daughter has peeling skin on hands and feet

[ian hopton]

my five year old daughters skin started peeling on fingers and toes about three weeks ago, she was prescribed a steriod cream, but this has not worked.Her skin is starting to split and is causing her pain when she walks !!!!! ant ideas to the cause of this condition? thanks for your time.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Ian:

Although this sort of thing may occur with no provocation, the usual cause in a kid is a strep or viral sore throat a couple of weeks earlier.  Either way, it's usually self-limiting in a few weeks.  Just moisturize with something heavy, like Vaseline.  If the symptoms persist, ask your pediatrician.  It also could be mild eczema, which he or she can easily treat.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[elke]

This sounds like something I had as a child.  I used to walk barefoot and my toes would split and bleed also.  I also used to have the skin peel off in thick sheets.  I finally went to a dermatologist when I was 17.  He prescribed a cream that was 1% Hydrocortisone and urea.  It is very thick.  I used it twice a day.  It took awhile, but today I no longer have any problems.  Occasionally my thumbs will peel...but it just takes a couple days of using this ointment and it goes away.  My daughter, who is 7, is also starting to have peeling on her thumb...with pain.  So I plan on using this on her.  It's definitely made a HUGE change in my life!  If I were you, I would get a good dermatologist.  The ointment is prescription.

[ian hopton]

Thank you Dr Rockoff,
                     An excellent diagnosis, my daughter did actually have a sore throat about one month ago. You have certainly helped calm this household !!!!! My daughters doctor had prescribed a 2% hydrocortisone cream, and (today) an emulsifying cream (emulsifying wax BP 30%,yellow soft paraffin 30%) called "Epiderm".Hopefully this will work.Also thanks to Elke for her comments,and best wishes to her and her daughter.

[Suyog35]

A related discussion, Peeling of skin was started.