Itchy, peeling, burning skin on fingers, started with little bumps

[tmc77649]

I noticed little bumps on my pinky and ring finger on my left hand about a week ago.  Now my two fingers are swollen, itchy, burning, peeling, flaky and red.  I am not sure what it is and I don't have anything like this anywhere else.  The little bumps started peeling and now both fingers look really gross and are painful.

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
This could be due to irritant Contact dermatitis or the beginning of eczema. Contact dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin caused by direct contact with an irritating or allergy-causing substance (irritant or allergen).  Irritant dermatitis, the most common type of contact dermatitis, involves inflammation resulting from contact with acids, alkaline materials such as soaps and detergents, solvents, or other chemicals.

If you can recall contact with any of the above mentioned or even something you have come in contact with for the first time, this might be the trigger factor.
Eczema is also a skin inflammatory condition that presents in a similar manner. The exact cause is not known. It is a chronic condition which can keep recurring.

The treatment for both the conditions is the application of Corticosteroid ointments. This is recommended only for a short period till the skin inflammation subsides.
you can take anti-histamine medications like Cetrizine to control the itching.

ref:http://www.myonlinewellness.com/topic/adam1000869

[beffer1025]

i have that same problem ! i have had it for about 6 months now and it wont go away, i wake up and itch my fingers till they bleed and i have it on 5 of my fingers it is so gross and nothin seems to help \. the dr. tells me to stay out of water well we all know how easy that is! but mine is so bad all 5 fingers sre dug raw and swollen and burn so bad. please let me know if you come across anything thank you !

[cmt62709]

Hi there. I have the same condition... it is on my right middle finger and sometimes seems to (spread) to my pointer finger... although if it touches my other fingers it doesnt seem to infect them... i have had it for 2 years now... off and on. i have seen doctor after doctor and they give me a medicine.. and it seems to start working then comes back full force! i find its bad for a few days or weeks... then subsides for a few days at the most. i have been told to stay out of the water, so i did... of course that didnt work.. i have tried tanning because they say that is good for itchy skin.. and that didnt work.. im begining to think that i am going to be living with this for the rest of my life! i wish there was a doctor out there that can tell me what this is... my finger hurts so bad that i cant bend it all the way.. thats partly because its swollen too.. and if i bend it the skin will crack.. i try gloves with cream at nite... but everything is just an endless hope! I hope they can help you soon so this wont be you in a few years...

[Beavey]

Did u ever get relief !??? My bf has it BAD from working at Bk and wearing those damn powdered gloves ALL THE TIME !!!

[floridalil]

I have exactly the same on my left middle finger only, it started to spread onto my next finger, but I went to the doc's and was given Fucidin H Cream, it was instant relief and looked so much beter within a few day's. But several months on, my finger is still very dry and feels rough, I just put the cream on for a few days if the itching starts, it's keeping at bay, but if I run out of cream, I just know it will get red and angry looking again, I have no idea what is causing it and why just the one finger! I haven't used anything different.

[jdinneen]

Hi,

I have had this skin condition for about 10 yrs or so. It seems to have gradually gotten worse over the years. It may have started with a child where I contacted him and got ringworm. I don't think I ever got it cured. Anyway, my skin now feels like it pinches me slightly. I get this all over my body parts. Sometimes I'll itch these areas and it seems like i can pick up a little ball of skin that appears somewhat hard (a grain of salt, although too hard, is a good comparison).

Any clues?

[Shortylutfz]

i think i may have what everyone else is talking about..mine is on my pinky finger and ring finger (towards the knuckle)..it started out as  tiny raised bumps that itched alot, so i put a bandaid over it..overnight, it went from tiny bumps to raised clusters of burning bumps..they keep gettin larger everyday..the bumps look like clear fluid sacs, but im too afraid to pop them considering they constantly burn... ive had similiar ones before, but not this bad, they didnt burn...i thought it was mulluscum contagiosum (which ive had before)..but with further research, mulluscum contagiosum does not cause any sort of pain related symptoms..they have the same characteristics i,e, tiny cluster bumps,clear fluid sacs,either has just one bump or 100's.pimple-like...but no burning..so im in need of an answer to this issue too..

