Fingertips chapped/cracked after working in tank...

[czieler]

Not sure if this is the right spot for this...but it is related to reefkeeping in my opinion.

Has anyone else developed skin irritation on their hands from working in their tanks? I'm talking about what appears to be dry/cracked skin on the finger tips.

I have been having this problem for a while, and it's quite irritating, and noticed my LFS guy has dry cracked hands all over... asked him what he does for it..and he doesn't do anything... not sure how he stands it...

I've taken to putting on vinyl gloves with a rubberband around the top when going into my tank, but they usually get a hole in them the first time I touch anything remotely prickly and leak.

Anyhow..I'm not in my tank that often...once a week if that... and then enough to put seaweed strips in a couple times a weekd, and I know a lot of people here are in theirs constantly. Figured someone else had to have this issue too, and wanted to see if anyone knew a good remedy for it.... other than staying out of the tank.

I've had them heal up from being out of the tank for a week or two..the the next time I go in..comes right bacik...

 

[Pufferpunk]

I've had all kinds of stuff happening to my hands. After fragging palys, I had 2 small cuts on my knuckles that got pretty ugly. Recently, my thumb got red & sore to the touch for a few days & then the whole surface has been peeling. Now, it's itchy & red again. Not sure if this is from my tank or not.

 

[reefboy]

yea im currently fight same prob on my right hand one three of my fingers and it the one i grab the corals with.So i have started to ware plastic gloves and its going away shoulda be doing it years ago lol but start now and use lots of lotion but dont use foofy lotions as i think they make it worse i use lanolin types and ill even put on when i put gloves on.As far as the store owner sounds like hes allergic to saltwater so he really needs to use gloves lol

 

[cardgenius]

I had the same problem but I would get cracks all over my hands. I went and bought a box of powder free latex gloves. Now my hands are fine and dont dry out and crack.

 

[czieler]

I double checked my gloves...they are latex not vinyl...but they seem to rip really easy.... this morning I put on two instead of just one... one over the other..and that seemed to work pretty well.

 

[pookstreet]

Try the nitrile gloves, they are tougher than latex or vinyl, altho a tad bit more expensive. I've had problems for the past 6-8 months and just recently started healing. The LFS owner I talked to said that his problem went away eventually by itself, didn't say how long tho. I've been using just vaseline to keep the skin moist but I also had inflammation around the joints. A relative who's a doctor took a look and said my condition is probably due to some type of allergic reaction to either the saltwater or corals. He gave me a topical steroid cream and the inflammation is gone, but the chapped figertips are still there.

I try to use gloves as much as possible. I have the nitrile ones for delicate stuff like fragging and thicker rubber/nitrile gloves found in the gardening section in Lowes for handling rocks and such.

 

[rackyrane]

What about using those aquarium gloves that go from fingers to above the elbow? Just bought some from the doctors and they work well. Hands stay dry as a bone.

 

[Patwa]

those aquarium gloves suck b/c they severly limit finger dexterity, well the ones available in Canada, anyways! heheh...but, to echo what Kenny said, try nitrile gloves.....throw away your vinyl and latex gloves..they just don't last.

I use a pair of neoprene gloves, with each finger dipped in nitrile....they work like a charm..got them at my grocery store's gardening section..for $1

Re: chapped fingers...i've had this problem for about 6 months now...only NOW is it going away....i started to religiously use hand lotion enriched in vitamin E (40,000 I.U. - this is a lot of vitamin E, waaaay more than what is found in regular hand lotion)...after a week, i could see and feel the difference

g'luck

Zach

 

[czieler]

I reaquascaped last weekend w/ three layers of non-laytex gloves on... rock sliced them open several times and I replaced them...then gave up.

After two hours of moving rocks around, two of my fingers were killing me... looked at them..and they had tiny dots on them... didn't look like bristleworm stuff though... then bubbled up like blisters...and now almost looks like necrosis(sp?) of the the tissue on both fingers ( really nasty looking...been putting on band-aids when I go out in public) ... hurt to type for about 4 days...

Needless to say, I won't be re-aquascaping again anytime soon!

 

[Patwa]

I reaquascaped last weekend w/ three layers of non-laytex gloves on... rock sliced them open several times and I replaced them...then gave up.

After two hours of moving rocks around, two of my fingers were killing me... looked at them..and they had tiny dots on them... didn't look like bristleworm stuff though... then bubbled up like blisters...and now almost looks like necrosis(sp?) of the the tissue on both fingers ( really nasty looking...been putting on band-aids when I go out in public) ... hurt to type for about 4 days...

Needless to say, I won't be re-aquascaping again anytime soon!

you need something stronger..non-latex vinyl gloves will not work no matter what you do...the material is not made to handle sharp, abrasive stuff like live-rock.....nitrile is what you need....remember that pic of Calfo fragging Pufferpunk's brain? he was wearing blue gloves... those are nitrile gloves...check your automotive store for them....mechanics use them all the time because of their strength and durability.

the ones I use are neoprene....a bit thicker than Calfo's...but each finger is dipped in nitrile, so it's very resistant to cuts and tears...works like a charm

Zach

 

[czieler]

I think I saw them at home depot..will definitely pop the extra money for them now... pookstreet mentioned them before too.. should have went out and got them then... just didn't realize it was going to get this bad!

 

[Acro76]

Try a product called: Bag Balm

It was originally intended for cow's udder's in vermont's harsh winters. Basically it is just petroleum jelly with an antibiotic in it. Works awesome on all those little cuts and puncture wounds you get from moving rock around. It is available at almost any big box store or chain drugstore.

Put it on for at least 1/2 hour, then wash it off. It is too greasy to leave on very long.

I use coralife aquagloves when doing heavy duty rock moving.... They are not the best but protect your hands