Skin irritation help

[caryrae]

Occasionally at work we have to grout with an epoxy grout and every time we do I get a allergic reaction on my skin, mostly my knees and forearms. It can itch pretty bad sometimes and have tried different products like cortizone 10, benadryl pills, and a Eucerin lotion but they don't seem to work to good. Does anyone have any other suggestions that they find works? It has been going on for about 5 days now.

[Disney Hungarian]

Lidocaine will work wonders.:mickey:

Fine print:
Please note that I am not a doctor nor am I in any way trying to diagnose or treat your ailment.

[cather74]

Go to a dermatologist. They have some good miracle creams.

[luvmyboys4ever]

We use LMX 4% for all of our skin irritations. It's a topical anesthetic cream. It numbs the area, so you won't feel the need to scratch and infect the area any further. We first learned of it when our son needed a staple in his head. The nurse put the cream on his cut and let it sit for 30 minutes or so...then, she came back and put the staple in...my son never felt a thing! He was 5 at the time, so it was a blessing.
The last time we used it was on a crabbing trip. My mother had her finger cut pretty deep by a crab's pincher. I put the cream on and covered it with a band-aid, and she didn't feel it again for the rest of the day. She thought it was amazing since crabbing is a dirty activity, with salwater and fish guts galore...lol!
It is over the counter and comes in 5% if you need something a little stronger. It can be a little expensive, so look around for deals online. It's worth it!

[citizensnoopy]

It does sound like an irritant or contact dermatitis. To rapidly treat symptoms, the best thing will probably be a topical corticosteroid. Cortisone is a weak steroid --- see your physician to get something stronger prescribed. It's probably personal preference, but ointments might be a little more potent than creams. In terms of a moisturizer, the clinic I worked in always recommended CeraVe cream. Avoid anything scented as that will irritate your skin even more. It can probably be handled by a primary care physician, so you should start by seeing your regular doctor.

Let me know if you have more questions. Caveat: I specialize in radiology, not dermatology, but I did spend time working in dermatology during the first year of residency. :D

[caryrae]

This is some great info thanks guys. I just have to remember this when I use epoxy grout other times in the future.

[Magic Smiles]

Great information. I tend to get a skin irritation quite often when working in the garden. It sometimes last for months and I feel like scratching the skin off my arm. I will be on the look out for some of the remedies recommended. Yes, I know I should see my doctor, but it always takes so long to get an appointment.

[DisneyDog]

I have excema and I have been washing my hands/face with Cerave for years. It really does help. I do have a Rx cream for when I have breakouts of excema. I still get it on my legs, but I haven't gotten it on my hands once since I started using Cerave. Great stuff. A bit pricey, but worth it.