Special problems:

damaged nails, blisters, hyperkeratosis and secondary infections

I have suffered from thick skin build-up on my heels, and also thick skin around cracks on my hands. I have tried various ways to file down this hard cracked skin, and only made things worse. This is what works: Buy one of those nail sculpting plastic nail files (wide coarse/medium, any drug store, Eckerds has them) Use it to file the thick skin down a little, and then apply the peroxide treatment. You will learn with practice how much to take off at each time. After the peroxide and the ointments, the skin does not regrow back as fast, and the area has a chance to begin healing. If you have severe build-up on heels or big toes, it will take many applications to whittle this down. Be persistent and patient.

Dyshidrosis can also affect nails and nailbeds, and cause misshapen nails, greenish or yellowish nails, vertical ridges, and erosion of the nail adhesion (and possibly contributes to ingrown toenails by curving the nail inward). Applying peroxide directly to the nail has helped me. Most of the time, the discomfort is minimal, but a few times I experienced intense pain, as the h2o2 worked its way into the nail bed. The hot water treatment brings relief. I have also applied hydrocortisone with a toothpick right under the nail. My nails are still “in process” and while they have gotten better, I cannot report here anything conclusive yet. (Dec 2006, my nails are much better, and have lost that greenish/yellowish tinge.) I have also heard that the 40% urea cream has been used for a week on nails to effect healing (urea softens and abrades tissues, even nails). For more information, contact Doak Dermatologics, or see a package insert.

Large blisters (the infamous “bubbles” of pompholyx) are not readily responsive to the h2o2 treatment because of the insulating fluid under the skin. The medical literature recommends puncturing these large bubbles but not taking off the skin. Alternately, soaking in Domeboro solution (OTC) is said to be quite effective at drying them out. Buy the powder (not the tablets) and follow directions. For more information, see Bayer's Domeboro page. Salt water soaks have also been recommended by other sufferers. It may be a good idea to use an antiseptic ointment if the blister is punctured to prevent infection.

Secondary infections can set in when the vesicles become vulnerable. An infection hurts, and shows puffy red areas that keep enlarging. Whole pieces of the skin can come off during such a problem. For tiny areas, treating with antiseptic ointment and h2o2 usually takes care of the problem, but if it keeps growing, see professional assistance ASAP. An oral antibiotic is then the way to go. I have found it useful to resume h2o2 treatments as soon as the sore skinned over, about 2 days into the oral antibiotic treatment. The discomfort was minimal using 7.5% h2o2.

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Written by Vera Bradova © 2004-2007
Updated 10-17-2006

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