Just an update.. I have the same problem and just try and ignore it. I have read on the internet from various sites it can be a form of the herpes virus, or a form of shingles. Any remedies beside vit d or creams that last a few days would be excellent.
I have found ozonol cream to really help (I cover with a band-aid & change a few time a day for 3-4 days and its greatly improved... I have also put on with cotton gloves at night, and that works very well too) I get it on my index finger left hand, and have for years. I will go for awhile and it wont be too bad, then I will have a flare up. I think it has to do with stress for me. I have tried hydrocortisone creams... dont seem to work as well as ozonol. Hope this brings someone some relief!
hi, i have been following this and other online forums for a couple of years as i've tried to figure out what i have (un)affectionately termed as "peeling finger disease" IS. The hardening/blistering/peeling of skin recently started happening around my heels as well, so despite the lack of answers from previous dermatologists, i decided to give it a go with a new dermatologist recommended by a friend.
i just had my appointment this week, and i feel like there might actually be a light at the end of the tunnel!
because i've never had itching associated with my symptoms, eczema was ruled out.
the working hypothesis presented by the dermatologist is that i have weber-cockayne--or "localized epidermolysis bullosa simplex."
this is a genetic disorder that affects keratin. there are more severe forms of epidermolysis bullosa, but the W-C variant seems to be relatively mild and affects predominantly the hands and feet. it usually shows up in early childhood, but it can also have onset in adulthood (which seems to be the case with me). my diagnosis has not been confirmed yet as i need to get a biopsy the next time i have a flare-up, but this is certainly worth mentioning to your dermatologist if they need a little nudging and this hasn't yet crossed their radar screens. from what i've read online, W-C is estimated to affect 1 in 30,000 - 50,000 people, so your dermatologist may not have seen it before if you live in a more rural area.
there is no cure, but it sounds like there are medications that can help you to at least better manage and treat the hardening/blistering. for now i have been prescribed a combination of kerol and protopic, but this is only until i have my next check-in in a few weeks (hopefully will have a biopsy by then, too).
hope this helps someone else out there!
i just had my appointment this week, and i feel like there might actually be a light at the end of the tunnel!
because i've never had itching associated with my symptoms, eczema was ruled out.
the working hypothesis presented by the dermatologist is that i have weber-cockayne--or "localized epidermolysis bullosa simplex."
this is a genetic disorder that affects keratin. there are more severe forms of epidermolysis bullosa, but the W-C variant seems to be relatively mild and affects predominantly the hands and feet. it usually shows up in early childhood, but it can also have onset in adulthood (which seems to be the case with me). my diagnosis has not been confirmed yet as i need to get a biopsy the next time i have a flare-up, but this is certainly worth mentioning to your dermatologist if they need a little nudging and this hasn't yet crossed their radar screens. from what i've read online, W-C is estimated to affect 1 in 30,000 - 50,000 people, so your dermatologist may not have seen it before if you live in a more rural area.
there is no cure, but it sounds like there are medications that can help you to at least better manage and treat the hardening/blistering. for now i have been prescribed a combination of kerol and protopic, but this is only until i have my next check-in in a few weeks (hopefully will have a biopsy by then, too).
hope this helps someone else out there!
advised by dermatoliogst that the cause of my sore craked finger tips is due to having to take "BEZALIP Mono Bezaafibrate" tablets for high cholestorel , advised to use prescription creams to alevaite symptoms
i too have alot of the same symtoms of most in this feed- however, in the early onset of this i had some other skin problems on face-around eyes, knees, elbows and backs of my lower portions of my arms (this lasted for a few weeks and went away). it started on my right index finger tip and is currently on all fingers, mostly on the ends of my fingers (rarely on palms). i went to a dermatologist and used diffrerent steroid creams, foams, ointments, nothing works. i had the t.r.u.e. patch test done and found that i have contact allergy to formaldedyde and chemicals that give off formaldehyde. i went to all natural cleaners, soaps, etc. still noting works. i had a biopsy of my finger and pathology says that it is most likely dyshidrosis. it has been almost a yr and it is not getting better. one thing that i came across a while back suggests that certain hormones may cause more and intense outbreaks?! another thing i came accross just recently suggest a natural additive (found in food and toothpastes) carrageenan and possibly wheat gluten may also aggreivate the condition. today, as i type this i am in the second week of a new additional skin problem that is all over the backs of my arms and legs. i am beginning to think that there is way more to this dyshidrosis thing (at least for me). i am so sick of this! i feel for everyone out there! i am a mother of 4 children, 6yrs to 15mo in age, too young to be limited by my sore, and painful hands.
