mEDICAL

Eczema/Psoriasis  

While your hands and feet make up only 4% of your body's total surface area, chronic hand/foot dermatitis can have a big effect on your quality of life. 

This condition is typically due to psoriasis or eczema and presents as follows:     

HAND/FOOT PSORIASIS 

Hand/Foot Psoriasis typically appears on the palms and soles but can also appear on the tops of your feet, backs of your hands, and on knuckles and nails. In addition to pain, hand and foot psoriasis can cause cracking and splitting, thickening, redness, scaling, swelling and blisters. The cause is felt to be autoimmune in origin. 

HAND/FOOT ECZEMA 

Hand/Foot Eczema occurs as an exaggerated reaction of the immune system to various adverse factors from the environment. Skin inflammation presents with small, deep blisters on the palms, sides of the fingers, and/or soles; intense itching; inflamed skin (reddish and hot to the touch); and cracking and peeling skin. Skin may become infected, causing oozing blisters and crusts. Nail changes may occur if the condition persists for a long time. Sometimes as the skin clears, the skin peels and a new crop of blisters appear. While the cause is unknown, it is believed that a person’s reaction to events within the body play a role, such as having another medical condition, and environmental factors, such as the weather and contact with allergens or irritants.