Why does the skin on your fingers dry out: causes and treatment

10/06/2020 Alena Masheva Health

The appearance of hands can tell a lot about a person’s health, habits and lifestyle of their owner. Women pay special attention to their hands, but it is quite difficult to monitor their condition when there are a lot of household chores and you constantly have to come into contact with household chemicals. And I really want the skin to not have cracks and dryness. But are the reasons for the poor condition of the skin of the hands really so harmless, perhaps this is a sign of some disease?

Weather

The skin on the fingers dries and cracks - this is a common complaint during the cold season. When it’s frosty outside, the skin quickly dries out, especially if it’s windy outside. A similar problem occurs with active exposure to sunlight. The same problem arises if the climate is changeable and there are constant changes in atmospheric temperature.

The problem with the epidermis appears for one simple reason - lack of moisture. Therefore, it is very important to protect your hands from the piercing cold in winter and moisturize them at home.

Why does the skin on my fingers crack?

Cracks in the palms and fingers have a simple formation mechanism: dehydration and decreased elasticity of the epidermis. Before you get rid of the problem, you need to figure out why your fingers are cracking. Without eliminating the causes, no treatment will help. And they can be different: either the impact of negative external factors, or internal health problems.

The main reason for the appearance of pathology is the impact of unfavorable external factors

External factors

The main reason why the skin on the fingers may crack is the impact of external factors on it. They can be mechanical, chemical, thermal:

• frequent contact with cold, very hot, hard or chlorinated water;
• use of aggressive detergents and household chemicals without protective gloves;
• non-compliance with safety regulations during land, construction, and repair work;
• wrong choice of cosmetics;
• prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays;
• negative weather factors: wind, frost, dry air.

Internal factors

Cracks on the hands appear when the natural skin barrier is disrupted. A decrease in protection may be associated with various diseases, infections, lack of vitamins, and hormonal imbalances. In this case, the skin on the hands dries and cracks even under favorable external conditions. Often this is one of the symptoms of serious illnesses, so it is better to consult a doctor to determine the causes and treat the pathology.

Cracks in the skin, their causes and treatment may be associated with the following diseases:

• fungal infection;
• atopic or contact dermatitis;
• eczema;
• psoriasis;
• diabetes;
• vitamin deficiency or anemia;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
• allergy.

There are many reasons why the skin on your fingers may crack.

Manifestations of pathology

The skin on the fingers, near the nails, on the pads, in the spaces between the fingers, on the palms, and on the back side cracks. Vulnerable places are the folds and fingertips. In these places, the skin breaks more often, and the wounds take longer to heal.

In addition to peeling and cracking, the pathology manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• itching, burning;
• redness;
• inflammation with swelling of the skin;
• increased dryness;
• skin thickening;
• soreness;
• deep wounds until they bleed.

Diagnostics

If the cracks in your fingers are deep, painful, take a long time to heal and cause discomfort, you should consult a doctor. This is especially important when the skin is very flaky, red spots appear, nails become brittle or change color, and there is severe itching and burning.

Based on where the damage is located, the doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis. The skin on the fingertips often cracks due to eczema or vitamin deficiency. Sores and peeling between the fingers and on the back of the hands are characteristic of psoriasis. And when the skin cracks at the tips and around the nails, with itching and burning, a fungal infection can be assumed. But the doctor can make a final diagnosis only after conducting blood, urine, and skin scraping tests.

Nutrition and vitamin deficiency

Another reason why the skin on the fingers dries and cracks is an unbalanced diet. A similar problem is often faced by women who are on exhausting and mono-diets. The lack of vitamins and nutrients very quickly affects the health and skin.

Dry epidermis on the hands may indicate that a person has vitamin deficiency. Most often, the problem occurs due to a lack of vitamins A, P, C or E. You can compensate for the lack of fat-soluble vitamins by consuming vegetables, namely bell peppers, tomatoes and carrots. Cottage cheese, beef, nuts and beans will help stabilize the condition of the epidermis. Do not give up eating vegetable oils, cereals and dairy products.