My mother in law and husband have similar symptoms to what you are all describing. She's a nurse and has been dealing with this for years, thinking it was a latex allergy and exacerbated by all the hand washing. She recently had a dermatologist diagnose her with a rare and mild/moderate case of hand psoriasis. They gave her Tadonex cream to put on twice daily and she said it's the first relief she's ever had. It's really greasy and on the pricier side of new drugs available. If you do have psoriasis, remember not all drugs for that treatment work for everyone so you may have to try multiple treatments. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, is genetic, it's cyclical, is brought on by stress or injury and extremely difficult to treat. Good luck to you all.
ok for one i have never actually met anyone with this same problem in person.. but the web is a huge place so im glad i found some people.. i am going to try alot of the solutions posted on here.. But in the mean time i was just wondering 1) if any of you grew up in a highly chlorinated pool, or handeld chlorine or spilt abunch on your hands as a kid.. because i spesificly remember doing that when i was about 9yrs old and i swear thats when it started... just something to think about. ALSO do any of you people bite your nails often.. because i have forever and i was just seeing if maybe theres a pattern for all of us, or something to connect this.. there has to be, because i dont know anyone who has this!! Anyways if anyone could get back on that or comment i would apperciate it alot!
Oh yeah and it hurts really bad for like 30 mins after i get out of the shower when its at its worst, like my hands are burning up or something, all i can do is stick them in the freezer. soap may be the main thing, that and letting them be wet for to long until they start to wilt or whatever you call it. i find thats when they start to peel alot.
Oh yeah and it hurts really bad for like 30 mins after i get out of the shower when its at its worst, like my hands are burning up or something, all i can do is stick them in the freezer. soap may be the main thing, that and letting them be wet for to long until they start to wilt or whatever you call it. i find thats when they start to peel alot.
ok for one i have never actually met anyone with this same problem in person.. but the web is a huge place so im glad i found some people.. i am going to try alot of the solutions posted on here.. But in the mean time i was just wondering 1) if any of you grew up in a highly chlorinated pool, or handeld chlorine or spilt abunch on your hands as a kid.. because i spesificly remember doing that when i was about 9yrs old and i swear thats when it started... just something to think about. ALSO do any of you people bite your nails often.. because i have forever and i was just seeing if maybe theres a pattern for all of us, or something to connect this.. there has to be, because i dont know anyone who has this!! Anyways if anyone could get back on that or comment i would apperciate it alot!
Oh yeah and it hurts really bad for like 30 mins after i get out of the shower when its at its worst, like my hands are burning up or something, all i can do is stick them in the freezer. soap may be the main thing, that and letting them be wet for to long until they start to wilt or whatever you call it. i find thats when they start to peel alot.
OHHHH and also i didnt see many people write this but, it doesnt just happen to my finger tips its my whole palm...
Oh yeah and it hurts really bad for like 30 mins after i get out of the shower when its at its worst, like my hands are burning up or something, all i can do is stick them in the freezer. soap may be the main thing, that and letting them be wet for to long until they start to wilt or whatever you call it. i find thats when they start to peel alot.
OHHHH and also i didnt see many people write this but, it doesnt just happen to my finger tips its my whole palm...
This is amazing to find such similar symptoms and stories. My finger peeling began a little over a year ago, with thickening of skin, peeling, swelling, vertical splitting and bleeding on fingertips as many have here described. It began on the outside tip of my right thumbnail, then on the left tip of middle finger, same hand. Now it's spread to all fingers except pinkies, way worse on the right hand. I also have thickening and peeling of skin on the left heel. If I'm not careful to keep my wounds clean, infection has set in, which clears up with antiseptic ointments and hydrogen peroxide. However, the cycle persists. I'm a very busy mother of five and do most of my own housework, although with latex-free gloves for the past several months. The gloves don't help improve the condition, but they protect the very sensitive finger tips from pain associated with pressure or temperature changes.
I eat healthy, unprocessed foods, and excercise regularly. I take vitamins, including fish oils and have always had good skin and general health my whole life. I'm 51 and when I was 42 I discovered a wheat allergy and gluten intolerance which had led to, among other things, small patches of psoriasis on the forearms. I since avoid all gluten containing products (my overall health improved greatly: energy level, clarity of thought, resistence to colds and flu, skin problems healed promptly.) I am trying to mention many of the things touched upon by others here. Over the summer, I insisted that my daughters, ages 14 and 9 take turns cleaning up the kitchen. After 2-3 weeks, their fingertips also began to peel (thumbs and index fingers). I had them stop working with me in the kitchen, and their symptoms went away.
A dermatologist a year ago prescribed 2 ointments: Mupirocin 2% & Mometasone Furoate 0.1%. They only had a beneficial emollient effect, did not improve condition any more than vasoline or vitamin E oil. I've also tried over the counter antifungals, with no effect. The only times I've seen a slight period of improvement was 1) during 4 months of training for a half marathon here at home, and 2) when vacationing in Colorado for 10 days, mostly camping and hiking. However, when vacationing in Michigan (in a hotel), the symptons got very much worse. I suspect stress may be one component, but the fact that my daughters both developed it working in the kitchen makes me think it may be viral or allergic as well. With so much stuff coming from China and other unregulated countries, who knows what we're touching! Lastly, I am a fingernail biter/picker as someone else mentioned, but have made great strides in resisting the habit since the problem started.
Good luck to all.
I eat healthy, unprocessed foods, and excercise regularly. I take vitamins, including fish oils and have always had good skin and general health my whole life. I'm 51 and when I was 42 I discovered a wheat allergy and gluten intolerance which had led to, among other things, small patches of psoriasis on the forearms. I since avoid all gluten containing products (my overall health improved greatly: energy level, clarity of thought, resistence to colds and flu, skin problems healed promptly.) I am trying to mention many of the things touched upon by others here. Over the summer, I insisted that my daughters, ages 14 and 9 take turns cleaning up the kitchen. After 2-3 weeks, their fingertips also began to peel (thumbs and index fingers). I had them stop working with me in the kitchen, and their symptoms went away.
A dermatologist a year ago prescribed 2 ointments: Mupirocin 2% & Mometasone Furoate 0.1%. They only had a beneficial emollient effect, did not improve condition any more than vasoline or vitamin E oil. I've also tried over the counter antifungals, with no effect. The only times I've seen a slight period of improvement was 1) during 4 months of training for a half marathon here at home, and 2) when vacationing in Colorado for 10 days, mostly camping and hiking. However, when vacationing in Michigan (in a hotel), the symptons got very much worse. I suspect stress may be one component, but the fact that my daughters both developed it working in the kitchen makes me think it may be viral or allergic as well. With so much stuff coming from China and other unregulated countries, who knows what we're touching! Lastly, I am a fingernail biter/picker as someone else mentioned, but have made great strides in resisting the habit since the problem started.
Good luck to all.
I am amazed, as are so many others, at how many people have this problem. I've had the same symptoms, skin on fingertips become hard and slightly swollen then begin peeling. This has been going on for several years. I'm 67 years old. At first I thought it was an allergic reactions to the dust on rubber bands that I used at my work in the library. I changed the brand and didn't have the symptoms for a couple of years. However, now I am retired and it has started again. I've never gone to a dermatologist with the problem because it usually went away after a couple of weeks and apparently no one seems to have had much luck when they have gone. For the first time since I've had this I did have the burning hands symptom that someone mentioned earlier. It was after I had been cleaning with a strong dish detergent. While it's nice to know I'm not alone with this problem it is a bit discouraging to see that no one has been able to find a reliable solution. Good luck to all!
I am starting to think this is from maybe the tap water and using certian types of soaps, along with maybe fingernail biting.. But i know after i get out of the shower it is at its worst, and gets worse unless i put some sort of lotion or cream on my hands..
This is so lame... i have been to sooo many web sites its not even funnnny at all... i swear.. we got some stupid disease that noone can figure out, not 1 person has got rid of this for good... i am really starting to doubt, and become pretty depreased about it.. i mean i seem to forget once it leaves, but a year later it returns and i am misrable for atleast 2 months.. its getting really bad now to.. its turning PURPLE!! and my feet have abunch of red dots on them to, same with my hands... I NEED HELP!
I have this problem too. I just turned 17 a few weeks ago, and I've been playing guitar for over 4 years.
It seems to get worse when (a) I practice guitar intensely, (b) after I shower, and (c) after washing my hands. From what I can see, it eventually heals by itself, after you moisturize it a lot (with lotions such as Vaseline, Cetaphil, Eucerin, etc.)