[Grays]

I am having this same problem on my thumb, the clear filled bumps that itch and burn but I am also experiencing my thumbnail feeling like it has come loose from my finger!  Ok, I know it sounds weird.  Yes, I do have artificial nails and we do use the drimmel??? (tool) to clean under the nails.   It has gotten so painful that I, too, cannot straighten out my thumb as to pulling the nail from the nail bed......I asked my nail tech if she had used any new products or changed brands, she had not.
I am planning on removing the artificial nails and letting them breath ~ which I do occasionally anyway.   Any suggestions?

[vee77]

i have the same thing on my ring fingers ...it started with one finger and now it's on the other! it's itchy, burns, and is so irritating that it wakes me up at night every night lately! i just bought Cortaid cooling spray...it doesn't make it totally better but it helps and then i put Aveeno baby soothing relief moisture cream on my fingers...it says its even for eczema on the bottle...it seems to help a little. i want to know why it's so much worse at night? it's bad enough i have this...but now i'm not getting sleep...i have to do dishes with gloves on...even sometimes when i give my son a shower i wear gloves...it's taking over my life and it's ridiculous...can anyone suggest other medications or anything that might help?

[cjh5007]

You have eczema. I have exactly the same symptoms.   Prevent the skin dry skin by taking warm (not hot) showers rather than baths. Use a mild soap or body cleanser. Dry yourself very carefully and apply moisturizing skin lotions all over your body. Avoid lotions with fragrances or other irritating substances.

Avoid wearing tight-fitting, rough, or scratchy clothing.

Avoid scratching the rash. If you can't stop yourself from scratching, cover the area with a dressing. Wear gloves at night to minimize skin damage from scratching.

Anything that causes sweating can irritate the rash. Avoid strenuous exercise during a flare.

If the allergy-causing agent cannot be removed or identified, the next step is to lessen the allergic inflammatory response.

hope this helps

[cmt62709]

Mine finally went away.. I put this cream on called nystatin and triamcinolone acetonide cream.  It is for fungus related things (I know.. Eww!) I did NOT have a fungus but it was the only thing that worked for me! I posted earlier and had this for years! I recomend giving it a try. It can't hurt any worse than the itching and burning! But you have to put liberal amounts on constantly. Let me know if this has helped. It took a few weeks to subside so give it time.. And occassioally it does flare up, so I put some on and it's great! Hope I've helped

[abby05]

im 28 and female and Ive had the same for 5 years. first noticed after birth of 1st child. At first i thought maybe i was allergic to my sons diapers or wipes. it comes and goes about every 2 weeks
Ive gotten so frustrated with docs cause its not contact dermatitis!!
my mom asked me if it comes during my menstral cycle... anyone else notice any patterns with your period and a breakout??? ive noticed i break out around ovulation time..

[glorybell7]

Hi I've had the same symptoms for years now. It starts with the little bumps that are full of liquid and they itch, when you pop them clear liquid comes out. It spreads all over my hands up my fingers and in between it even got on my cuticles and now they don't grow back. It itches and get red and flakes and makes my joints hurt and swell. I went to a dermatologist and they did all these test and could not figure it out. Then a friend of mine told me that she thought it was athletes foot on my hands i looked it up and the symptoms match. So I got some Lamisil AT and started using it, I used it for 14 days and low and behold my rash is gone and has not come back for a whole year now. I did not even know you could get athletes foot on your hands but that's what it was. So for all you who are going through this its worth a try and it cant make it any worse than it already is.

[floridalil]

Interesting,  I may well try that!

