Peeling and Cracking Fingertips, Fingertip Eczema, Mositurizer, Painful, Hospital Work

Well, I think you probably have the most helpful advice! Thank you for the in-depth post. Tomorrow it's off to buy boxes and boxes of nitrile gloves.

I have the exact same symptoms. And I keep my hands dry also even to shower, like you. I've had prednisone by mouth. That worked for a short time but it reoccurred. Went to a Dermotogist. He prescribed steroid cream for 2 months but warned of prolonged usage. Been off that two weeks and I'm bc cracked and starting all over again. I'm so tired of this and so disillusioned. I don't know why this has started about a year ago..... Just wanted you to know you're not alone.

Thank you for your advice. I was told to wear cotton gloves because they were breathable... That's not good I guess!

Some of us have this ongoing problem for years. I'm doing so much better now that ive changed my products around. Try to use glycerin soaps and stay away from dish soap and anything with alcohol in it. If your mindful and protect your hands from these irritants. Your shampoo and haircare products should be limited. Use less and stop stripping your skin of essential oils.

I had broken out in an awful eczema rash on my hand, and all my normal products that I use haven't been working at all. I tried Made from Earth's Butter Beeswax Balm (I thought it was a lip balm, but its in a jar) and after using it for 3 days my eczema is clearing up already. I've never had such fast results in my life, and I've suffered with eczema since being a young child.

It should help you out. I dont use it on my lips, but it works really well for eczema.

my son has this condition. Have you found the liquid band-aid to be helpful in treating it?

Hey All,
I suffer from this obnoxious condition too. It started almost 10 years ago for no apparent reason.
I tried everything I could think of including salves, lotions, gloves, supplements of all kinds, diet changes, and even digestive enzymes. No significant difference no matter what.
A dermatologist prescribed a strong steroid ointment which helped but couldn't be continued long term. A prescription for oral steroids to help clear bronchial congestion worked wonders, but also couldn't be continued long term. At least the steroids convinced me that a "fix" was possible.
Having exhausted all the standard recommended treatments (and lots of non-standard ones), I continued to experiment very methodically (I'm an engineer).
The good news is that my dry cracked "chopped meat" fingertip problem is no more, so long as I accompany each meal with a simple supplement that I have never heard of as being associated with this condition.
I was very skeptical at first. Since then I've added and subtracted this supplement in multi-week cycles many times, and watched as my fingertips responded accordingly. There is no doubt at all that this supplement works wonders for me.
So what is it?
Supplemental stomach acid in the form of Betaine HCL (relatively inexpensive & available at any health food store). I use the 600 mg tablets. Gelatin capsules are also available.
Based on my experience, it has to be taken regularly with most meals. Initially it can take several weeks before you start to see obvious results (it takes at least 10 days for really bad fingertips to heal).
And if I stop taking it, after 2 weeks or so the fingertip problem begins to reappear.
Please note that I have never had any digestive issues of any kind - I've always been able to eat everything within reach.
There's no real downside or risk in giving this a try (just don't chew the tablets).
But keep in mind you have to take it with almost every meal, and you also have to be patient.
It would be great if what works so well for me works for even a few other people.

what is DSMO?

I have this too!! I am not sure where you live in the world, but i live in england. I was prescribed many creams, but the only THING that actually helped me is Haelan Tape! (Fludroxycortide tape). This stuff is magic!! It is basically sticky tape, you cut it off and wrap it around your fingers. Within a week my skin clears up completely!! Like i say, no other steroid creams would work, but this works!! Now and again, once or twice a year it comes back through using soaps and not moisturising them, but i use the tape again and it goes. Please please look into this and see if your doctor can get it for you!

I'm in the UK as well. Treatment for me for about a year was also Haelan Tape but as my condition was constant the condition only ever went away when using the tape. Once removed the cracking and peeling would start again. I am now on Methotrexate, five tablets once a week and a folic acid supplement everyday and while not perfect I can at least function somewhat normally. Doctor says I will most likely be on this for life

I have had to deal, intermittently, with eczema of the finger tips and fingers for a long time. The problem comes and goes, often lasting six or more months each time. I have seen two experienced dermatologists (the second one because the first one (a colleague and a good friend for over 30 years) had just retired. The clinic course of this problem is very consistent: The tips of the fingers become rather rubbery, then the skin breaks down and peels and this often involves the palmar surface of the fingers as well, up to but not beyond the knuckles, leaving very sensitive pinkish skin, often with painful splits. Over a couple of weeks the problem slowly resolves only to recur in exactly the same way before the skin is completely healed. I have used several topical corticosteroid creams and ointments and on one time I was also treated with an oral antibiotic. I have used Aquaphor, Lubriderm, and Eucerin. At times I have tried to produce an occlusive dressing by wearing latex gloves over night. Basically nothing has resolved the problem. A couple of months ago, my wife, a registered Physical Therapist, suggested that I try unscented shea butter . Over about 7-10 days the physical findings slowly resolved and then, about 22-3 weeks later the residual roughness of parts of the skin completely disappeared. I have waited an additional month prior to posting this information. Did the shea butter cause this skin problem to finally resolve, or would it have occurred anyway? I rather believe at this point that the improvement was entirely secondary to the use of the shea butter. Perhaps there is a way to answer this question: if there is a recurrence in both hands, I could apply the shea butter to one hand and not to the other.

I see a major typo in my recent post:

"7-10 days the physical findings slowly resolved and then, about 22-3 weeks" . THIS SHOULD HAVE READ "2-3 weeks"/ Sorry
sg

Mauidream,

You described my symptoms entirely, I have a dermatologist who suggests I should take Toctino . I also am seing a naturopath who is suggesting I could be a leaky gut and that I should try a specific diet , then reintroduce some food groups at s time to see if I have an allergy . I am at limbo with this , no cream will work , I've tried countless ones even the dermatologists strongest , absolutely nothing works . I play guitar , this only aggravates the issue , I have to opt out of playing frequently as it's physically impossible ...the condition is on both hands , mostly thumbs but fingertips aswel , as you described , I don't get any breaks from the cycle of inflation , drying out , peeling ...

I can't stop guitar, it's a big part of my life so I need to get to the root of this if possible .... I think I will try this diet that was suggested to me , then if that doesn't solve it , Toctino maybe I guess...any headway with you mauidream ? Oh , I'm 35 , healthy and this started 5 years ago .

Regards

I like you was in alot of p ain with constance cycles of cracked fingertips that bled...I had alot of stress, my dad died, my best friend died, my job was overwhelming etc...I thought I was handling everything and kept forging forward..my diet did suffer and I did not drink enough water in retrospect. I became extremely sensitive to chemicals and switched up to non sls product..no foaming soaps, shampoos. I used less hair products with chemicals in them. It was a couple of years before it totally disappeared. I still try to avoid those product and I now drink alot of water to flush my system. The dermatologist was of no help! I hope this info may help you...best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Probiotics. Google which strain to take. Worked for me!