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Peeling skin around nails

For almost ten years now the skin around my nails has been peeling off.  It is large, thick chunks of skin.  It is very bad on my thumbs and mostly just around the base of my fingernails on all fingers.  After the skin peels off my fingers are red but it just grows back and peels again. When my hands are in water the skin turns bright white like my skin is soaking up as much water as it can.  There is no pain or sores when it peels.  Also, my nails are not affected by this.  I have been treated for everything but no one seems to know what it is or how to treat it.  My last derm. took skin for testing and told me that he wasn't sure what it was and that the only thing he could tell me is that it had been festering for a long time.  He told me to use Neosporin and hopefully it would get better.  It is embarrassing!  i have tried everything and the only thing that seemed to help, not cure, it was using yeast infection cream nightly.  Again, it didn't get rid of it, it just made it less noticeable.  Please help if you can.
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563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Sorry replied to an earlier question first. Peeling and flaking around nails can be due to contact dermatitis and contact with harsh detergents, soaps and lotions. Sometimes cold, dry air, psoriasis 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. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

Helpful - 0
563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Dry skin results when there is not enough water in the stratum corneum for it to function properly. Too much soapy water, exposure to harsh chemicals, the normal aging process and certain types of skin diseases are some of the causes of decreased amounts of protective skin oils which in turn causes dry skin.

The mainstay of management is liberal use of moisturizers after washing with luke warm water. Soap should be used minimally. Moisturizers should be reapplied liberally during the day.You can also use a topical cortisone (steroid) cream or ointment like dermacort(hydrocortisone). Adding a humidifier to the central heating system of your home or using a humidifier also helps.

If still the symptoms persist then possibility of eczema or seborrheic dermatitis needs to be ruled out.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

Helpful - 0
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