Dermatitis And Dit Da Jow

As the winter months have arrived at the time of this article, the dry air and the drying effects of Dit Da Jow and other alcohol based liniments can play havoc with your skin, drying it out to the point that you end up with a mild case of dermatitis due to excessive dryness. This seems to be more apparent on the hands than on other parts of the body. Dermatitis simply means skin inflammation and a rash or small bumps can appear.

The winter months can be the worst time of year for this to occur as the low humidity in the air combined with an active furnace really dries out the air which in turn dries out the skin. Combine that with any alcohol based product applied to the skin which takes out any moisture and you really have dry skin. This causes a type of dermatitis referred to as “Irritant Contact Dermatitis” The most common example of irritant dermatitis is dry, damaged skin due to over-washing of the hands. In this case, the irritant is the water that is drying out and damaging the skin with repeated exposure but it can also applying Dit Da Jow or similar alcohol based liniments frequently.

The best way to avoid this is to moisturize your skin. While your skin is still damp from either washing your hands or after taking a shower or bath is to seal in moisture with an oil or a cream. Try different products to find one that works for you. Ideally, the best one for you will be safe, effective, affordable and unscented. It is best to avoid scratching your skin as this can make things worse. If your skin itches apply Calamine lotion frequently.

Oils

Oils like Almond oil, Coconut,Vitamin E, Emu and even Extra Virgin Olive Oil  are just a few that can be used. If there is excessive dryness you can apply your oil more often. Oils seem to work very well as they do not have chemicals or other non-natural additives. It is best you reduce or stop your application of your liniment until any rash or bumps have disappeared completely while you are treating the dermatitis with your oils. Some customers have used Shea butter and were  pleased with the results.

Alcohol Percentage

The higher the alcohol content used in a liniment increases the drying of the skin since the ratio of water to alcohol decreases. For example Vodka is generally 40% alcohol and 60% water here in the United States whereas Everclear can be 95% alcohol and 5% water. So it is best to know the alcohol percentage used so you can keep your skin moisturized properly.

Iron Palm/Iron Hand Training

If you are training in Iron Palm and are striking a bag over and over make sure your bag is clean from any bacteria. The best way to make sure you bag is clean is to spray and wipe your bag with a little bleach and water. A few drops of bleach mixed with a few ounces of water usually does the trick. Do this once or twice a week. Make sure you apply an oil to your skin a few hours after training this will help moisturize your skin and also reduce inflammation from the friction caused by striking alongside the drying effects of the liniment you apply after training.

As you can see in the above pictures the small bumps and mild rash, this  illustrates irritant contact dermatitis, this can occur with the skin being to dry, applying an excessive amount of liniment and possibly striking a bag that was not cleaned or sanitized enough as well as not keeping the skin moisturized properly.

A lot of customers like to apply a Dit Da Jow Compress to an injury which is extremely effective but it can really dry out your skin so it very important to keep your skin moisturized and stop the compress if you develop a rash or bumps. When your skin clears then you can resume the compress if needed.

Everybody has different skin types and some produce more skin oils than others and those individuals  might never get dermatitis no matter how dry the air is or how much liniment is applied. Keep a close eye on your skin and follow our suggestions if needed for maximum results. Of course if your condition worsens always consult with your doctor.