Itchy Sore/Rash on hands

I visited this site a couple of months ago. I have had a very bad itchy scaly rash on the Palm of my right hand for about a year.

I have seen 4 doctor's and have been on the strongest ointments available, then the rash started to spread to my left hand and fingers. Cracking, itching, bleeding, and sore. I have been put on oral predisone therapy twice, each time it disappeared as long as I am on the prednisone. The minute I finish it comes back with a vengence,and as I said spreading.

My doctor said it is not a fungus because the predisone would make it worse.

I have never had any allergies and not one Doctor can figure out what this is or has given it a name except that this is very "strange".

Now they want me to see a doctor in NY City...Any ideas here...I  would ignore the whole thing except that it is so itchy and sore even water hurts.

Leslie

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Leslie:

From your description, your rash sounds like eczema or perhaps psoriasis.  It really doesn't sound "strange" at all, since noth are quite common.  Although they are annoying and uncompfortable, you should be able to control the symptoms with regular use of a medicated cream.  Unfortunately, neither condition can be "cured" in a permanent sense, but that doesn't mean you can't control the symptoms.  Perhaps you shoud see another doctor just to get a definitve diagnosis, so as not to be left hanging with a sense thta something unusual is going on, which seems unlikely to be the case.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff