Why would bleach make my hand feel better?
I have had small patches of eczema on my hand for the last few months.
I read about soaking in a dilute chlorine beach solution on some web
site, and, being somewhat desparate, I tried it. The first time, just
for a minute or so, and when that felt OK, the second day for maybe 5
minutes. Today, the 3rd time, again for a few minutes. Each time
followed by rinsing, drying and lotion. The worst bit of skin now looks
normal (still feels a bit thickened) and the rest looks a bit red, but
nothing like the swollen, dry, cracked way it was, and best of all,
it’s NOT itching!
Now, I go looking around the web some more and I can’t find much about
this idea, instead, most all I find are warnings that bleach will
aggravate skin problems!
So, why did this work for me?
May 6th, 2006 at 9:44 am
I’d guess that it’s a temporary solution and probably only a good idea to use
occasionally. Holistic doctors have told me to do soaks with vinegar and water
(1:4 ratio) to reduce itching in my hands. It works and I think it is because
of the imbalance in the cell membranes draws out whatever fluid is blistering
inside your hands. I call it the Slug Effect.
Too much of it hurts like hell and seems to have even removed a layer or two of
skin - if it didn’t it sure felt like it had burned me to hell. It’s good in
the worst cases, but it’s just a temporary fix. I think bleach must do
something similar, but I wouldn’t use it myself - drying, toxic, etc.
Soaking your hands in a heavy acid or basic (like bleach) solution will
probably soften all of the thickened skin on your hands. Maybe you can find a
milder way of soaking them?
K
I read about soaking in a dilute chlorine beach solution on some web
site, and, being somewhat desparate, I tried it. The first time, just
for a minute or so, and when that felt OK, the second day for maybe 5
minutes. Today, the 3rd time, again for a few minutes. Each time
followed by rinsing, drying and lotion. The worst bit of skin now looks
normal (still feels a bit thickened) and the rest looks a bit red, but
nothing like the swollen, dry, cracked way it was, and best of all,
it’s NOT itching!
Now, I go looking around the web some more and I can’t find much about
this idea, instead, most all I find are warnings that bleach will
aggravate skin problems!
So, why did this work for me?
SPONSORED LINKS
Health and wellness
Alternative medicine Health wellness
product
Health and wellness program Diet fitness
health nutrition wellness Health promotion
and wellness
Visit your group "eczemapsoriasis" on the web.
———————————
May 6th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
Yes, a milder alternative would probably be good.
(although I
used to enjoy the feeling on my skin after swimming in a chlorinated
poool — back when I used to go swimming a lot.)
If it’s an acid/base thing, apparently a salt water soak would do
something similar? I was just reading something to that effect.
But, I was also wondering if the bleach was killing off some fungus
or bacteria.
I guess I should go get some salt and see what a salt water soak
feels like.
May 8th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
Bleach kills ALL the cells, good and bad: Kind of like Radiation and
Chemotherapy. Personally I wouldn’t use it.
Alison
I have had small patches of eczema on my hand for the last few months.
I read about soaking in a dilute chlorine beach solution on some web
site, and, being somewhat desparate, I tried it. The first time, just
for a minute or so, and when that felt OK, the second day for maybe 5
minutes. Today, the 3rd time, again for a few minutes. Each time
followed by rinsing, drying and lotion. The worst bit of skin now looks
normal (still feels a bit thickened) and the rest looks a bit red, but
nothing like the swollen, dry, cracked way it was, and best of all,
it’s NOT itching!
Now, I go looking around the web some more and I can’t find much about
this idea, instead, most all I find are warnings that bleach will
aggravate skin problems!
So, why did this work for me?
May 10th, 2006 at 6:01 am
I’m definately NOT suggesting that anyone else try using it. It’s
probably a foolish thing to do without understanding the state of one’s
own skin and the effects of chlorine on it.
I’m trying to find out why, at this stage of my problem, it made my
hand feel better. Just for the sake of discussion, if did kill all the
top layer skin cells, why on earth did doing so feel good?
I did try a salt water soak this morning, just a table salt in a
dishpan of warm water. It didn’t feel as good, but I’d say the net
effect on my skin was a slight positive.
May 10th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
Maybe it feels better because it softened the hard eczema and got rid of the
"diseased" skin? Someone had wrote in this group about in another country
they were putting people who had eczema in tanks(their limbs only) with
these little fish that nibble on their "dead or diseased" skin . Apparently
it works well.
Alison
I’m definately NOT suggesting that anyone else try using it. It’s
probably a foolish thing to do without understanding the state of one’s
own skin and the effects of chlorine on it.
I’m trying to find out why, at this stage of my problem, it made my
hand feel better. Just for the sake of discussion, if did kill all the
top layer skin cells, why on earth did doing so feel good?
I did try a salt water soak this morning, just a table salt in a
dishpan of warm water. It didn’t feel as good, but I’d say the net
effect on my skin was a slight positive.
May 11th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
Another possibility is that it killed off bacteria that was living in the
inflammed skin of your hands; stopped all that activity and inflammation
calmed down.
If bleach kills off the good bacteria, then that bad bacteria is probably
going to set up house again.
What about Tea Tree Oil?
Jo.
‘All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their
own education’ - Sir Walter Scott
Maybe it feels better because it softened the hard eczema and got rid of the
"diseased" skin? Someone had wrote in this group about in another country
they were putting people who had eczema in tanks(their limbs only) with
these little fish that nibble on their "dead or diseased" skin . Apparently
it works well.
Alison
I’m definately NOT suggesting that anyone else try using it. It’s
probably a foolish thing to do without understanding the state of one’s
own skin and the effects of chlorine on it.
I’m trying to find out why, at this stage of my problem, it made my
hand feel better. Just for the sake of discussion, if did kill all the
top layer skin cells, why on earth did doing so feel good?
I did try a salt water soak this morning, just a table salt in a
dishpan of warm water. It didn’t feel as good, but I’d say the net
effect on my skin was a slight positive.
May 12th, 2006 at 4:41 am
Tea Trea Oil? I read a tiny biy about it, it’s toxic if ingested. It
sounds like it would be nearly as toxic as bleach.
May 12th, 2006 at 10:46 am
I am new to this list and a lurker. I belong to this list because my 2 year
old has pretty bad eczema. My 7 year old grew out of his (for now).
I am an RN. In the past I have heard of doctors prescribing weak bleach
soaks everyday for fungal infections. This is not a conventional treatment.
I am sorry if I am way off but could eczema be related to fungus somehow in
some situations?
Sheila
May 15th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
It’s natural and it’s also used in a lot skin care products - has strong
anti-bacterial properties.
Something to maybe look at if you’re interested.
‘All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their
own education’ - Sir Walter Scott
Tea Trea Oil? I read a tiny biy about it, it’s toxic if ingested. It
sounds like it would be nearly as toxic as bleach.
May 16th, 2006 at 9:11 am
You are not supposed to ingest it. Compare that to ingesting bleach.
It’s natural and it’s also used in a lot skin care products - has strong
anti-bacterial properties.
Something to maybe look at if you’re interested.
‘All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their
own education’ - Sir Walter Scott
Tea Trea Oil? I read a tiny biy about it, it’s toxic if ingested. It
sounds like it would be nearly as toxic as bleach.
May 16th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
I use a high grade tea tree oil called Melaleuca oil on my sons
patches of eczema and it works very very well.
Not only is it natural but it is rated 7 times more soothing than
aloe and it is very penetrating which for my boy is a good thing. He
has that thick skin eczema and it helps soften those areas.
Bleach is caustic. Please do not use it on your skin, it will burn
you. (that is the mom in me talking!)
heidi
On Dec 8, 2005, at 2:59 AM, Alison wrote:
Heidi Galdes
May 17th, 2006 at 4:39 am
But if applied to the skin it will be absorbed into the body. Just
because something is natural, doesn’t mean it is safe, there are
plenty of "natural" poisons found in nature.
Again, I’m not suggesting anyone else use bleach, especially not long
term, I’m just not seeing that tea tree oil is likely to be any
safer for long term use.
BTW, my hand looks and feels great today. I’m keeping the skin
mosterized, wearing nitril gloves while washing dishes, I’ve also
been taking fish oil, B & C vitamins, and coconut oil for about a
month, eating less carbs and milk. Today the skin could pass for
normal from a few feet away. Looking closely there’s still signs of
slight puffiness and strange texture, but it’s not even red today.
