The FP asked the patient to show him how he moved about and immediately noticed that the involved area corresponded directly to the part of the hand that pressed upon his cane. He then diagnosed the patient with unilateral hand eczema related to friction.
The FP asked the patient if he would be willing to get a soft glove to wear on his hand while walking. The patient was amenable to this suggestion, but also asked if something could be done for the dry, thickened area that had already built up on his palm.
The FP prescribed ammonium lactate 12% to be applied twice daily, as it is a good moisturizing keratolytic that helps to break down keratin and soften the skin. He also gave the patient a prescription for 0.1% triamcinolone ointment to rub into the affected area at night before going to sleep. The FP recommended not using this during the daytime as it might make the patient’s hand slippery, leading to a fall if he lost his grip on the cane. At a follow-up visit 2 months later, the patient had improved and was very happy with the result.
Photos and text for Photo Rounds Friday courtesy of Richard P. Usatine, MD. This case was adapted from: Usatine R. Hand eczema. In: Usatine R, Smith M, Mayeaux EJ, et al, eds. Color Atlas of Family Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2013:597-602.
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