SORE AND PEELING FINGERTIPS

Sorry I did not know it would cut off the pics, save as to see full view.

Resized pictures here:

I have the same symptoms that many have mentioned - dry skin that eventually cracks exposing red, raw skin with burning and itching that is very annoying. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what has changed in my 40th year of life that would cause this. It seems that it must be caused by something that I am touching, because it's only on the inside of my hand and localized to the fingertips mostly, although I do get an occasional but much less severe flareup on the palms and heals of my hands. I use computer keyboards constantly at home and work and have considered dowsing my keyboards with various germicides, but then I noticed that the contact points don't line up with the worst irritation points. If it were my keyboard, the irritation should be right near the nail on most fingers, but instead it's worse at the pad of the finger, and I never lay my hands flat enough to contact the keys at those points. So, back to the drawing board...

Until these evening! As I read through prior posts starting in an earlier thread, someone made mention of a nickel allergy possibly from guitar strings. I don't play guitar, but when I did a search on nickel allergy and found that it's often caused by cheap shiny silver jewelry, it registered. I don't wear any jewelry like that, but it dawned on me that I touch something cheap and shiny every day... the Slim Clip money clip that my wife gave me as a decoy birthday gift (the real gift was a really nice pen!) I have been using that clip every day since early September. My symptoms became consistently annoying about two months later. I've noticed that the worst "infection" point is right where my thumb contacts the clip when I slide my credit card out, and the coating on the clip also happens to be wearing off the most at that point.

This is still a theory, but I have stopped using the clip from this point forward. I'll monitor the results and keep you posted...

ok i have been dealing with this as long as i can remember! it hurts because it's sooo sore underneath the skin. it cracks on the already raw skin. i have to put stuff like lotion on them and then wrapped them with gauz and gauz tape overnight. it happens sooo much and i'm sick of it. i can't touch anything without it hurting. i have a nine month old and snapping those buttons are a pain! i feel so embarrassed because i have to hide my hands, and thats difficult when you have to work with your hands at work.lol there is one thing that seems to help, and this is going to sound weird, but try lamisol! i think thats what it's called. it's a gell-like substance you can get in the nursing section at walmart. (or probably anywhere else that sells nursing products) it's used for breastfeeding to treat cracked nipples but it helps relieve it pretty quickly! and another weird thing is carmex. yes carmex.. i know it's weird but i am desprate! i just put it on all my fingers and it makes them feel better. and for the ones who are embarrassed of their hands try using new skin. i have used that too. it burns at first but goes away and it takes the pain of touching anything down to a minimum. i'm sorry that that is all i can say. i wish i knew how to cure it... :-( good luck all of you and thanks for your advice! i hope this may help someone!

Yes, I had the exact same problem this winter. I tried using cortizone cream because I read on the internet that it might be eczema but the steroid cream just seemed to make things worse.

However, I found a natural remedy to this problem that worked quite well: Pokeseed oil, Flax Oil, and EPA Omega-3 supplement oil.

I created a blog to show the difference before and after (2 weeks):

I really hope it helps you because I know how painful the raw fingertips were...


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Sorry, I forgot that I changed the name of the blog...

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I have the same issue pictured by Vodanh. The dryness and peeling takes place primarily on the fingertips (slightly on the palms at times). This issue has been bothering me since I was 12 years old (I'm 25 now) and it has become more of a problem over time. I never bleed or am in too much pain. Things like doing dishes or taking a shower definitely make it worse. I ABSOLUTELY hate touching freshly dried laundry and things like styrofoam! I feel like it sucks the moisture right out of my fingers. I'm not sure if this is caused by a dryness issue or a dryness cause by a fungis or something. I am going to set up an appt to see a dermo. I'll report back!

I was losing the top layer of skin on my right palm many years ago. Went to the dermatologist who did a patch test on my back, and discovered I am allergic to an ingredient commonly found in shampoos and conditioners that are intended to "volumize" your hair: it's called methylisothiazolinone. Very nasty stuff. I always check the ingredients now (although so many lists are almost microscopic, especially when you're standing in the shower without your reading glasses).
So I don't get why my fingers are reacting now. My hair products are supposedly free of the methyl stuff. But there are so many other kooky-sounding ingredients in the stuff... And I've been stressing.
I also discovered that sugarless gum can give you major intestinal upset leading to comprehensive knowledge of where all the public bathrooms are in my town. This info I credit to Joel Graydon in the LA Times.

The issue here is that we are all going to see dermatologists and dermatologists are terrible at diagnosing systemic diseases. By the way, dyshydrosis is what my pathology professor would call a throw away diagnosis by a pathologists that either doesn't know what he's doing (unlikely if he's a dermatopathologist) or honestly can categorizing.

Anyway, the tips of my fingers look quite similar to those pictures only worse right now...a lot redder and flakes of dry skin hanging off. I just made this plausible causal connection for myself the I intend to follow up on ASAP (whether or not it applies to you I can't say). Thyroid problems do run in my family but the last TSH I got measured came back within the normal range. Now the reason I got my TSH tested is because I am Bipolar and I am on Valproic acid; however I hadn't been on it very long. About an hour earlier I came across a post from an MD suggesting this problem is common with Hypothyroidism...know as mixedma and it can occur in your fingers. It hit me. I already have poor insofar as thyroid fxn is concern, I started a drug that is known to suppress thyroid fxn. My fingers started peeling when I began working out (that was last October. They haven't stopped since.

So I'm going to discuss this with my Psychiatrist, get my TSH level checked and see if the Valproic Acid I'm on is the culprit.

In your cases it could be another med you're on, a raw veggie you're eating, or just bad genetics...but I would difinitely have this in my differential diagnosis if I were a dermatologist and it's pathetic that most of them overlook systemic causes....

I was just going to post and ask if anyone else had thyroid problems....I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease) with hypothyroidism.My symptons are pretty much the same as most here.I do work in healthcare and wash my hands alot but I've always

done that and this just recently started several weeks ago.

It feels alot better now to know I am not the only one with this problem!! I have had it for 5 years, same as everyone else both thumbs and index finger. However It doesnt get numb anymore. I have stopped with all the creams as they didnt do anything to help. If they get or feel really dry i will just use hand cream.

Yellowish little bumps on the sides of my index fingers, half way down my thumb too.


The skin peeling has now spread to majority of finger tips. Funny thing is I also play guitar however i dont play it much these days and havnt picked it up in three months so maybe this is a red herring?
but it has made me think if it is metal realted? I wonder if there is chemicals in deodorent? (i cant spell!) I got a week off of work I might try the smelly route and see what happens - I have tried everything else.

I have tried cutting certain food and drinks out, havnt tried to quit smoking yet.

It did actually disapeer for a year back in 2007 i had met a new girlfriend at the time and everything was rosy. However good things never last and back it came a year down the line. So maybe it is stress related?

Maybe as not many people (other than us) have this condition - no one is looking at trying to cure it. Maybe we should all chip in and put our money together to find a cure lol

I am going to give this fish oil a go now... (peeling) fingers crossed it works

will let you know

guys i have been using the fish oil tablets as suggested in earlier posts and it has seemed to work for me too!! thought i would let you know ! very very happy

Dear Everyone!
Lets be positive! we might have found the problem and the solution!
At last!!
I am 37 and now after many years of excrutiating fingertip peeling and pain,and permanent fingertip numbness... My mother came over this book----
A book called "you are what you eat" by Dr Gillian Mckeith (penguin/michael joseph /published 2004)page 41 suggests it could be a ZINC DEFICIENCY to be solved by either taking one teaspoon of liquid algae and a tablet of zinc supplent a day(please check with your doctor if you can take this first as we are all different and never know how your body could react if you have any major health problems) ,or (this cant harm you)eating lots of sunflower seeds,pumpkin seeds,pecan nuts,brasil nuts...
Its worth getting a blood test to see if this is our case and start eating those seeds like mad!!I must say that I used to eat loads as a kid as this is a typical spanish snack for kids while pLaying on the street and never had that problem before...but I dont eat meat and have been DETECTED TO BE a celiac(gluten free) so I eat loads in my salads and homemade gluten free bread and havent had it for quite a long time now...so maybe..just maybe..this could be the solution!
I too have heard so much nonsense from many different doctors saying things like it could be alergy to paper,to ink,alergy to soaps,to chemicals,stress,a form of psoriasis,fungus...and a long etc...I tried cutting out foods of all sorts...gluten,tomatoes,fish,SHELLFISH,using chemical free cleaning products all natural food and health and cleaning stuff..but it didnt work and still why was it happening???no one seemed to know and so many people where affected!!

So now I am soooooo happy to say I think this works!!I reaLLY DO!!!In any case and just incase this zinc thing doesnt work out for you.I have found a huge relief in a mild cortizone cream the type given to small children...and this had always helped to cure it....almost over night...I used to put it on the minute I detected the little miniture pin size blisters coming up.And it was like magic!But of course..cortizone makes the skin thin so I much prefer the zinc solution!

good luck everyone!please post me back if it helps you!

I was told it is a form of psoriasis!

vodanh wrote:

Resized:

since 3 weeks i have the same symptoms like vodanh..
@vodanh
do you know what it is and how treating this??
my fingers are looking exactly like yours.