Pompholyx, how I hate thee

AKA Dishydrotic eczema! It's this condition that totally sucks! It's a severe dry rash that occurs on the hands (cheiropompholyx) and feet (pedopompholyx). It is intensely itchy and sometimes has a burning sensation. The cause is unknown. So of course, I am blessed with this curse.

I have it on my feet and ds8 has it on his hands too. He shows signs of it wanting to start on his feet... same signs as I had. Can't wear shoes without a horrible red look afterwards, shoes hurt his feet, skin is so dry it hurts, etc.

Each day, several times a day, we break out the lotion and lotion our hands, arms, elbows, knees, legs and feet (top and bottom). It's become a bonding moment, a time to help each other make sure we have enough lotion on our elbows and help rub in the lotion on the hands. We would not survive without lotion (and oatmeal soap!)

Usually I use Eucerin Plus for the skin. Occasionally we forget the Eucerin Plus and use other lotions. That is what this article is about. Different lotions for pompholyx. Which one works best? So here are my reviews of the lotions we have used.

I have been testing Eucerin Plus on one foot while trying Johnson's Baby Lotion (the pink kind) on the other foot to see which one works better or if they are the same. I also tried other lotions and I'll mention them if I can remember them all.

Eucerin Plus: it feels greasy and "heavy" and leaves a shine on the skin but it does work. Is it the best? I don't think so. As far as the other lotions go, my foot tends to feel hot and irritated when I am wearing it unless I go sockless. My ever present red ring of fire is usually BRIGHT RED after wearing it too, making it horribly painful. Think about gopping lotion on your foot and then walking across the floor. It makes the lotion pointless and I ended up having to put it on more times that day to make sure it stayed off. On the up side, it feels like it protects the skin with a layer that is visible. It works GREAT on my regualr dry skin, but NOT for the pompholyx! If I had to give it a grade: B

Johnson's Bay Lotion (in the pink bottle): I'm sure if there is any other colour Johnson's Baby Lotion but just in case... I use the pink kind. It feels soft and gentle and smells so good too! I put it on and it doesn't hold all the heat to my foot, which is very nice. My foot actually feels cool and I can wear a sock on that foot. I think it actually calms the area. Comparing it to the other foot, it is a light pink instead of flamingly brilliant red. And the font colours match my feet so you can really see the difference I am talking about. The dowside is that I need to apply it a few more times a day than the eucerin Plus. The upside is, I think it's helping! My grade for this one: A+

Equate brand lotions: don't waste your money. If you are trying to find something for extremely dry skin, this is NOT the lotion to get. My skin soaks it up and begs for more. It actually gets WORSE using this lotion. If you want to see how bad your pompholyx can get... buy it. If you want to have your skin heal and find relief, spend the extra money on Johnson's Baby Lotion. My grade for this one: D... it works for regular, every day, ho-hum kind of dry skin. But NOT for anything other than needing a tad of lotion. If you are actually trying to moisturize, don't bother.

Family Dollar Oatmeal Lotion: actually, I was surprised. This one worked rather well. It doesn't HELP, but it doesn't make it worse either. I bought some when I realized I forgot to pack lotion and I was going to be gone for 3 days. that many days DEMANDS that there is lotion around if I want to walk after 3 days away. So I ran to Family Dollar on a $2 budget and couldn't find my beloved Baby Lotion. I saw this lotion and thought of the oatmeal soap I use (that'll be another post) so I bought it and hoped that it wouldn't suck. It didn't. It wasn't like WOW, but my feet didn't totally suffer. My grade for this one: C... Great to use if you forgot your lotion and are on a budget. I use it now for my hands. They are regular dry skin. Nothing cracked or horrible... just need a little moisture every once in a while. Helps stretch the Johnson's Baby Lotion too. I use it on the extreme skin and the oatmeal lotion on the regular skin (even my face!)

So there you have it. My humble opinion. And if it helps someone with this HORRIBLE condition to feel some relief, I will be happy.