I’m leaning towards the idea that the bleach did kill off some type
of fungus, but that’s just a guess, it could be just the dietary
changes finally kicking in.
May 17th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
hello,
My douther has severe eczema, it was all over her body and scalp, hands
feet(were the worst)…when we went to an allergist she recomends us a diet,
supplements, lotion to use, she also say to put little of bleach in the tub,
used for a week and then as need it,she say it helps with the staff bactiria the
reddness, she say some times, the body become allergic, so we did it vey little
in the hole tub,, for 3 days,, some how she improve the diet help a tot
too…….now we do not use it, but we use an antibacterial soup, it seem to be
working….
pamela
Again, I’m not suggesting anyone else use bleach, especially not long
term, I’m just not seeing that tea tree oil is likely to be any
safer for long term use.
BTW, my hand looks and feels great today. I’m keeping the skin
mosterized, wearing nitril gloves while washing dishes, I’ve also
been taking fish oil, B & C vitamins, and coconut oil for about a
month, eating less carbs and milk. Today the skin could pass for
normal from a few feet away. Looking closely there’s still signs of
slight puffiness and strange texture, but it’s not even red today.
I’m leaning towards the idea that the bleach did kill off some type
of fungus, but that’s just a guess, it could be just the dietary
changes finally kicking in.
SPONSORED LINKS
Health and wellness Alternative medicine Health wellness product
Health and wellness program Diet fitness health nutrition wellness Health
promotion and wellness
Visit your group "eczemapsoriasis" on the web.
———————————
May 18th, 2006 at 12:33 am
This is just an FYI, found it on the web.
Known Chlorine Dangers:
* Chlorine combines with natural organic matter decaying vegetation
to form potent cancer causing trihalomethanes (THM’s)
* Collectively include such carcinogens as chloroforms, bromoforms
carbon tectachloride, bischlorothane and other cancer causing agents
* Causes atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack
* Causes skin to prematurely age
* Damages the human eye
* Causes bladder, breast, testicular, bladder, colon, or rectal and
bowel cancer as well as malignant melanoma
* Damages lung tissue
* Causes acne, psoriasis, seborrhea and eczema
* Converts to dioxins - the most dangers of cancer causing chemicals
and which build up permanently within a person’s body
causes infertility and birth defects
* Damages the nervous system permanently
"Chlorine is so dangerous" according to PhD biologist/chemist Dr.
Herbert Schwartz," that it should be banned. Putting chlorine in
water is like starting a time bomb. Cancer, heart trouble, premature
senility, both mental and physical are conditions attributable to
chlorine treated water supplies. It is making us grow old before our
time by producing symptoms of ageing such as hardening of the arteries."
Dr. Stephen Askin wrote: "The real issue is not just how toxic
chlorine itself is but how the unintended by-products of chlorine
(organochlorines and dioxins) remain in the environment. They are
persistent in the environment; they do not break down readily and
therefore bio-accumulate. This can create a very serious health
problem; the dioxins and other toxic chemicals accumulate in the
fatty tissues. These contaminants are also hormone disrupters because
they mimic estrogen. The EPA has observed and documented hormonal
imbalance, suppressed immune systems, reproductive infertility and
alterations in fetal development of animals. In viewing the big
picture, these factors are perhaps the most frightening results from
the widespread use of chlorine."
In Super Nutrition for Healthy Hearts Dr Richard Passwater shows how
"the origin of heart disease is akin to the origin of cancer"
Chlorination could very well be a key factor linking these two major
diseases. Chlorine creates THM’s and haloforms. These potent chemical
pollutants can trigger the production of excess free radicals in our
bodies. Free radicals cause cell damage. Excess free radicals can
cause normal smooth muscle cells in the arterial wall to go haywire,
to mutate. The fibrous plaque consequently formed is essentially a
benign tumor. Unfortunately, this tumor is linked with the origin of
heart disease."
May 18th, 2006 at 7:19 am
Perhaps that’s not even relevant. Also "found on the web" — from
the bleach company:
Myth:
Chlorine and liquid bleach are one in the same.
Fact:
Actually they aren’t. The term "chlorine bleach" is actually a
misnomer. What’s in the bottle is sodium hypochlorite, the active
ingredient in liquid bleach. Although chlorine is used to manufacture
sodium hypochlorite, there is no free chlorine in bleach.
