cracked finger tips

Surfing the web for an answer for my cracked finger tips, I heard from a University of Florida report about a "Meissner Corpuscle" which has been connected with Miline destruction of nerve ends, leading to cracked finger tips. Since I have MS, and the same problem causes my troubles, I wonder weather someone knows more about. I can't find the UF site again and even worse, my Neurologist dosn't know anything about Meissner.

Heinz

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Meissner corpuscles are related to nerve cells and the sense of touch.  Cracked finger tips can come from excessive druyness, or eczema, or other skin conditions.  They are most unlikely to be related to MS or any other neurologic condition.

I advise moisturizing with OTC Aquaphor ointment.  If that fails, see a skin doctor for a prescription eczema cream.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[Leonib]

I have a problem with the skin around the base of one of my fingers on my right hand.  The skin is rock hard, slightly white in nature, has a crack in the middle of the problem area, and despite the fact I keep filing it down to even out the ridges in the skin, it just keeps growing back.  It's as hard as a callous, but since I have never had this problem before (although on occassion I do have ezcema (eczema), but it never looks like this) I don't know what I have.  What am I suffering from and why won't it just heal up and go away?  Been this way for about 2 months now.  Just appeared overnight.

[usedtobecatchy]

That sounds similar to what I have only mine is on the left small, ring, middle fingers-middle joint only, top folds of the skin only. I was just told it might be inverse psoriasis by a dermatologist. If anyone else has this dx, I would like to hear comments about its progression from your perspective.

Five yrs ago after a terrible respiratory infection that has triggered all kinds of problems, and ongoing horrendous job stress, I was getting a haircut and was nicked at the juncture of the top of the ear and the scalp, just enough to draw blood. A month later I had red sore weepy skin at the site. That has evolved into cyclical crusty flaky to mushy weepy skin behind the entire ear. It is now behind the other ear also. It is no where on the scalp. Now. it has appeared on these knuckles. I don't think the dermatologist has a clue since I have heard something different at every appointment. Internet tells me you can't get psoriasis by touch, yet it only has appeared where there has been skin contact...no family history of it. Apparently, the inverse form of psoriasis appears at skin creases. I would swipe those three knuckles down behind the ear when it was weeping. Nothing cures it. If you are filing your skin, and you have psoriasis, internet says that will only increase the problem. Right now, I am trying Triamcinolone Acetonide and prescription strength antibiotic ointment. I worry about applying any form of a steroid yet so far it is the only thing that controls but doesnt cure it.

On a more humorous/depressing note, my coworkers took a vested interest in my diagnosis. To end all speculation, I announced to the room that anyone who wants to make an issue of it, had better be prepared to discuss cold sores, which I am surrounded by daily, and those people cant keep their fingers away from their cold sores :-)

[hheller]

Your advise to use Aquaphore was good, but the cracks reapeared the next day. Now I read about O"Keeffe"s Working Hands Creme and tried it. So far it works wonderfully. I never had such smooth finger-tips. I hoppe it stays this way. If interested I will report to you what how it looks  in a few weeks.

Thanks    Hheller

[Jeanneo]

my brother, a professional guitarist, had unhealing chronic cracked and bleeding finger tips.  His doctor took all of the item out of his diet containing silver.  It is helping.

[Paula1950]

A related discussion, cracked  and split finger tips was started.

[doejo]

A related discussion, cracked/peeling fingers was started.