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unknown blistering rash on outer thumb areas
3 nights ago I was finishing up some work & noticed my left thumb was red & warm to the touch. Went to bed thinking I just irritated my skin or even possibly a bug bite. I never felt anything crawling on me or nip me so I wasn't to convinced of this theory. I woke up the next morning with my left thumb area more swollen & noticed the same rash was now appearing on my other thumb. Iced it all day & took some Tylenol. Around 8pm I noticed a small blister on my left thumb & within a few hours many appeared & began to get larger. Around 1am my right thumb started to blister, which is when I went to ER.
The ER took my blood and all was normal. They then took a biopsy of 1 of my blisters (stuck a needle right in a blister) & will send results in 3 days. I have no fever & it's only on my outer thumb areas. They gave me steroids for the inflammation, wrapped up my one hand, and sent me home. They told me just to keep my left hand ( the one with the open blisters) dry. They didn't put any antiseptic cream on the blister nor did they inform me too. The blisters on my right hand have gotten worse and I've been keeping both hands wrapped. I've put antiseptic cream on my left thumb and I've also been rubbing Aloe (from my aloe plant) on both hands. Today when changing my dressings my left hand started to swell up rapidly. I've been icing it ever since. I've had no fever and the rash has not appeared anywhere else.
Thursday night (the night i first noticed the rash) was nothing was new or out of the norm. I went to wawa, got gas, went to my bank, a friends house to pick up a letter and then was at home the rest of the day/night. I work from home so most of my day was spent in my home office. I did turn the heat on for a little and noticed the rash shortly after showering. No new lotions, cleaning products, foods, perfumes... nothing like that. Plus the location of the two rashes are just bazaar.
Hoping anyone can share any advice or similar situations. Thank you in advance.
Yes, please do keep me posted.
Once you know what triggered it off, you will be able to avoid it.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Best wishes
Once you know what triggered it off, you will be able to avoid it.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Best wishes
Jemma
You are an angel! thank you so much for taking so much of your time to help me. As I was looking at the BDD and I came across something called "phytophotodermatitis" or "phytophotodermatosis" I'm still doing some research on it but it seems to have a lot of the same symptoms that I'm experiencing. I'll keep you posted but I just wanted to share!
You are an angel! thank you so much for taking so much of your time to help me. As I was looking at the BDD and I came across something called "phytophotodermatitis" or "phytophotodermatosis" I'm still doing some research on it but it seems to have a lot of the same symptoms that I'm experiencing. I'll keep you posted but I just wanted to share!
Hope there is some improvement in your hands.
I had a look at the gardening books in B&Q, but could not see as I didn't have my reading glasses. An assistant helped and decided to google, be she only found refernce to pericallis.
Back at home I have found the Botanical Dermatology Database. I am not permitted to by MedHelp policy rules to disclose the web link. But if you google the BDD it will come up, but this is what I found:-
Cineraria L.
Fifty species are to be found in Africa and Madagascar. The genus is classified in the tribe Senecioneae, and is closely related to the genus Senecio L. into which very many species have been transferred.
The cineraria of florists, which is commonly grown for decorative purposes, is derived from Pericallis x hybrida B. Nord., of which many varieties and cultivars are known.
Of 302 persons tested with [an unidentified] cineraria leaf, 1.7% showed positive reactions. Fregert & Hjorth (1969) concluded that some species are marginal irritants.
There is also an article called Allergic contact dermatitis due to Cineraria hybrid in an amateur gardener housewife on the Wiley Online Library in the book called Contact Dermatitis
Volume 59, Issue 2, pages 128–129, August 2008
The contact dermatitis can come up as itching, burning and blisters.
I had a look at the gardening books in B&Q, but could not see as I didn't have my reading glasses. An assistant helped and decided to google, be she only found refernce to pericallis.
Back at home I have found the Botanical Dermatology Database. I am not permitted to by MedHelp policy rules to disclose the web link. But if you google the BDD it will come up, but this is what I found:-
Cineraria L.
Fifty species are to be found in Africa and Madagascar. The genus is classified in the tribe Senecioneae, and is closely related to the genus Senecio L. into which very many species have been transferred.
The cineraria of florists, which is commonly grown for decorative purposes, is derived from Pericallis x hybrida B. Nord., of which many varieties and cultivars are known.
Of 302 persons tested with [an unidentified] cineraria leaf, 1.7% showed positive reactions. Fregert & Hjorth (1969) concluded that some species are marginal irritants.
There is also an article called Allergic contact dermatitis due to Cineraria hybrid in an amateur gardener housewife on the Wiley Online Library in the book called Contact Dermatitis
Volume 59, Issue 2, pages 128–129, August 2008
The contact dermatitis can come up as itching, burning and blisters.
I have found on the web Wellsphere that lists the worst allergy plants one one of them is: Senecio (cineraria, natal ivy, german ivy, wax vine).
I remember reading in one of my gardening books or magazines that Cineraria causes allergic reactions to suseptible people. I have looked to find the book, but can't find the article at the moment. It may be in one of my magazines, and I have a lot of them.
So, it is possible that you may have developed a sensitivity to the plant.
As it is on the top of your hands and near to the thumbs, it makes sense if you picked up a pot plant with both hands, the leaves would have touched that area of your hands. Newly purchased plants are also treated with chemicals.
I remember reading in one of my gardening books or magazines that Cineraria causes allergic reactions to suseptible people. I have looked to find the book, but can't find the article at the moment. It may be in one of my magazines, and I have a lot of them.
So, it is possible that you may have developed a sensitivity to the plant.
As it is on the top of your hands and near to the thumbs, it makes sense if you picked up a pot plant with both hands, the leaves would have touched that area of your hands. Newly purchased plants are also treated with chemicals.
Well,latex in gloves can cause severe allergy, and you can develop it as a delayed reaction too.A patch test ordered ,is a battery of allergens tested on the skin to identify a potential allergen.
Best wishes.
Best wishes.
Hey Maatson,
Thanks for the response. I didn't have any contact with any latex nor have I had any issues with latex in the past. None of the doctors ordered a patch test, what does a patch test show exactly?
Thanks for the response. I didn't have any contact with any latex nor have I had any issues with latex in the past. None of the doctors ordered a patch test, what does a patch test show exactly?
Hey Jemma,
Would the if it was cinneria would i have been itchy? I'm having trouble finding more information about it.
Would the if it was cinneria would i have been itchy? I'm having trouble finding more information about it.
Very interesting. Looks like you have an allergic contact dermatitis ,most probably to latex, in the gloves.
A patch test would help in arriving at a diagnosis.
Best wishes.
A patch test would help in arriving at a diagnosis.
Best wishes.
Well that's good news.
But it doesn't help your condition get better.
See your doctor so that he can recommend something for you - an antihistimine cream as well as antihistimine tablets to take. keep the area clean and dry.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
But it doesn't help your condition get better.
See your doctor so that he can recommend something for you - an antihistimine cream as well as antihistimine tablets to take. keep the area clean and dry.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Thanks. Got the wound culture back today and they said no bacteria or fungi was found. Strange... Hand and blisters still bad and swollen.
The white and purple daisy plant sounds like a cinneria.
If they were the pink, yellow and white ones that are called Gebera, you would have been fine.
Thanks for the info, I will look into it. I have ointments from the doctor and I can't use soap. I made some soap myself some months ago with geranium leaf, calendula and lavenda, just am too idle to use it.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
If they were the pink, yellow and white ones that are called Gebera, you would have been fine.
Thanks for the info, I will look into it. I have ointments from the doctor and I can't use soap. I made some soap myself some months ago with geranium leaf, calendula and lavenda, just am too idle to use it.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Hey jemma,
The daisies are table top Daisys they're white and purple. I got them at produce junction a few weeks ago. Sorry to hear about your eczema I have a friend who makes soaps and skin are for people who suffer with eczema. Her site is http://greenstreetlux.com/ and her name I'd Candy. Her products are amazing. I'm going to look into the daisy reaction you mentioned. Thank you so much.
The daisies are table top Daisys they're white and purple. I got them at produce junction a few weeks ago. Sorry to hear about your eczema I have a friend who makes soaps and skin are for people who suffer with eczema. Her site is http://greenstreetlux.com/ and her name I'd Candy. Her products are amazing. I'm going to look into the daisy reaction you mentioned. Thank you so much.
With chemical reactions you would normally have noticed a burning sensation straight away.
Sometimes we may not have a reaction or suffer from alergies and then out of the blue it can just happen. I developed contact dermatitis in my early 30s and now suffer with eczema when I never used to have it. I get a reaction when I touch a leylandii tree or when I touch the leaves of the cucumber plants when I grow them.
You wouldn't have had a reaction to the orchid. Not sure about the normal basil.
Regarding the daisy plants, what type are they? I do know that the daisy plant called cinneria can cause allergic reactions when touched and this is documented in the gardening books.
best wishes
Sometimes we may not have a reaction or suffer from alergies and then out of the blue it can just happen. I developed contact dermatitis in my early 30s and now suffer with eczema when I never used to have it. I get a reaction when I touch a leylandii tree or when I touch the leaves of the cucumber plants when I grow them.
You wouldn't have had a reaction to the orchid. Not sure about the normal basil.
Regarding the daisy plants, what type are they? I do know that the daisy plant called cinneria can cause allergic reactions when touched and this is documented in the gardening books.
best wishes
Hey Jemma116,
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I've stopped putting the Aloe on my skin for the time being. At first the aloe did seen to sooth it, however I just don't want to take anymore chances.
My mother and I thought it looked a lot like a chemical burn too. At no point did it rash itch it's always been a burning throbbing sensation. I have a few house plants but I've had them all for quite sometime. I have an Orchid, Basil plant, and some daisy's. I water them but I've never had any type of reaction from them before and like I said, I've had them for sometime now.
The hospital gave me no antihistamine nor have I taken any. I have not changed any lotions or soaps.
The day I noticed the rash I had only been to a few places and never came into contact with any plants or anything like that.
Earlier in the week I did clean out my tub however I was wearing gloves and shortly after cleaning my tub I took a bath. I was sure to rinse everything very thoroughly. That was almost 5 days prior to this rash appearing though and it's only on my outer hands.
If it were some kind of chemical burn wouldn't my skin react within hours of contact?
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I've stopped putting the Aloe on my skin for the time being. At first the aloe did seen to sooth it, however I just don't want to take anymore chances.
My mother and I thought it looked a lot like a chemical burn too. At no point did it rash itch it's always been a burning throbbing sensation. I have a few house plants but I've had them all for quite sometime. I have an Orchid, Basil plant, and some daisy's. I water them but I've never had any type of reaction from them before and like I said, I've had them for sometime now.
The hospital gave me no antihistamine nor have I taken any. I have not changed any lotions or soaps.
The day I noticed the rash I had only been to a few places and never came into contact with any plants or anything like that.
Earlier in the week I did clean out my tub however I was wearing gloves and shortly after cleaning my tub I took a bath. I was sure to rinse everything very thoroughly. That was almost 5 days prior to this rash appearing though and it's only on my outer hands.
If it were some kind of chemical burn wouldn't my skin react within hours of contact?
It definitely looks like an allergic reaction to something.
Do not rub the alovera plant on it. There are different types of alovera and you need to make sure you are using the right one. Besides that, as the condition worsened after you used it, it seems that it the aloe has aggravated it even more.
Have you touched any plants at all that you may have got this allergic reaction to?
It initially looks like a scald as if you had hot water poured over it. Keep the wounds clean and dry.
Did the hospital not give you any antihistamines to take? Becaue it is getting worse, and it looks like an allergic reaction to something, perhaps you could take some antihistamine medications.
Although the hospital will send you the results in 3 days time, as your condition it getting worse and does not settle down, get back to them or your doctor.
As it is on your hands and nowhere else on yur body, it seems to me that you have touched something that has triggers this off. Do you remember touching anything that you have not touched before or brushed past a hedge or plant somewhere? Or did you use any detergents and cleaning chemicals that could have cause this?
Hope you get it sorted out soon.
Do not rub the alovera plant on it. There are different types of alovera and you need to make sure you are using the right one. Besides that, as the condition worsened after you used it, it seems that it the aloe has aggravated it even more.
Have you touched any plants at all that you may have got this allergic reaction to?
It initially looks like a scald as if you had hot water poured over it. Keep the wounds clean and dry.
Did the hospital not give you any antihistamines to take? Becaue it is getting worse, and it looks like an allergic reaction to something, perhaps you could take some antihistamine medications.
Although the hospital will send you the results in 3 days time, as your condition it getting worse and does not settle down, get back to them or your doctor.
As it is on your hands and nowhere else on yur body, it seems to me that you have touched something that has triggers this off. Do you remember touching anything that you have not touched before or brushed past a hedge or plant somewhere? Or did you use any detergents and cleaning chemicals that could have cause this?
Hope you get it sorted out soon.
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