It's mainly on the left fingertips (makes sense, since I play guitar), but I've started getting small "blister-peeling" on my feet and one spot on the right hand.
My guess is that it's caused by either too much water exposure (i.e., long showers, etc.) or fungal infections. Either way, my fingers have been getting worse every day. This condition started about 3 weeks ago.
Any insight?
It seems to get worse when (a) I practice guitar intensely, (b) after I shower, and (c) after washing my hands. From what I can see, it eventually heals by itself, after you moisturize it a lot (with lotions such as Vaseline, Cetaphil, Eucerin, etc.)
It's mainly on the left fingertips (makes sense, since I play guitar), but I've started getting small "blister-peeling" on my feet and one spot on the right hand.
My guess is that it's caused by either too much water exposure (i.e., long showers, etc.) or fungal infections. Either way, my fingers have been getting worse every day. This condition started about 3 weeks ago.
Any insight?
I have been suffering also for several years. I had thought it was caused by adhesives from labels that I handle every day - I'm a pharmacist. But it does seem to be worse during stressful times. I've controlled it only slightly with antibiotic ointment and bandages. I've been thru several different steroid creams and no help - doctors so far have been no help.
Simple mineral oil and trimming the edges of the peeling skin to avoid snags that peel back is the main daily regimen.
I am talking with a different doctor this week that seems to have a very innovative practice.
Simple mineral oil and trimming the edges of the peeling skin to avoid snags that peel back is the main daily regimen.
I am talking with a different doctor this week that seems to have a very innovative practice.
Precondition to my situation :
I am a 25 year old Asian Male . I have hyper-hydrosis ( over active sweat glands in my hands ) My hands sweat more as a result. It can also sweat more often from psychological causes (if im in church about to shake hands I start to sweat from the nervousness that I'd sweat when I shake someone's hand). I usually can't hold a surface for too long before I start sweating esp/including other people's hands (I hated monkey bars as a kid ).
Symptoms:
The peeling on my finger tips started about 2-3 years ago. It only seems to occur during fall going into winter ( Oct/Nov onward in California ) and lasts for several weeks/months. The skin at my finger tips right now seem as if they are a bit thin ( the areas that are not peeling) as if they've been soaked in water a bit. The peeling doesn't seem to hurt much and are dry. They start as small white bubbles that seem to have been popped by the time I see them, I dont know how they are formed before that, I can only see them after the loose skin has started drying and peeling since the skin starts to become white. Again they do not hurt but they look nasty. These threads have been most helpful in showing that others have simliar problems however they have also been a bit confusing for the following reasons :
1) People are not descriptive enought and we need to establish control questions for the common things brought up like
a) No I do not play the guitar. I understand that fingers peeling and getting calloused is common for guitar players because of the tension and stress, I believe the condition we're trying to isolate here are not related to those cases.
2) Descriptions may vary. I am including pictures of my case ( I apologize if they are disturbing ).
Left Thumb:
Left fingers:
Right Thumb:
I am a 25 year old Asian Male . I have hyper-hydrosis ( over active sweat glands in my hands ) My hands sweat more as a result. It can also sweat more often from psychological causes (if im in church about to shake hands I start to sweat from the nervousness that I'd sweat when I shake someone's hand). I usually can't hold a surface for too long before I start sweating esp/including other people's hands (I hated monkey bars as a kid ).
Symptoms:
The peeling on my finger tips started about 2-3 years ago. It only seems to occur during fall going into winter ( Oct/Nov onward in California ) and lasts for several weeks/months. The skin at my finger tips right now seem as if they are a bit thin ( the areas that are not peeling) as if they've been soaked in water a bit. The peeling doesn't seem to hurt much and are dry. They start as small white bubbles that seem to have been popped by the time I see them, I dont know how they are formed before that, I can only see them after the loose skin has started drying and peeling since the skin starts to become white. Again they do not hurt but they look nasty. These threads have been most helpful in showing that others have simliar problems however they have also been a bit confusing for the following reasons :
1) People are not descriptive enought and we need to establish control questions for the common things brought up like
a) No I do not play the guitar. I understand that fingers peeling and getting calloused is common for guitar players because of the tension and stress, I believe the condition we're trying to isolate here are not related to those cases.
2) Descriptions may vary. I am including pictures of my case ( I apologize if they are disturbing ).
Left Thumb:
Left fingers:
Right Thumb: