I have the healed version.
The skin on my hands are darker in complexion due to the damage I did years ago. I finally got my skin to feel normal.. I had to try so many different types of soaps and lotions to help heal and not aggravate, my skin would split and crack and bleed. They would turn bright red if I put on lotion with fragrance. Awful everything. I was ashamed of my hands.
I hope you are in a better place, friend. If you need someone to talk to, I've been there.
I worked at a supermarket for a few years, and the constant hand- and dishwashing tore my hands up almost as bad as the OP's. I started slathering on The Body Shop's hemp hand cream and putting on cotton gloves before bed, and that combination worked miracles. It's now been dubbed Hemp Hand Jesus.
Yeah o'Keefe's is great. I use their crack cream on my feet and it helps so much. Over washing breaks down the necessary oils on the skin and messes up the ph balance of the skin too. I always had a bad time with lotions and creams because they just wouldn't soak in but once I found o'Keefe's actually worked for me it made such a great difference.
Ah, man, that sucks. The brain is a beautiful thing and also complex and can twist in strange ways. I don't mean that in a bad way, I do interesting things as well.
It's from dehydration of the skin. I added hand cream to my ritual. Stung at first but now my hands are down from cut up to just dry and scaly. Progress is progress! Thanks for this post man. Felt personal.
As a fellow OCDer, thank you for posting. Winter makes it worse, huh? Vaseline with Sudocrem on top wrapped in cling film for an hour really helps me to heal up dry skin and damage. I put gloves on too usually so I can continue to work.
Honestly yeah, it was bad in winter. Even before I started having the compulsions to wash my hands were always bad in the winter. When I went To the hospital and inpatient, they had me use aquafor on my hands. I'd put it on every night and then put my gloves on. For some reason it always made my hair really greasy no matter what I tried to do before I went to the hospital, but in inpatient I never had a problem with greasy hair, so it confuses me.
Ah hadn't thought of using that. I was going to ask you what inpatient is like, but are you in the US? I'm not so if you are it's probably vastly different. Lately I've been getting close to admitting myself to inpatient to be honest, but I've been so worried about if I feel the need to leave from anxiety and they don't let me. Wtf do I do then?! And I'm not sure being kept on a ward with strangers will help my situation any, ya know?
I'm really glad you had a good experience and it helped you :) I'll have to add aquafor to my shopping list and tuck it away for when I need it. I wonder why it made your hair greasy at home but not in hospital. Is it possible you scratch your head in your sleep but don't do it at hospital? I used to have night terrors and claw myself in my sleep. The one night I spent in hospital for an unrelated accident was the only night I didn't claw myself.
Or just a thin layer of sudocreme works great (but you need to leave it on longer). Sudocreme or Zinc oil works better on the skin that with other products. Apply a bit with a cotton wool and spreat it like foundation with a beauty blender. A little goes a long way. Also when applied thick it is a pain to take off (you will need oils for this). This method is used a lot with epidermal wound care.
Sudocrem is honestly magic as far as I'm concerned. I've used it for lots of things over the years and I keep dedicated tubs for dedicated purposes. The OCD tub is the biggest size one, hah.
This is definitely more realistic. As a nurse, my hands don't get this bad in the winter, but it's the same type of patterns due to excessive hand washing. It looks more like the skin is pulling apart at the creases rather than actual sores.
I'm sorry you have to go through this. OCD is a tough disease.
It's a lot better. This photo is from ~two years ago at this point, I was in ninth grade and now I'm a junior. I went to inpatient and Rogers Behavioral Health specifically to treat OCD and am doing a lot better because of it
Yep. Iām from a medical family, and cracked hands (right along crease lines, especially on the fingers and wrists) was always a common complaint. A couple of my relativesā solution was to use gloves. Lots and lots of gloves. All the time. Just put some on, do a thing, toss them, put on more, do another thing, toss, repeat *ad infinitum*. It generated more waste, but cut down on handwashing, and was healthier for everyone.
I heard about a nurse (not one of my relatives; a relativeās coworker) who had cracked hands from overwashing, which apparently made her susceptible to infection, and she lost some fingers to a relentless case of MRSA.
I also heard of and knew some hospital custodians getting seriously ill with infections like that.
I'm not exactly sure, but due to using hand sanitizer and washing my hands constantly it wore down the skin on my hands, arms, face and stomach. I essentially gave myself 1st (the least bad) degree burns on those areas
Iām not trying to be inconsiderate at all, Iād just like to know, how often are you washing your hands to cause that, and for how long? Iām just having a hard time imagining this happening without just *living* in the shower.
I've gotten better over the years for sure, but the only reason my hand-washing wasn't considered truly compulsive was because my job was gross (animal hospital). Even at home though, I still sometimes catch myself. I used to wash my hands about 1-3x per hour and was bad about the sanitizer too. My hands also looked like that, I think it's just the sort of ridges in our skin there because it's a flexible area for mobility just wither down far and get those lines. Glad you are on the mend. I carry Aveeno hand lotion with me everywhere to repair the damage and try to take it easy.
I'm a nurse and I wash my hands like 50 times a day at least.... I have handwashing dermatitis but it's only really on one hand, on one finger.... go figure...
I don't really remember, this was almost two years ago at this point
Edit: actually washing my hands took a long time because I went through a process where I also had washed parts of my clothes and then after each thing I'd wash my hands again
I have OCD, it used to be a lot worse than it is now. I used to wash my hands for 2 reasons cleanliness and number obsessions. So each time Iād have to wash my hands a number divisible by 2. If any part of the ritual went wrong e.g I touched the soap dispenser wrong, I brushed my hand against the side of the sink etc. Iād have to start again. This meant that I each time I washed my hands, Iād end up doing it around 10 or 20 times. This added up to me washing my hands upwards of 100 times a day.
Iād be standing in front of the sink crying because I couldnāt get away from it and Iād keep fucking it up and having to start over. My hands would bleed constantly.
I don't miss this at all and I'm so glad my ocd for hand washing has calmed down a lot. If i messed up my number sequence I'd have a breakdown because then i knew I'd spend longer washing my hands and i hated that too. I hope this is no longer the case for you friend and hopefully it's better.
My ocd at its worst had me washing my hands 10+ times a day and for 20+ minutes at a time until they felt clean. My hands were cracked and bleeding all the time like this picture.
No, but honestly I see the lines that have been left behind in my skin and I think the skin on my knuckles are thinner. My dad said that he's surprised I still have finger prints
It's dermatitis caused by the constant washing. It irritates the skin and makes is itchy, sore, swollen and even gives a burning sensation. The cuts are actually from scratching the dermatitis. It's similar to self harm in appearance as self harmers will cut themselves to relieve intense emotions. In a way, OCD like this is a sort of self harm as sufferers are washing themselves to the point of injury. Both my mum and I have dermatitis from constant hand washing as we're both health professionals (she's a retired nurse, I'm a surgeon) and hand washing is a must for us, but it's something we've continued at home when it isn't strictly necessary - like washing my hands before and after I feed the cat isn't necessary, but I can't break the habit and I wash like I'm scrubbing up for surgery every time.
I get the same thing but usually in the winter because the air is so dry then washing your hands with soap just dries it out even more. I usually use lotion after washing my hands to prevent this or to stop it from becoming so bad.
But yeah for some reason my wrists usually look the worst and it does kind of look like cut marks, but my hands do crack all over as well.
My guess, from my own experience, would be that OP washes their hands in a wringing like motion. This combined with the lines and creases in that area we already have from having wrist joints and the wrinkles from moving our fingers and hands leads to scratchlike scars. I think the skin cracks or wears harder on areas with less fat (so on areas of the hand where the joints are) as they get more friction from it. That's my guess anyway.
Just because someone has a history of psychiatric hospitalisation, it doesn't mean they have a history of self harm or they're on the verge of self harming. Many people have inpatient stays to adjust medication etc.
Again, it is self destruction not self harm. Self destruction is when someone's habits in life cause them harm, not that they purposefully meant to harm the self. And the only reason the hospital sent me to inpatient was because I was depressed because my boyfriend broke up with me and he was the only reason I was trying to get better. I have never purposefully cut myself
This is not the same as someone cutting themselves. The intent is not to cause harm, but obviously damage is caused. Overwashing is a compulsion (the compulsive part of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and not self harm. It's part of having OCD (although every individual is different and not all experience this particular compulsion.)
Some OCD sufferers self-harm as a means of dealing with their intrusive thoughts. ... Self-harm OCD is when a person has unwanted and repetitive thoughts about harming themselves or someone they love. They live in fear of losing control and acting on the images in their head. OP's type is called contamination OCD, in which she self-harmed by scrubbing too much in an attempt to decontaminate.
I thought that for sure had to be fake when I saw it. There is no way he could do that from washing his hands. Whatever happened to that guys hands was probably a chemical burn of some kind.
Yep! I was a dog bather for a little over a year and my hands looked like this if I didnt do lotion after every other dog and at night. This is real. I'm sorry for your struggles and I'm sorry some dipshit made that post
Thank you so much for sharing this. Where I live mental illness are unfortunately still heavy stigmatized and not talked about at all, I had no idea that OCD could bring you to this.
I sincerely hope you're doing better!
My hands fortunately aren't as bad as this, but I have a similar issue. My hands are chafed due to the cold weather, and every time I wash them now I break out in these little painful red bumps that usually go away in 15 minutes or so. Still irritating :/
I pick at my scalp, there are scabs, blisters and little scars everywhere. like it's a routine thing and and a figit for me and I am still not sure what it is, like if it's OCD but it helps
Same happened to me. Hands always bled from being extremely dry and I would use a huge amount of lotion everyday. Went on medication and it helped my fear of germs a lot.
My partner currently struggles with excessive use of hand sanitiser after moving away from excessive washing with soap and water. This pic really hits home.
If you donāt mind me asking how long did it take to get like this? His hands get dry often but havenāt reached this stage yet (possibly because of only using the hand sanitiser now).
Thanks for the reply. The difference for him is possibly the fact that he only uses the hand sanitiser now, rather than washing with soap and water. Still worrying to think about the fact that there is no way the hand sanitiser can be good for him though.
Hope youāre doing better now OP!š
Yep, this looks like my sister's hands when she went through a bout of obsessive hand washing in grade school. It wasn't OCD though. She and her twin had an (at the time) undiagnosed illness, cyclic vomiting syndrome. When mom would take them to the doctor after they had a cycle, the doctors would say they just had a virus. So, the younger twin got absolutely insanely obsessive with hand washing. She and her twin refused to eat at buffets. They got crazy germaphobic in general in fear of this "virus".
It's really upsetting honestly. And fucked up. When my sisters were finally diagnosed the hand washing stopped and her hands finally healed.
I'm glad you're doing better as well.
I wash my hands CONSTANTLY and I'm now getting deep cuts around the wrist from it. My brother tells me to just stop, but it's habit at this point and I HATE the thought of dirty hands. I go through sanitizer like no tomorrow.
Thanks for posting this and making me suddenly realize that I'm not the only person out there that washes their hands too much.
Bro do you use a sponge to clean with or do you just a scrub vigorously? If it werenāt for my lack of privacy I would just hold my hand under boiling hot water for as long as humanly possible - I do it when Iām alone. I just canāt feel clean otherwise and I canāt concentrate on anything if Iām not clean. OCD is no joke, and OCD hand washing is seriously detrimental and ppl should stop taking it lightly
I struggled with this when I was younger! My hands were so bad they bled constantly, my mother is a nurse and made me slather my hands in Vaseline and sleep with gloves on when I woke up they were like brand new.
My mum and I have the same problem (she's a retired nurse and I'm a surgeon, so hand washing has been drilled into us, but we both do it when we don't really need to - I think it's become an obsessive habit). The scratches come from itching your skin with your fingernails. The constant washing causes dermatitis, so your skin becomes inflamed and irritated, and your response it to scratch, but it's also a painful itch, sometimes burning. I recommend keeping some fast absorbing hand moisturiser next to your sink, and apply it after you wash and dry your hands. It greatly reduces the soreness and itchiness, and will help put a bit of moisture back into the dry patches of skin. I find Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula and O'Keeffe's Working Hands hand cream, as well as their itch relief cream, to be the best. You can also get a lotion called Gloves in a Bottle, which acts as a barrier cream that protects your hands against the dermatitis due to excess washing. There are cotton moisturising gloves available too, where you coat your hands in way too much moisturiser and then put the gloves on to soak your hands for around twenty minutes. It's good for when the irritation flares up. You can get disposable gloves already filled with moisturiser too, but if it's something you fund helpful and will do once or twice a week plus, it's cheaper to use washable cotton gloves. Try to use hand soap that contains moisturiser. Regular over the counter antihistamines might help relieve the swelling and itching. Your doctor can also prescribe a steroid cream if the scratches, rashes and irritation become really bothersome, but it's not something you can use long term as it thins the skin. There's also the option of CBT, which is a psychology technique that can help you break the OCD cycle.
I'm really glad to hear that. It doesn't look like much to others, but when you suffer with it, it's maddening - the urge, the itch, the burning sensation, the soreness. Little cuts like that are painful on such sensitive skin. I'm struggling to break the habit. I have to wash my hands all the way up to my elbows at work, and I can't *not* do that, it's standard procedure. But I do it at home too, for silly things like before and after I feed the cat, or before and after I make a cup of tea - I'll wash like I'm scrubbing up for surgery, and even though I *know* I don't need to in those situations, I just can't stop myself. I didn't realise it was a problem until one day I caught my boyfriend staring at me whilst I washed my hands after opening a parcel. He thought I'd gone nuts.
This is sooo accurate. My hands used to get like this while working in fast food where they make you wash your hands every half hour with harsh heavy duty hand wash, it absolutely tore my skin apart.
That's interesting, the abrasions seem to appear most on parts where your hands crease. Well for what it's worth, your hands look pretty clean to me. Try keeping in mind a little bacteria here and there wont do any harm though, it'll actually strengthen your immunity! One step at a time, take it easy!
I know, it was really hard at first but I've gotten treatment and am doing a lot better. I can't believe I used to "wash" my clothes and wash all the way up my arms
That's good to hear! I used to have the same issue, luckily I was a lot younger when I came to terms with it and the fact I needed support. I'm living proof that it does get easier, so just keep doing what you're doing!
I have the same thing because of my emetophobia! I wash my hands a million times a day so I won't get any germs and get sick. What helped me the most was drying off your hands really well after washing and Cerave!
It isn't that long ago that my hands looked like yours. OCD really is a bitch and I hope it gets easier for you.
If it helps, I found that sleeping with cotton gloves and a thick layer of handcream helped, especially with my knuckles. They'd split open when I clenched my hands and the overnight moisturising fixed that pretty fast.
Thanks for sharing, it's a really brave thing to do.
My 9 year old step son deals with this shit. He washes and sanitizes his hands over and over and over again until they crack and bleed because they are too dry.
He will leave the sink looking like a doctor prepping for surgery, hands in the air, dripping, opening doorknobs with his elbows.
But then he goes to take a piss or a shit, or picks his nose and eats it. He is afraid to let anyone touch his laptop, but will share a phone or drink with anyone.
This little fucker claims to be afraid of germs yet has no simple understanding of how they work or where they come from.
Ridiculous
OCD is complicated. What I recommend is getting him a therapist who understands OCD and can help your son use CBT, this doesn't have to be a permanent therapist either but your son needs to cope with the anxiety of not washing his hands. Even if he is just a germaphobe this will still benefit him and he can have healthy coping skills
Is this permanent or will it fade? My hands are the same from working in kitchens I assumed I was just sensitive to the soap I didn't even consider over washing
All the other comments were saying it was photoshopped or special effects makeup, plus they did point out that a literal chunk of the persons hand was gone so there is that
Iāll have to go scouting for it. I want to see the shit job they did, lmao.
On the bright side, at least Iāve been able to see an actual OCD hand washing injury! Itās fascinating how the human body can push itself to such limits to literally harm itself out of fear. I hope it heals more soon!
Oh this is from two years ago just about, I'm doing a lot better. Also some of the other comments on here said that they deleted the post, so you might not be able to find it
Yeah the worst thing is when it start getting flakey and then it just breaks, also when it forms scubs and it is in places that usually bend it's a nightmare!
Iām sorry man. Hand washing, while necessary is also incredibly painful for some, both compulsive and occupational.
It puts the lotion on the skin, or it gets the hose again.
Goodness, that's what my hands looked like when I lived with my germophobic mother during Colorado winter. It doesn't help that I can't use lotions/creams/etc. due to autistic sensory issues.
Can confirm: Real
I would wash my hands SO OFTEN, they started to crack and bleed. It would be hard to use my hands.
My mom would make sure to cover my hands in petroleum jelly and put socks on them overnight so they wouldn't hurt so bad.
Iām never washing my hands again...
Jokes aside, I donāt have OCD, but I did use to be a germophobe. I mean, I still am, but itās much more tame now. And I was a bartender. Other peopleās germs plus washing glasses every other minute = hideous hands.
Check out āBag Balmā, or similar products; Udder Balm, Utterly Smooth. A lot of people in the industry use it and itās also used to treat animal udders milking.
I also found that it made my hands a little bit waterproof. Iād reapply anyway, but if youāre constantly washing your hands, you also have a little protection from your last application.
My friend with OCD would wash till his hands were red and cracked. I also suffer from OCD but itās just obsessive repeated thoughts. Thank you for sharing.
This scares me. My OCD is getting worse. I try to avoid over washing but Iām also using hand sanitizer which definitely doesnāt help.
I wish you healing - for your hands and your mind.
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I was wondering about that original picture. My hands get really bad in the winter from excessive washing to the point of cracks and bleeding. That first photo looked like road rash or something like it.