May 18th, 2006 at 6:22 pm
All this information regarding bleach is very interesting but who in their right
mind would actually use bleach on their skin. Have you ever splashed that stuff
on you while doing laundry. With eczema my skin is very irritated and at times
where I have scratched it could be open without my knowledge…sitting in a tub
of water with bleach added would set me on fire…not to mention if you do have
open places on you skin the bleach water would into into your blood stream and
"mess you up" even more. JUST DON’T DO IT!!!
Known Chlorine Dangers:
* Chlorine combines with natural organic matter decaying vegetation
to form potent cancer causing trihalomethanes (THM’s)
* Collectively include such carcinogens as chloroforms, bromoforms
carbon tectachloride, bischlorothane and other cancer causing agents
* Causes atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack
* Causes skin to prematurely age
* Damages the human eye
* Causes bladder, breast, testicular, bladder, colon, or rectal and
bowel cancer as well as malignant melanoma
* Damages lung tissue
* Causes acne, psoriasis, seborrhea and eczema
* Converts to dioxins - the most dangers of cancer causing chemicals
and which build up permanently within a person’s body
causes infertility and birth defects
* Damages the nervous system permanently
"Chlorine is so dangerous" according to PhD biologist/chemist Dr.
Herbert Schwartz," that it should be banned. Putting chlorine in
water is like starting a time bomb. Cancer, heart trouble, premature
senility, both mental and physical are conditions attributable to
chlorine treated water supplies. It is making us grow old before our
time by producing symptoms of ageing such as hardening of the arteries."
Dr. Stephen Askin wrote: "The real issue is not just how toxic
chlorine itself is but how the unintended by-products of chlorine
(organochlorines and dioxins) remain in the environment. They are
persistent in the environment; they do not break down readily and
therefore bio-accumulate. This can create a very serious health
problem; the dioxins and other toxic chemicals accumulate in the
fatty tissues. These contaminants are also hormone disrupters because
they mimic estrogen. The EPA has observed and documented hormonal
imbalance, suppressed immune systems, reproductive infertility and
alterations in fetal development of animals. In viewing the big
picture, these factors are perhaps the most frightening results from
the widespread use of chlorine."
In Super Nutrition for Healthy Hearts Dr Richard Passwater shows how
"the origin of heart disease is akin to the origin of cancer"
Chlorination could very well be a key factor linking these two major
diseases. Chlorine creates THM’s and haloforms. These potent chemical
pollutants can trigger the production of excess free radicals in our
bodies. Free radicals cause cell damage. Excess free radicals can
cause normal smooth muscle cells in the arterial wall to go haywire,
to mutate. The fibrous plaque consequently formed is essentially a
benign tumor. Unfortunately, this tumor is linked with the origin of
heart disease."
May 18th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
I used a very dilute concentration, probably 1 part bleach to 100 parts
water. It didn’t hurt at all, it felt rather soothing. It would seem
that what’s wrong with my skin isn’t the same as what you have.
May 24th, 2006 at 3:17 am
I think I’ve found a more specific name for what’s going on with my
hand - Pompholyx.
In reading about the condition, I came across the following suggestion.
I have not tried any of these things yet.
"Soak in potassium permanganate solution for 15 minutes twice a day
until the blisters dry up. Aluminium Chloride (DriSol), Aluminium
Acetate or vinegar soaks are also useful. These dry up blisters, but
are not suitable for dry eczema. "
May 26th, 2006 at 8:37 am
I would second the high grade tea tree oil over the bleach. As for
the toxicity you don’t want to and won’t be ingesting it. It’s
perfectly safe topically. My frieds DS got a hold of her bottle of
tea tree oil when they were visiting friends and she couldn’t tell
if he drank any. We called poison control and were reassured he was
fine. You have to drink A LOT and most really high quality tea tree
oil comes in very small bottles.
Bleach on the other hand has lead to a friend of mine being treated
for several types of cancer at a very young age. Her mom used to put
a tablespoon of bleach in her bath water every day. Not even 30 y/o
and she’s had thyroid cancer, uterine cancer, and one I can’t
remember. It’s really NOT a good idea for long term health. Just
food for thought.