Cracking, peeling, and dry skin on the fingers

[Cshephard]

Hi,
My name is Courtney, I am 20 years old. I am from South Louisiana.  My fingers: thumbs and middle fingers mostly, are drying out, cracking, and peeling.  Leaving the skin exposed, with what looks to be sores, but it is from where the layers of skin has been torn away. It also itches, it looks scaly so to say sometimes and it is VERY painful.  I have had this problem since i was 4 years old.  My mother told me to deal with it so i have never been to a doctor for it, and now i do not have any insurance to go. I have tried antibiotic creams, selsum blue, bandaids, hand creams, utter creams, nothing i have tried works.  It seems when I tan, the "flaking" goes away some. What is your opinion?

Thanks
Courtney

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Various possibilities for peeling fingertips are contact dermatitis and contact with harsh detergents, soaps and lotions. Sometimes cold, dry air can cause  peeling and dermatitis or fungal infections can also cause peeling.

Wash the areas several times with fresh water. Do not use any cosmetic products at the sites. You can apply some calamine lotion at the rash as it will help in soothing the skin. For mild-moderate symptoms a weak steroid may be used, whilst more severe cases require a higher-potency steroid.

Symptoms can be exacerbated by dryness of the skin. Use good quality moisturizers to prevent moisture loss from the skin. During the day, hydrate and protect hands with a protective and moisturizing cream. At night, repair them with creams formulated from glycolic acid—a must for improving skin texture and tone. If still the symptoms do not improve then please get a clinical examination done by a dermatologist. Fungal infections and eczema have to be ruled out then.

Hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries. Kind regards.