White bumps on palms of hands

[grandmothernanny55]

When my granddaughter, age 11, gets in the swimming pool, in her backyard slip and slide or anywhere that her hands come into contact with cold water for a prolonged time, she gets white raised places that resemble blisters but they are not filled with fluid as blisters are. They seem to dimish as her hands dry and get warm but then will peel where the places have been.  Do you know what would cause this or has anyone had similar incidents.  They are only on the palms and fingers of the inside of the hands.  It bothers her greatly but doesn't seem to itch.  I've never seen anything like this before.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to contact dermatitis or exfoliative keratolysis. The first sign is one or more superficial air-filled blisters on the fingers or palms. The blisters burst to leave tender, circular areas. The symptoms are aggravated by exposure to irritants including water, soap, detergents and solvents. Treatment includes protection from irritants, emollients hand creams and phototherapy in severe cases.
During the day, your grandmother 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. For a more intensive nighttime treatment, she should apply cream and then cover hands with gloves or socks. The body heat helps the cream sink deeper into the skin. I would also suggest to avoid washing hands with soap repeatedly and use gloves while doing any household work.
If the symptoms persist then please get an evaluation done from a dermatologist.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[Chakravarthy Mazumdar, MBBS]

Hi,
Thanks for query,

I think it may be due to chlorine in the swimming pool water. If proportion is not maintained and  one is sensitive to chlorine one gets this type of reaction on the skin.
Apply soothing cream like Vaseline.

Wish You Good Health