoming cloudy, 2-3 days later the herpes absorbs itself, dries up and forms flakes, revealing pink new epithelium, forming linear chaps in finger flexion and extension, the rash is symmetrically distributed, itching and burning pain in the affected area. The rash is symmetrically distributed, and the affected area feels itchy and burning.
The actual fact is that there is no special method for the prevention and treatment of this disease, life should avoid spicy, wine, coffee and other irritating food, less smoking or non-smoking, less or no alkaline soap, washing powder, detergent hand washing. Do not pick the blisters and do not tear the skin. Topical treatment is based on astringent and anti-itching such as: glycolite lotion, 5% formalin or 1% urotropine, prickly heat powder, etc. The blisters can be soaked in 0.5% aluminum acetate solution or 5% alum solution or wet compress. If itching is obvious, corticosteroid preparations such as de-inflammatory pine, compound connarol cream, and zhirosone can be used. If erythema, desquamation and chapping are the main causes, 10% urea cream, silicon cream, vitamin E cream, salicylic acid ointment can be applied externally once or twice a month. For systemic treatment, antihistamines, vitamins B1, B2, A and E can be used. if the number of rashes is high and self-conscious symptoms are obvious, short courses of oral corticosteroids such as prednisone, 10 mg each time, 3 times a day, can be taken for 5 to 7 days to reduce symptoms.
What are the characteristics of Chinese medicine for herpes sweat?
Herpes sweat not only affects the aesthetics of the hands, but also often affects the patient’s life due to itching. In severe cases, secondary infection can occur and swelling of the hands can be painful. Since the cause of this disease is not well understood, there is no satisfactory treatment to eradicate it in Western medicine.
Chinese medicine has a long history of treating this disease, which was called “ant nest” as early as the Ming Dynasty. Since the manifestation is mainly deep blisters, it should belong to dampness. The treatment of TCM is multifaceted. A combination of internal and external treatment, together with dietary and emotional regulation.
(1) Internal treatment
(1) Dampness and heat are prevalent in the palm and plantar area with deep blisters, clustered in groups, needle point size, itching, wipe through the blisters, the water is yellow and sticky, accompanied by a red tongue with greasy coating and slippery pulse. Treatment is to clear heat and remove dampness. Medicine: Scutellaria baicalensis 10g, Huanglian 10g, Atractylodes macrocephala 15g, Chenpi 10g, Poria 10g, Liuyisan 10g (decoction), Coix seeds 30g, Dampness 10g. decoction, 1 dose daily.
②Spleen deficiency and dampness evidence of palmoplantar scattered blisters, needle point to corn size, translucent, thin blister fluid, itching, accompanied by tongue fresh water slippery, pulse is moist and slippery. Treatment is to strengthen the spleen and remove dampness method. Medicine: Poria 12g, Atractylodes macrocephala 10g, Zeligia 10g, Bianchi 10g, Plantago 10g (decoction), fried Coix seeds 60g, fried yam 30g, winter melon skin 60g. decoction, 1 dose daily.
(2) External treatment method according to the characteristics of the disease mainly dampness, can be used to collect dampness and astringent herpes method: Wang Bu Liu Xing 60g, alum 30g, pomegranate peel 30g, water decoction to obtain juice, soak the affected area, each time 5 minutes, 2 times a day.
(3) Diet therapy
① Eat more vegetables and fruits that have the effect of strengthening the spleen and removing dampness, such as yam, sweet potato, winter melon, watermelon, adzuki beans and pumpkin.
② Eat less spicy and thick taste, fatty and sweet wine and cheese.
(4) Other things to reduce contact with soap, alkali, washing powder, detergent, gasoline, alcohol, etc.; keep your feelings open, avoid the seven emotions; do not tear off the molted skin with your hands to prevent poisoning into pus.
Differentiation between tinea cruris, eczema, contact dermatitis and exfoliative keratolytic disease
Tinea capitis is a fungal infection that causes ringworm. Ringworm often causes itching and the skin on the hands to develop papules, blisters, erythema, and flaking. It starts as small patches, and then the damage gradually expands with clear boundaries. Over time, the skin on the hands becomes rough, dry, and thickened, and may be accompanied by cracking and bleeding. But if you have symptoms such as itchy, peeling hands, can you say that it is definitely ringworm? Of course not, there are many other skin conditions that can be seen with itchy, peeling hands, such as eczema, sweat rash, contact dermatitis, and exfoliative keratolytic disorder, which should be carefully differentiated, otherwise diagnosis and treatment can be delayed.
Eczema mostly occurs on the palms of the hands and is symmetrical on both hands. The lesions are polymorphic, with papules, blisters, vesicles, exudates and crusts existing simultaneously, often with two or three of them predominating. The disease is seasonally related, and there is also a correlation with diet and rest. The damage can be aggravated if the palms of the hands are exposed to irritation such as water and soap. The fungal examination is negative.
There is a clear seasonality in the occurrence of herpes perspicans, which mostly develops in spring and summer and heals itself in winter, mainly in young people. The lesions are also symmetrically distributed, with blisters predominantly occurring in batches, on the palms of the hands, on the flanks of the fingers, and on the ends of the fingers; the blisters dry and peel off to reveal new skin, often with varying degrees of itching and burning. The disease occurs in association with poor sweating or allergic reactions, and fungal examination of the damage is negative.
Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to allergy-causing substances and is an allergic reaction of the skin with a clear history of exposure. The lesions occur at the site of contact, with clear boundaries and a consistent pattern, mostly erythema, edema, and in severe cases, blisters and macules. The lesions can gradually fade to healing after removal from contact. Local fungal examination is negative.
Exfoliative keratolytic disease is a superficial exfoliative dermatosis of the palmoplantar area, often accompanied by local sweating and easy to attack in the warm season. The lesions mainly involve the heart of the hands and feet and are bilaterally symmetrical, showing small white dots and paper-thin scales that peel off easily, with normal skin underneath. Fungal examination was negative. The cause of the disease is unknown and may be related to hand sweating and mental stress. If the symptoms are not severe, the disease can be left untreated because it has a tendency to heal on its own. However, when the rash starts, try to minimize contact with alkaline substances such as soap and detergent and alcohol, and do not use your hands to tear off the raised skin, which will aggravate the lesions. Topical application of 10%-20% urea grease can be applied 1 to 2 times/day.