[sugarpie555]

i have this same problem. it started on my third finger on my right hand and has now spread too all my fingers and has moved to my other hand and my fingers also. it is very painful, it itches like crazy and burns really bad. night time seems to be the worst time for it. i have had it for a month now and its not going away, it is just getting worse. my fingers are swollen and hard to bend. if anyone knows what this could be, please let me know.

[cardel2121]

I have red bumps that seem to ooze out clear liquid st times when I scratch. I try not too because that makes it worse. It's only on my fingers and sometimes appears between my fingers. I try not to irritate it and it usually goes away on its own but then it flares up again. I've been to 3 doctors and they all tell me something different. Is there no cure to this thing???

[mamateepee]

i have the same problems with you guys.i've been in my doctor for three weeks now and all of the oral medication she gave me does'nt responds.i visit her again this efternoon and she prescribed me LAMISIL cream.i hope it will cure my hands.

[bent75]

i suffer from psoriasis, on my hands. then this came,little bump that look like blisters, stupid me i popped it and put on a band aid, then the itch stated, and the raw fingers, then it spread. the doctor said it was muscular psoriasis, but i know she made a quick diagnosis, she gave me cream it left, then returned. every few months.
I think its related to fungus, i do clean my toes periodicly.
i may have had ring worm at one time and thats fungus related,
i could handle psoriasis but this is truly a pain in the a**.
im gonna try new creams and get back to you all.

[momo6969]

i also faced this things and it already become a few months. its really2 annoying me. if it comes to itchs, it will be so so itchy untill sometimes it will be bleeding. i've already seen 2 doc's and get 2 diff medicine. 1st medicine, seems like i cannot stop to put it on my finger. if not, it will come again. why? then my finger now look so bad with black and the skin not like a normal skin. i tried already to put into warm water+salt cz my fren asked me to do so but it just can stand for a while then it comes again. what should i do? pls2... furthermore, i want to get marry sooner, so it very2 stress me out. pls assist ya and give the gud medicine name to make it go away forever... n may i know what cause to it?

[btran]

Its been a year now.. But it started out with 4-6 little bumps on my left forth finger around my joint area.I popped one out came the clear fluid so i washed my hands and put a banned aid on it. A few hrs later it started to itched like hell. Itched like hell for a min until the burning sensation made the finger feel a little better. Probably because it was raw and bleeding. The itching goes away few days later my skin darkend where I itched the most with flakey scabs. When the finally peeled the flakey scabs i still noticed the lil bumps i randomly gets itchy and happens all over again Pleaseee help me!!!

[Shannen_]

i have also got similar symptoms. Its the second time it has occured for me, last time i had it for months, and i was only about 14. im only 17 now and this morning i woke up with thousands of little bumps all along the sides of my fingers, that are extreamly itchy, and burn. if i touch anywhere on my hands/wrists the bumps spead to there too.
im not allergic to anything that i know of, nor have i touched anything out of the usual, that i can recall. if anyone can help, PLEASE let me know!!

[itchyfingers7]

Does this site ever give any solutions, or is it just people complaining of the same issue? I too have the exact symptoms and have had them off on on for years. I have seen multiple doctors as well as specialized doctors and they scratch their heads (not like my fingers though). I work with y hands and this condition makes it hard to do so. If anyone has had any sucsess in treating this PLEASE message me back! Thank you and good luck to everyone else who is dealing with this.

[Nellsberry]

My husband is fighting these same conditions, his fingers swell up and bust with liquid rushing out of them. He puts on lotion at night then wears gloves and is in misery in the morning with the itching and burning, he puts band aids on to go to work and sometimes has to cut his fingers to let out the fluid out, he wears gloves at work also, but as soon as the liquid hits the gloves they disinigrate.  Pieces of his fingers are missing from the skin coming off. He has gone to doctors and they just give him steroids it helps for a couple weeks then comes right back worse than before, this morning his fingers were all purple. He is in misery, any suggestions anybody? He goes to another dermatologist monday. He is a diesel mechanic.

[VeronicaD1]

It sounds like an allergy to something he gets into with his hands.  Possibly he is allergic to the diesel fuel or an additive in it if they have that. Sometimes things build up or an allergic reaction starts from almost like an overdose from working with a certain medium. Try Ionic silver lotion or salve. Trimedica makes some good ones and you can find it at most online vitamin/health care stores. I don't get the itching but I get small red bumps that burn on the insides of my fingers or bottom of my thumbs, then dry up and peel.  It usually dries up and goes away but I have used what I am suggesting and it went away quickly. It works on a lot of other things as well. It could be an indication of a systemic problem as well and set off by a virus. This is why the doctor can't tell you because there are so many variables.

[Emm234]

I have had this for years as well. Went to doctors, tried all kinds of things. I used to get it on my lips as well and it would turn into the worst dry cracked lips ever. I finally figured out it is a yeast allergy. I was making bread with my mom and I put my hands in the dough. They immediately began to itch and broke out in the bumps all over. After lengthy elimination diets I have discovered I am allergic to yeast and some wheat. When I cut them both out of my diet a laundry list of other problems went away as well. (Dry itchy patches of skin, acne, stomach upset) Try it for two weeks. You may be surprised!

[ES1234]

I think I have the same thing. I have the itchy, burning, oozing bumps on my right pinky finger on my pointer finger and in between all my fingers on my right hand. I found this a little odd because I am left handed. All the skin in between my fingers is extremely dry rough and flakey. I have had this for about a year and hope it doesn't get worse. I have been told by doctors it is multiple things before, dry skin, sensitive skin, scabies, eczema, that I touched something that I'm allergic to. I have reicved different creams for the different things they thought it was. I reicved scabies cream a few times because they thought i had it again even though it never completely went away after using the scabies cream 3 times. *******The best soulution I have found is Vaseline, Triamcinolone Acetonide ointment, and anti itch cream. I use the Vaseline daily and the ointment and anti itch cream every few days.. Aveeno Baby also helps but that's just me. Baby lotion makes it burn!!!******* but it hasn't gone away those items just help some

[helper34]

I may be a little late or off the mark in regard to whom I'm responding, but I want this message to be available to everyone in case it helps. Years ago I suffered from many symptoms from itchy fingers that would literally spontaneously form cracks and bleed, to small fluid-filled bumps, to face swelling, peeling, bleeding, oozing, burning, etc. It all started with little flares of the face, and then it appeared on my hands. At a certain point, like clock work every time, my face would literally peel off and it would look perfect, as if I had just had a facial. Then, how ever many days later, the cycle would start again. I went through this for over three years. Dermatologists couldn't help, I even went to a reproductive endo. Because I thought maybe it was hormonal...no dice. Finally, I went to my allergy specialist and he sat down with me and said that he couldn't help me but he knew who could. Please note though that during the entire time all of this was happening I kept very very detailed notes on when my flare-ups started, what the symptoms were, and I even took pictures. I showed all of that to my allergist and he said it was fantastic that I had done that because it would greatly help with diagnosing.

He sent me to an immune specialist he went to school with. I went to that Dr. And he was the only Dr. In all of those years to figure out that I had a staph infection. He was able to figure it out because of the pictures I had taken. Turns out he thinks I got it from plucking my eyebrows so it started on my face and took its time traveling to my hands. Naturally, getting a staph infection can happen in many different ways, not just plucking. If you suspect this, just go to a Dr. Who can take a nose swab/culture. They'll culture both nostrils (this is where the staph/mrsa grows) with a giant q-tip. Its not a big deal at all, not painful at all, just feels a bit funky having a giant q-tip shoved up your nostrils. I was given a 10 or 15 day (can't remember now) antibiotic of bactrim. I hope this may help someone to have a shorter road to diagnosis than I did. Feel free to ask questions, I'll try to remember to check back.