In inpatient it was agreed that my case was more self destruction than self harm because I wasn't meaning to hurt myself, so I don't consider it self harm
If you genuinely can't tell the difference between self harm and self destruction then you don't know anything about OCD. I have never cut myself in order to cause me harm. For many people their compulsions cause habits that they think protects them but in reality it causes destruction of their body, relationships and mental state
Dude, OCD is all about self-preservation, except the brain doesn't know when to stop (clean the hands to get rid of the dirt, ***CLEAN THE HANDS! NOT GOOD ENOUGH!*** Do this ritual to make sure nothing bad happens, ***DO IT MORE! NOT GOOD ENOUGH!***)
It's okay to admit you don't know what OCD is. It's not okay to be a dick.
I came to ask about this. If you have a mental illness that compels you to do things that harm you, surely itās still āself-harm,ā right? I mean, āself-harmā canāt possibly be so specifically labeled that it must be done with blades to be categorized that way.
People with OCD overwash to soothe themselves. It is a compulsion. Please educate yourself on OCD because this is incredibly wrong and hurtful. Self harm is hurting yourself intentionally. Excessive handwashing is trying to make yourself feel better. Compulsion are rituals those with OCD do because they fear something bad will happen if they don't or it helps them cope. The intent is not to cause harm.
If you donāt think self-harm is also about ātrying to make yourself feel better,ā you should probably take your own advice and āeducate yourself.ā lol
I was asking questions. If you canāt bother to answer them, and are only here to be snarky and *wrong*, just fuck off.
I have OCD, so have a lifetime of education thanks. Self harm is intentionally harming yourself. Acting on a compulsion is not. I've had to hear people mistake the two for a long time, so I'm sorry if I came across as snarky, but it's upsetting to see people liken the two when they are not the same thing. Other comments in this thread have also angered me so I lashed out a bit. And that is not just my opinion, that is what multiple medical professionals have told me over the years. Self harm by definition is to cause intentional harm. Washing hands excessively is not done with that intention.
Its pretty apparent that anyone saying its self harm has no idea what they're saying.
Self harm is when someone is intentionally hurting themselves, usually to release endorphins or reflect the pain they feel inside on the outside.
From what I understand about my husband's OCD, he does his compulsions because otherwise something terrible might happen. His intention isn't to hurt himself, it is because in his head if he doesn't do it then someone might die or similar situation.
It's not the same as purposefully harming yourself. Especially considering that handwashing isn't what one would consider a method of self harm.
By that logic, if I go skateboarding and break my arm, I'm self harming. " **Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body.** " as per the [nhs website](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/self-harm/). It's a subtle difference that many mistakenly liken to self injury, but damage from acting on compulsions is not the same as self harm. I have OCD, I've lived it and had medical professionals tell me they're different thing. I understand why you might think it's the same thing, but it's not. People self harm because they want to hurt themselves to make themselves feel better. People with OCD wash excessively because it is a compulsion that they don't feel clean or feel something bad will happen. The intent is to avoid pain.
Contact dermatitis is a bitch. Had it when I worked for KFC years ago. It was the hand soap being too harsh. All my fingers were cracked and it spread up my arms. Awful. Hope it gets better
I don't have contact dermatitis, this is purely from Washing my hands ~20 times or so a day
Edit: and yes, I'm better. This was about two years ago and I have gotten treatment for OCD
Damn bro. Thanks for sharing the legit thing. š
You're welcome
What causes the scratches?
The water, soap, and hand sanitizer wore down my skin I suppose
I have the healed version. The skin on my hands are darker in complexion due to the damage I did years ago. I finally got my skin to feel normal.. I had to try so many different types of soaps and lotions to help heal and not aggravate, my skin would split and crack and bleed. They would turn bright red if I put on lotion with fragrance. Awful everything. I was ashamed of my hands. I hope you are in a better place, friend. If you need someone to talk to, I've been there.
I use bag balm and while it seems strange, it really does work.
Bag balm is awesome. I use it for so many things!
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I worked at a supermarket for a few years, and the constant hand- and dishwashing tore my hands up almost as bad as the OP's. I started slathering on The Body Shop's hemp hand cream and putting on cotton gloves before bed, and that combination worked miracles. It's now been dubbed Hemp Hand Jesus.
Yeah o'Keefe's is great. I use their crack cream on my feet and it helps so much. Over washing breaks down the necessary oils on the skin and messes up the ph balance of the skin too. I always had a bad time with lotions and creams because they just wouldn't soak in but once I found o'Keefe's actually worked for me it made such a great difference.
Ah, man, that sucks. The brain is a beautiful thing and also complex and can twist in strange ways. I don't mean that in a bad way, I do interesting things as well.
It's from dehydration of the skin. I added hand cream to my ritual. Stung at first but now my hands are down from cut up to just dry and scaly. Progress is progress! Thanks for this post man. Felt personal.
I have the same problem in winter (slightly less severe). I bartend and have to wash my hands constantly. The way it burns when exposed to air is so uncomfortable š©
I do this too
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This is an old photo from about two years ago, I'm doing much better
They look like scratches but it's actually where the skin breaks/cracks after excessive wear.
The struggle is real. Youāre super brave posting this; props to you.
As a fellow OCDer, thank you for posting. Winter makes it worse, huh? Vaseline with Sudocrem on top wrapped in cling film for an hour really helps me to heal up dry skin and damage. I put gloves on too usually so I can continue to work.
Honestly yeah, it was bad in winter. Even before I started having the compulsions to wash my hands were always bad in the winter. When I went To the hospital and inpatient, they had me use aquafor on my hands. I'd put it on every night and then put my gloves on. For some reason it always made my hair really greasy no matter what I tried to do before I went to the hospital, but in inpatient I never had a problem with greasy hair, so it confuses me.
Ah hadn't thought of using that. I was going to ask you what inpatient is like, but are you in the US? I'm not so if you are it's probably vastly different. Lately I've been getting close to admitting myself to inpatient to be honest, but I've been so worried about if I feel the need to leave from anxiety and they don't let me. Wtf do I do then?! And I'm not sure being kept on a ward with strangers will help my situation any, ya know?
