Suggest Treatment For Blisters On Hand

Posted on Sun, 17 Jan 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 17 Jan 2016 Answered on

Thu, 11 Feb 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I don't ave been getting small blisters on one hand. Sometimes they go away after a few days and get dry. When I travel to Hawaii it seems to get worse and I assumed it was heat related.

Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (59 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Most probably dyshidrotic eczema, but first make sure to exclude herpes

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thank you for using HCM to post your question,

I've read your query and saw carefully your picture.

What I see above may be 2 things, with different treatments:

-- If the hand is itchy, then it is dyshidrotic eczema and you will need to use a steroid cream...hydrocorisone 1%, betamethasone 5%, ...once or twice/day, for 2 weeks.

-- If the hand it painful, then it may be herpes zoster and you can not use steroid cream because it would make it worse, but would need to use an antiviral cream, or if it has more then 24 hours then you have in your hand, then it would be self limited because no cream will be helpful.

Hope this is helpful.

Let me know if you need more clarifications.

Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (1 hour later)

So, it never does really itch but on the same note its not painful. It mostly is just annoying when you want to bend your fingers and the bumps let you know it's not quite right. It first appeared several years ago on a trip and while at home tends to be very minor with only a few little bumps apearing then dry up and get flaky skin where the bumps were. It always seems to crop up way more like now when in Hawaii. Home is Wahington state. It does not seem to spread and has been localized to the one hand.

So I am not really sure which way to go according to the explanation you gave.

Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (39 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
A type of Eczema

Detailed Answer:
Hello again dear,

Thank you for the follow-up question.

I will now explain my thoughts.

So, it looks like it is not herpes, and thats good, because now you can use the needed medication.

That look like your dominant hand. Seems very typically like a type of eczema, either dyshidrotic or contact. What I am thinking is that there should maybe be some material that you touch only while on travel that causes the eczema (luggage handle?), something that you touch mostly with that hand.

Either way, the treatment, whatever is the cause will be the same- a steroid that needs to be used twice/day...see names mentioned above.

You will anyway need to identify the cause, so you can avoid it. Because the steroid will treat the lesions this time, but wont prevent it from happening again, if you are in contact with the irritant. Think about what might have caused, or look carefully when you travel.

Hope I have answered your question.
If yes, please kindly close and rate the answer.

Take care.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T