Dyshidrotic eczema treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
• Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
• Personal Health Check-Ins: A series of personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to maintain and improve health.
• iCBT courses: Access to iCBT (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) self-assessment and courses.
• Access to specialists in eligible provinces: Easy access to specialists on Maple within days, not months. No referral is needed.
• Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX cards, as well as Google and Apple Pay.

At Maple, we proudly prioritize privacy as a cornerstone of our virtual care services. We strictly adhere to privacy and healthcare legislation in Canada, such as PIPEDA and PHIPA regulations, to ensure patients' personal and health information remains completely private and safeguarded.

Our policies and consent processes are designed to be simple and easily understood, empowering individuals with control and a clear understanding of their healthcare journey. When using our services, a patient’s session is protected by a comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies.

Patients also retain full control of their personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. Our approach is reinforced by consultations with leading experts, guaranteeing comprehensive policy frameworks that are reviewed at a regular cadence.

All providers delivering healthcare through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their licensing regulatory colleges, and in all instances, must act in accordance with the governing principles set out in the telemedicine policies of each medical regulator in the applicable province.

Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

Yes, you can. The healthcare practitioner will want to discuss the symptoms and signs of dyshidrotic eczema you’re experiencing and examine the affected area.

The healthcare provider may suggest additional testing or refer you to a dermatologist to rule out other similar skin disorders.

Once your healthcare team is able to provide a diagnosis for dyshidrotic eczema, they can suggest dyshidrotic eczema treatments that will work best for you.

Dyshidrotic eczema, also known as dyshidrosis or vesicular eczema, is a skin condition that causes blisters to appear on the hands and feet.

The condition generally lasts between two and four weeks, and in some cases, may appear alongside seasonal allergies or during times of severe stress.

The most obvious symptom and sign of dyshidrotic eczema are small, possibly fluid-filled blisters that appear on the hands, feet, fingers, and toes. These blisters are itchy, and can cause your skin to become flaky, cracked, or painful to the touch. It can also cause a burning sensation or sweating in the area around blisters.

Occasionally, dyshidrotic eczema can cause larger, more painful blisters to form in these same areas.

Once blisters dry up, they may result in skin cracks that can be quite painful. Continual scratching of areas affected by dyshidrotic eczema symptoms can cause skin to feel spongy or thicker than normal.

Skin cracks can also result in localized infections in these areas, which may require separate treatments to manage.

At this time, the direct cause of dyshidrotic eczema is unknown. Sometimes, it’s associated with another form of eczema known as atopic dermatitis.

In some cases, the causes of dyshidrotic eczema may also be linked to allergy-related conditions such as hay fever.

There are a few risk factors which can also increase the risks of experiencing signs of dyshidrotic eczema such as:

• Stress levels (emotional or physical)
• Sensitive skin
• Exposure to certain types of metal (particularly nickel, chromium, and cobalt)
• Existing atopic dermatitis

There is no single effective dyshidrotic eczema treatment that will work for everyone. However, there are a number of options available which your healthcare practitioner may suggest depending on the severity of your condition.

Things you can do at home to reduce your skin irritation and improve the skin barrier include:

• Using lukewarm water and soap free cleansers
• Drying thoroughly after washing and apply emollients afterwards
• When performing wet tasks, wearing cotton gloves under vinyl or non-latex glovesand removing hand or wrist jewelry prior to these tasks
• Protecting your hands from the cold with gloves in cold weather
• Avoiding exposure to known irritants

If you’ve begun showing signs of dyshidrotic eczema, it’s a good idea to talk to a healthcare practitioner or dermatologist on Maple.

This type of eczema can sometimes be confused with other types of skin conditions. A healthcare practitioner can help provide a clear dyshidrotic eczema diagnosis. Physicians on Maple can also refer you to dermatologists who have the specialization to help rule out other skin conditions that present themselves similarly.

A healthcare practitioner from Maple can suggest effective dyshidrotic eczema treatments to help manage your symptoms. This includes any prescription dyshidrotic eczema medications that may be required as part of your treatment plan.

Dyshidrotic eczema symptoms can be overwhelming and make you feel trapped. Maple’s team of healthcare professionals are here to help you take back control of the health of your skin.