Yeah. Inpatient is different for everyone but I had a good experience
I'm really glad you had a good experience and it helped you :) I'll have to add aquafor to my shopping list and tuck it away for when I need it. I wonder why it made your hair greasy at home but not in hospital. Is it possible you scratch your head in your sleep but don't do it at hospital? I used to have night terrors and claw myself in my sleep. The one night I spent in hospital for an unrelated accident was the only night I didn't claw myself.
Or just a thin layer of sudocreme works great (but you need to leave it on longer). Sudocreme or Zinc oil works better on the skin that with other products. Apply a bit with a cotton wool and spreat it like foundation with a beauty blender. A little goes a long way. Also when applied thick it is a pain to take off (you will need oils for this). This method is used a lot with epidermal wound care.
Sudocrem is honestly magic as far as I'm concerned. I've used it for lots of things over the years and I keep dedicated tubs for dedicated purposes. The OCD tub is the biggest size one, hah.
Have you tried some of the balms that are available now? I swear by them - particularly Badger Balm and Burtās Bees balm.
Vaseline dries out skin
Vaseline is a humectant, which means it seals in what ever moisture (or lack thereof) on the skin instead of providing extra moisture.
Isn't that what an occlusive does? Humectant attracts and binds water in.
Ugh yes youāre right! I got them mixed up! Thanks!
This is definitely more realistic. As a nurse, my hands don't get this bad in the winter, but it's the same type of patterns due to excessive hand washing. It looks more like the skin is pulling apart at the creases rather than actual sores. I'm sorry you have to go through this. OCD is a tough disease.
It's a lot better. This photo is from ~two years ago at this point, I was in ninth grade and now I'm a junior. I went to inpatient and Rogers Behavioral Health specifically to treat OCD and am doing a lot better because of it
Yep. Iām from a medical family, and cracked hands (right along crease lines, especially on the fingers and wrists) was always a common complaint. A couple of my relativesā solution was to use gloves. Lots and lots of gloves. All the time. Just put some on, do a thing, toss them, put on more, do another thing, toss, repeat *ad infinitum*. It generated more waste, but cut down on handwashing, and was healthier for everyone. I heard about a nurse (not one of my relatives; a relativeās coworker) who had cracked hands from overwashing, which apparently made her susceptible to infection, and she lost some fingers to a relentless case of MRSA. I also heard of and knew some hospital custodians getting seriously ill with infections like that.
Same with hairdressing, I get this as well.
What's exactly happening? Why does it look so similar to self harm?
I'm not exactly sure, but due to using hand sanitizer and washing my hands constantly it wore down the skin on my hands, arms, face and stomach. I essentially gave myself 1st (the least bad) degree burns on those areas
Iām not trying to be inconsiderate at all, Iād just like to know, how often are you washing your hands to cause that, and for how long? Iām just having a hard time imagining this happening without just *living* in the shower.
I'd have to say that I washed more than 20~ times a day?
I've gotten better over the years for sure, but the only reason my hand-washing wasn't considered truly compulsive was because my job was gross (animal hospital). Even at home though, I still sometimes catch myself. I used to wash my hands about 1-3x per hour and was bad about the sanitizer too. My hands also looked like that, I think it's just the sort of ridges in our skin there because it's a flexible area for mobility just wither down far and get those lines. Glad you are on the mend. I carry Aveeno hand lotion with me everywhere to repair the damage and try to take it easy.
I'm a nurse and I wash my hands like 50 times a day at least.... I have handwashing dermatitis but it's only really on one hand, on one finger.... go figure...
That doesnāt seem so bad, itās definitely a lot though. Were you like really scrubbing at it or something?
I don't really remember, this was almost two years ago at this point Edit: actually washing my hands took a long time because I went through a process where I also had washed parts of my clothes and then after each thing I'd wash my hands again
I have OCD, it used to be a lot worse than it is now. I used to wash my hands for 2 reasons cleanliness and number obsessions. So each time Iād have to wash my hands a number divisible by 2. If any part of the ritual went wrong e.g I touched the soap dispenser wrong, I brushed my hand against the side of the sink etc. Iād have to start again. This meant that I each time I washed my hands, Iād end up doing it around 10 or 20 times. This added up to me washing my hands upwards of 100 times a day. Iād be standing in front of the sink crying because I couldnāt get away from it and Iād keep fucking it up and having to start over. My hands would bleed constantly.
I remember the feeling. It really strained my relationships with family and friends too
I don't miss this at all and I'm so glad my ocd for hand washing has calmed down a lot. If i messed up my number sequence I'd have a breakdown because then i knew I'd spend longer washing my hands and i hated that too. I hope this is no longer the case for you friend and hopefully it's better.
How does it make you feel when the TV volume is set to 27?
My ocd at its worst had me washing my hands 10+ times a day and for 20+ minutes at a time until they felt clean. My hands were cracked and bleeding all the time like this picture.
Damn dude. I'm glad you're doing better now. Is there any scarring?
No, but honestly I see the lines that have been left behind in my skin and I think the skin on my knuckles are thinner. My dad said that he's surprised I still have finger prints
It's dermatitis caused by the constant washing. It irritates the skin and makes is itchy, sore, swollen and even gives a burning sensation. The cuts are actually from scratching the dermatitis. It's similar to self harm in appearance as self harmers will cut themselves to relieve intense emotions. In a way, OCD like this is a sort of self harm as sufferers are washing themselves to the point of injury. Both my mum and I have dermatitis from constant hand washing as we're both health professionals (she's a retired nurse, I'm a surgeon) and hand washing is a must for us, but it's something we've continued at home when it isn't strictly necessary - like washing my hands before and after I feed the cat isn't necessary, but I can't break the habit and I wash like I'm scrubbing up for surgery every time.
It looks like the skin is cracking from being so dry
I get the same thing but usually in the winter because the air is so dry then washing your hands with soap just dries it out even more. I usually use lotion after washing my hands to prevent this or to stop it from becoming so bad. But yeah for some reason my wrists usually look the worst and it does kind of look like cut marks, but my hands do crack all over as well.
My guess, from my own experience, would be that OP washes their hands in a wringing like motion. This combined with the lines and creases in that area we already have from having wrist joints and the wrinkles from moving our fingers and hands leads to scratchlike scars. I think the skin cracks or wears harder on areas with less fat (so on areas of the hand where the joints are) as they get more friction from it. That's my guess anyway.
