Athlete's Foot, Contact Dermatitis or Eczema?

Hello, first I'd like to thank you for providing such a useful service.
I am an 18 years old. When I was twelve I developed a skin condition on the sides of my middle finger and my ring finger. The skin is dry, scaly, and occasionally itchy with tiny blisters popping up every now and then.The skin lines are very pronounced and do not match up with the proper skin on the other side of the finger. When the skin gets particularly dry it will crack. This condition has spread over to my right hand earlier this year. I've used moisturizers of varying intensity, steroid based creams, and so-called natural creams but none of them have changed anything at all. I'd really like to find out and possibly get rid of this problem before it spreads over my whole hand!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
The symptoms are suggestive of pompholyx. Pompholyx primarily involves the hands and fingers and then may involve the feet. The first stage is acute and presents as itchy blisters on the hands, fingers and toes. Then the chronic stage shows more peeling, cracking, or crusting. Then the skin heals up, or the blistering may start again. The exact cause is not known and excessive sweating can be one of the reasons.

Apply some calamine lotion on the affected area and keep the area well moisturized. Use only thin applications of moisturizer ointments as excessive amounts of ointment may restrict breathing of the skin and aggravate the condition.

Topical steroids can be applied but they are available under prescription. Moreover to prevent infection, topical antibiotics may be needed. I suggest you to consult a dermatologist and get it evaluated.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.