cracked and peeling hands

[mamotimo]

For ten years the skin on my hands has been flaking off. It started with my pinky on my right hand first i noticed the cuticle disapeared, this happened when I worked at a laundromat, and always had my hands in water and harsh soaps. so first the pinky cuticle went then all others then the skin around the nails started flaking off, it got very painful reaching all the way down to the first nuckle. my nails began growing out very warped with ridges and ripples all over them.  then the web of each hand started cracking and peeling sometimes my skin cracks to the point of bleeding.  my palms also flake off now. the insides of my fingers flake at the middle bend, but only every other finger is doing this on the palm side my left pointer and ring and my right pinky and middle. Could it be a neurological problem?  

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From your symptoms and your history of laundromat it sounds like irritant contact dermatitis. Irritant dermatitis, the most common type of contact dermatitis, involves inflammation resulting from contact with acids, alkaline materials such as soaps and detergents, cosmetics, or other chemicals.

Avoid using any lotions and creams over the hands for the meantime. Wash your hands with a mild cleanser with moisturizing properties like Cetaphil. Then apply a good hypoallergenic moisturizer over the area and see if this improves. If the symptoms still persist then you can apply mild steroid like dermacort. During the day, hydrate and protect hands from sun damage and sunspots with a protective and moisturizing cream. At night, repair them with creams formulated from glycolic acid—a must for improving skin texture and tone. For a more intensive nighttime treatment, apply cream and then cover hands with gloves or socks. Your body heat helps the cream sink deeper into the skin—and you'll wake up with the baby-soft hands to prove it. I would also suggest you to avoid washing hands with soap repeatedly and use gloves while doing any household work.
If the irritation persists then please get it evaluated from a dermatologist.

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