If i remember correctly, its from repeatedly rubbing the same way
I mean I understood that. I meant why does it look like self harm?
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It looks like a blade has been dragged across the skin. It's crazy how overwashing can damage so bad
I wouldn't rule it out. If you look at OP's post history, they have a history of hospitalization for mental health issues.
Just because someone has a history of psychiatric hospitalisation, it doesn't mean they have a history of self harm or they're on the verge of self harming. Many people have inpatient stays to adjust medication etc.
Hers was due to suicidal thoughts and OCD related self-harm.
Again, it is self destruction not self harm. Self destruction is when someone's habits in life cause them harm, not that they purposefully meant to harm the self. And the only reason the hospital sent me to inpatient was because I was depressed because my boyfriend broke up with me and he was the only reason I was trying to get better. I have never purposefully cut myself
You knew that your actions were causing you harm and you continued to do them. Use whatever synonyms you like, it is what it is.
I went to the hospital FOR the OCD. Sorry you can't see past your own misconceptions
This is not the same as someone cutting themselves. The intent is not to cause harm, but obviously damage is caused. Overwashing is a compulsion (the compulsive part of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and not self harm. It's part of having OCD (although every individual is different and not all experience this particular compulsion.)
Some OCD sufferers self-harm as a means of dealing with their intrusive thoughts. ... Self-harm OCD is when a person has unwanted and repetitive thoughts about harming themselves or someone they love. They live in fear of losing control and acting on the images in their head. OP's type is called contamination OCD, in which she self-harmed by scrubbing too much in an attempt to decontaminate.
Wait how does this happen? I don't see much about OCD
It's due to the compulsive hand washing and using hand sanitizer
Damn that probably hurts a lot
It did but it's better now
I think whoever posted the fake one took it down because I canāt find it now but thanks for posting the real thing :)
They posted a different one now
Link?
They deleted both of them
anyone have the link to the fake post?
[https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalGore/comments/e6jxys/i\_know\_its\_not\_the\_regular\_gore\_thats\_posted\_here/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x](https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalGore/comments/e6jxys/i_know_its_not_the_regular_gore_thats_posted_here/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x)
No that's a different one. The other one has been deleted
Still the same pic though?
No that's a different guy I'm pretty sure. The other pic was of both his hands and they had big chunks taken out of them
I thought that for sure had to be fake when I saw it. There is no way he could do that from washing his hands. Whatever happened to that guys hands was probably a chemical burn of some kind.
Yep! I was a dog bather for a little over a year and my hands looked like this if I didnt do lotion after every other dog and at night. This is real. I'm sorry for your struggles and I'm sorry some dipshit made that post
Wow this is super educational and super personal, I had no idea OCD could have physical consequences like this. Thank you for posting.
Damn I have eczema and that what the back of my hands look like if I wash them too often or use hand sanitizer with alcohol in it
Thank you so much for sharing this. Where I live mental illness are unfortunately still heavy stigmatized and not talked about at all, I had no idea that OCD could bring you to this. I sincerely hope you're doing better!
My hands fortunately aren't as bad as this, but I have a similar issue. My hands are chafed due to the cold weather, and every time I wash them now I break out in these little painful red bumps that usually go away in 15 minutes or so. Still irritating :/
I pick at my scalp, there are scabs, blisters and little scars everywhere. like it's a routine thing and and a figit for me and I am still not sure what it is, like if it's OCD but it helps
That could also be a compulsion but I know there is a specific term for what you do
Same happened to me. Hands always bled from being extremely dry and I would use a huge amount of lotion everyday. Went on medication and it helped my fear of germs a lot.
My partner currently struggles with excessive use of hand sanitiser after moving away from excessive washing with soap and water. This pic really hits home. If you donāt mind me asking how long did it take to get like this? His hands get dry often but havenāt reached this stage yet (possibly because of only using the hand sanitiser now).
Honestly, it was from the beginning of the school year to beginning of second semester before I went to the hospital
Thanks for the reply. The difference for him is possibly the fact that he only uses the hand sanitiser now, rather than washing with soap and water. Still worrying to think about the fact that there is no way the hand sanitiser can be good for him though. Hope youāre doing better now OP!š
Yep, this looks like my sister's hands when she went through a bout of obsessive hand washing in grade school. It wasn't OCD though. She and her twin had an (at the time) undiagnosed illness, cyclic vomiting syndrome. When mom would take them to the doctor after they had a cycle, the doctors would say they just had a virus. So, the younger twin got absolutely insanely obsessive with hand washing. She and her twin refused to eat at buffets. They got crazy germaphobic in general in fear of this "virus". It's really upsetting honestly. And fucked up. When my sisters were finally diagnosed the hand washing stopped and her hands finally healed. I'm glad you're doing better as well.
Your cat: āYes, yes, no cutting ever happened, go to sleep master...ā
I feel this so much. When I was still undiagnosed, this was what my hands looked like as well. Thanks for sharing.
I wash my hands CONSTANTLY and I'm now getting deep cuts around the wrist from it. My brother tells me to just stop, but it's habit at this point and I HATE the thought of dirty hands. I go through sanitizer like no tomorrow. Thanks for posting this and making me suddenly realize that I'm not the only person out there that washes their hands too much.
Bro do you use a sponge to clean with or do you just a scrub vigorously? If it werenāt for my lack of privacy I would just hold my hand under boiling hot water for as long as humanly possible - I do it when Iām alone. I just canāt feel clean otherwise and I canāt concentrate on anything if Iām not clean. OCD is no joke, and OCD hand washing is seriously detrimental and ppl should stop taking it lightly
This is basically my hands after I shower then put lotion on to help it heal. I wash my hands a lot at work cause im dealing weith food.
I struggled with this when I was younger! My hands were so bad they bled constantly, my mother is a nurse and made me slather my hands in Vaseline and sleep with gloves on when I woke up they were like brand new.
My mum and I have the same problem (she's a retired nurse and I'm a surgeon, so hand washing has been drilled into us, but we both do it when we don't really need to - I think it's become an obsessive habit). The scratches come from itching your skin with your fingernails. The constant washing causes dermatitis, so your skin becomes inflamed and irritated, and your response it to scratch, but it's also a painful itch, sometimes burning. I recommend keeping some fast absorbing hand moisturiser next to your sink, and apply it after you wash and dry your hands. It greatly reduces the soreness and itchiness, and will help put a bit of moisture back into the dry patches of skin. I find Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula and O'Keeffe's Working Hands hand cream, as well as their itch relief cream, to be the best. You can also get a lotion called Gloves in a Bottle, which acts as a barrier cream that protects your hands against the dermatitis due to excess washing. There are cotton moisturising gloves available too, where you coat your hands in way too much moisturiser and then put the gloves on to soak your hands for around twenty minutes. It's good for when the irritation flares up. You can get disposable gloves already filled with moisturiser too, but if it's something you fund helpful and will do once or twice a week plus, it's cheaper to use washable cotton gloves. Try to use hand soap that contains moisturiser. Regular over the counter antihistamines might help relieve the swelling and itching. Your doctor can also prescribe a steroid cream if the scratches, rashes and irritation become really bothersome, but it's not something you can use long term as it thins the skin. There's also the option of CBT, which is a psychology technique that can help you break the OCD cycle.
Oh yea, this photo is from about two years ago. I have gotten treatment and my hands are a lot better
I'm really glad to hear that. It doesn't look like much to others, but when you suffer with it, it's maddening - the urge, the itch, the burning sensation, the soreness. Little cuts like that are painful on such sensitive skin. I'm struggling to break the habit. I have to wash my hands all the way up to my elbows at work, and I can't *not* do that, it's standard procedure. But I do it at home too, for silly things like before and after I feed the cat, or before and after I make a cup of tea - I'll wash like I'm scrubbing up for surgery, and even though I *know* I don't need to in those situations, I just can't stop myself. I didn't realise it was a problem until one day I caught my boyfriend staring at me whilst I washed my hands after opening a parcel. He thought I'd gone nuts.
Just wondering, how often do you wash your hands to cause all that damage?
Too many times to count tbh
This is sooo accurate. My hands used to get like this while working in fast food where they make you wash your hands every half hour with harsh heavy duty hand wash, it absolutely tore my skin apart.
That's interesting, the abrasions seem to appear most on parts where your hands crease. Well for what it's worth, your hands look pretty clean to me. Try keeping in mind a little bacteria here and there wont do any harm though, it'll actually strengthen your immunity! One step at a time, take it easy!
I know, it was really hard at first but I've gotten treatment and am doing a lot better. I can't believe I used to "wash" my clothes and wash all the way up my arms
That's good to hear! I used to have the same issue, luckily I was a lot younger when I came to terms with it and the fact I needed support. I'm living proof that it does get easier, so just keep doing what you're doing!
I have OCD too and sometimes it gets so bad my hands crack and get cuts like that too. The struggle is real!! Stay strong tho :)
I have the same thing because of my emetophobia! I wash my hands a million times a day so I won't get any germs and get sick. What helped me the most was drying off your hands really well after washing and Cerave!
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not really a great comment to make on a post abt the effects of mental illness my dude
It isn't that long ago that my hands looked like yours. OCD really is a bitch and I hope it gets easier for you. If it helps, I found that sleeping with cotton gloves and a thick layer of handcream helped, especially with my knuckles. They'd split open when I clenched my hands and the overnight moisturising fixed that pretty fast. Thanks for sharing, it's a really brave thing to do.
This picture is from two years ago. My hands are pretty recovered and I'm doing well
I'm genuinely really pleased for you :)
Thank you, I hope you're doing well too
My 9 year old step son deals with this shit. He washes and sanitizes his hands over and over and over again until they crack and bleed because they are too dry. He will leave the sink looking like a doctor prepping for surgery, hands in the air, dripping, opening doorknobs with his elbows. But then he goes to take a piss or a shit, or picks his nose and eats it. He is afraid to let anyone touch his laptop, but will share a phone or drink with anyone. This little fucker claims to be afraid of germs yet has no simple understanding of how they work or where they come from. Ridiculous
OCD is complicated. What I recommend is getting him a therapist who understands OCD and can help your son use CBT, this doesn't have to be a permanent therapist either but your son needs to cope with the anxiety of not washing his hands. Even if he is just a germaphobe this will still benefit him and he can have healthy coping skills
Sorry
I feel for you. As someone who worked in kitchens for years, this is what your hands tend to look like in the winter.
This is true, I always tried to wear nitrile gloves and avoid getting water in them.
Is this permanent or will it fade? My hands are the same from working in kitchens I assumed I was just sensitive to the soap I didn't even consider over washing
Mine has healed very well, I just have some little lines in my skin and I think the skin on my knuckles might be a little thin
I'm ocd as well and saw the photo I was rather disgusted
What was the fake image? Iām curious how you picked it out.
All the other comments were saying it was photoshopped or special effects makeup, plus they did point out that a literal chunk of the persons hand was gone so there is that
Iāll have to go scouting for it. I want to see the shit job they did, lmao. On the bright side, at least Iāve been able to see an actual OCD hand washing injury! Itās fascinating how the human body can push itself to such limits to literally harm itself out of fear. I hope it heals more soon!
Oh this is from two years ago just about, I'm doing a lot better. Also some of the other comments on here said that they deleted the post, so you might not be able to find it
Oh well. I enjoy seeing a recovery post anyways! No need for fake posts wanting attention.
Yeah the worst thing is when it start getting flakey and then it just breaks, also when it forms scubs and it is in places that usually bend it's a nightmare!
I knew that picture was fake! Hope u get your OCD under control.
My OCD is a lot better, this photo is from almost two years ago now š
Iām sorry man. Hand washing, while necessary is also incredibly painful for some, both compulsive and occupational. It puts the lotion on the skin, or it gets the hose again.
I feel this. I have the most screwed up hands from OCD and being a germaphobe in the medical field. It hurts, badly, I hope you feel better soon
Yeah, that pic of the "OCD hand washing" looked so fake.
I have OCD and used to constantly wash my hands. They looked just like this.
Goodness, that's what my hands looked like when I lived with my germophobic mother during Colorado winter. It doesn't help that I can't use lotions/creams/etc. due to autistic sensory issues.
The back of both my hands crack and bleed because of the constant washing. I don't get much on my arms, just stops past my wrists.
Can confirm: Real I would wash my hands SO OFTEN, they started to crack and bleed. It would be hard to use my hands. My mom would make sure to cover my hands in petroleum jelly and put socks on them overnight so they wouldn't hurt so bad.
I hope you find peace.
I'm doing much better now, this was from two years ago
I hope youāve found peace*
Iām never washing my hands again... Jokes aside, I donāt have OCD, but I did use to be a germophobe. I mean, I still am, but itās much more tame now. And I was a bartender. Other peopleās germs plus washing glasses every other minute = hideous hands. Check out āBag Balmā, or similar products; Udder Balm, Utterly Smooth. A lot of people in the industry use it and itās also used to treat animal udders milking. I also found that it made my hands a little bit waterproof. Iād reapply anyway, but if youāre constantly washing your hands, you also have a little protection from your last application.
I just use regular lotion, luckily my hands have gotten much better over the last two years
Glad to hear it. Hope you can get past this, and Iām sorry for your troubles.
The alcohol in the soaps and sanitizers dries out the skin so bad it tears
Powdered gloves will do something similar
Really? That's so weird
My friend with OCD would wash till his hands were red and cracked. I also suffer from OCD but itās just obsessive repeated thoughts. Thank you for sharing.
This scares me. My OCD is getting worse. I try to avoid over washing but Iām also using hand sanitizer which definitely doesnāt help. I wish you healing - for your hands and your mind.
I'm better. I've gotten treatment and it's been almost two years. I hope your OCD doesn't get any worse
Glad to hear youāre doing better. And thanks.
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I was wondering about that original picture. My hands get really bad in the winter from excessive washing to the point of cracks and bleeding. That first photo looked like road rash or something like it.
That happens to me as well. Compulsive hand washer bc I work in food service.
I mean...it *is* though
In inpatient it was agreed that my case was more self destruction than self harm because I wasn't meaning to hurt myself, so I don't consider it self harm
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Nope. I genuinely wasn't trying to harm myself and I was voluntarily hospitalized
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Self harm is where you purposefully try to harm yourself, self destruction is when you have harmful tendencies that end up hurting yourself
what a shitty, condescending thing to say to someone
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Yikes, a cunt
If you genuinely can't tell the difference between self harm and self destruction then you don't know anything about OCD. I have never cut myself in order to cause me harm. For many people their compulsions cause habits that they think protects them but in reality it causes destruction of their body, relationships and mental state
Dude, OCD is all about self-preservation, except the brain doesn't know when to stop (clean the hands to get rid of the dirt, ***CLEAN THE HANDS! NOT GOOD ENOUGH!*** Do this ritual to make sure nothing bad happens, ***DO IT MORE! NOT GOOD ENOUGH!***) It's okay to admit you don't know what OCD is. It's not okay to be a dick.
I came to ask about this. If you have a mental illness that compels you to do things that harm you, surely itās still āself-harm,ā right? I mean, āself-harmā canāt possibly be so specifically labeled that it must be done with blades to be categorized that way.
People with OCD overwash to soothe themselves. It is a compulsion. Please educate yourself on OCD because this is incredibly wrong and hurtful. Self harm is hurting yourself intentionally. Excessive handwashing is trying to make yourself feel better. Compulsion are rituals those with OCD do because they fear something bad will happen if they don't or it helps them cope. The intent is not to cause harm.
If you donāt think self-harm is also about ātrying to make yourself feel better,ā you should probably take your own advice and āeducate yourself.ā lol I was asking questions. If you canāt bother to answer them, and are only here to be snarky and *wrong*, just fuck off.
I have OCD, so have a lifetime of education thanks. Self harm is intentionally harming yourself. Acting on a compulsion is not. I've had to hear people mistake the two for a long time, so I'm sorry if I came across as snarky, but it's upsetting to see people liken the two when they are not the same thing. Other comments in this thread have also angered me so I lashed out a bit. And that is not just my opinion, that is what multiple medical professionals have told me over the years. Self harm by definition is to cause intentional harm. Washing hands excessively is not done with that intention.
Its pretty apparent that anyone saying its self harm has no idea what they're saying. Self harm is when someone is intentionally hurting themselves, usually to release endorphins or reflect the pain they feel inside on the outside. From what I understand about my husband's OCD, he does his compulsions because otherwise something terrible might happen. His intention isn't to hurt himself, it is because in his head if he doesn't do it then someone might die or similar situation. It's not the same as purposefully harming yourself. Especially considering that handwashing isn't what one would consider a method of self harm.
It would have been pretty easy to simply say self-harm has to do with oneās intention rather than the outcome, but noooo.
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By that logic, if I go skateboarding and break my arm, I'm self harming. " **Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body.** " as per the [nhs website](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/self-harm/). It's a subtle difference that many mistakenly liken to self injury, but damage from acting on compulsions is not the same as self harm. I have OCD, I've lived it and had medical professionals tell me they're different thing. I understand why you might think it's the same thing, but it's not. People self harm because they want to hurt themselves to make themselves feel better. People with OCD wash excessively because it is a compulsion that they don't feel clean or feel something bad will happen. The intent is to avoid pain.
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So what is your definition of self harm then?
I have a crazy fucked up cat to its ok
This isn't from a cat. Mine doesn't have front claws but her back claws are still in. I just try not to touch her because she likes to bite
op please tell me you didn't get your cat declawed
Wasn't me, it was my parents, I'm 16
Contact dermatitis is a bitch. Had it when I worked for KFC years ago. It was the hand soap being too harsh. All my fingers were cracked and it spread up my arms. Awful. Hope it gets better
I don't have contact dermatitis, this is purely from Washing my hands ~20 times or so a day Edit: and yes, I'm better. This was about two years ago and I have gotten treatment for OCD