With severe weight loss, the body may experience a lack of vitamin PP, the deficiency of which negatively affects the condition of the epidermis.

Medical treatments

If you notice that the skin of your fingers is gradually starting to dry out and peel off, feel free to seek help from a doctor. Do not pay attention to the possible high cost of treatment - in any case, health costs more. Medicine has developed a number of ways to get rid of dry skin. Let's look at some of them.

1. Moisturizing gloves. Let’s say right away that this method was formed relatively recently, but in a short period of time it has become the most effective. Spa Belle is the first manufacturer of medical gloves and socks designed to treat problem skin. The gel base forces the epidermis to exchange moisture, so even the driest skin becomes more hydrated, pleasant to the touch and beautiful to look over time. The main feature is that you can buy gel gloves at an affordable price, and one equivalent product lasts for a very long time.
2. Complex of vitamins. Vitamins help if the root cause of problems is an insufficient amount of substances in the body. The doctor prescribes the necessary vitamins and gives recommendations for their use. It is very important to do everything to ensure that the schedule for taking vitamins really helps. First you have to take a closer look at the behavior of the organism as a whole. If the first results appear, you will need to continue the course of treatment in accordance with a predetermined schedule. If the first results are not observed, you will have to contact a dermatologist again for help.
3. Gels, oils. As a rule, people suffering from dry skin use oils and gels first. In this case, you need to be able to select them correctly. Again, you will have to visit a dermatologist's office to ensure that the dry skin between your fingers receives the right cosmetic product. It is important not only to choose the right oil, cream or gel, but also to learn how to choose the right quantity.

Internal problems

The skin between the fingers dries and cracks - what is the reason? This problem is often addressed to a dermatologist if it cannot be dealt with at home. It could be eczema or a fungal disease. In some cases, dry skin may be evidence of an allergic reaction or hormonal imbalance. Often this symptom occurs against the background of problems with the gastrointestinal tract or pancreas.

It is clear that if dryness cannot be eliminated, then you will have to look for the cause by undergoing a full medical examination.

Treatment methods

Today, there are many methods for eliminating dryness and cracks in the skin. These include products that you can prepare yourself at home, creams prepared by cosmetic companies and pharmaceutical companies. Quite rarely, the problem can be eliminated only with the help of drug therapy, but this is provided that the provocateur is an internal disease. Only a doctor can prescribe such treatment.

The easiest way to deal with a problem is if it arose against the background of external factors.

General recommendations for hygienic care

The skin on the fingers dries and cracks - what to do? If the problem appears even periodically, then contact with water and household chemicals should be minimized. If you need to use detergents, be sure to carry out all procedures with gloves. You will have to give up nail polish at least for a while, especially gel polish.

Every day, before going to bed, you need to lubricate the skin of your hands with cream. You can use cream with glycerin or “Children’s”, that is, it is as gentle as possible and with a minimum amount of preservatives and chemical additives. Using the same principle, it is necessary to select soap for daily use.

It is recommended to make baths and masks with medicinal herbs.

If the skin on your fingers breaks near the nails or between the fingers, you can use special glue to make the wounds heal faster. By the way, wounds near the nails often indicate that there is a lack of vitamins in the body.

Household factors

Is the skin on your fingers cracking? The reasons for the appearance are as follows:

• constant contact with water;
• use of household chemicals without protective agents;
• lack of care for the epidermis.

Problems may arise due to the use of low-quality cosmetics.

Read also:  Purulent acne on the legs: reasons why they appear?

Preparing ointments and creams at home

Anti-crack cream can be made using the following recipe, which requires:

• calendula;
• plantain;
• chamomile;
• series.

All herbs are mixed (one tablespoon each) and poured with a glass of hot boiled water. The mixture is infused for 8 hours. For the cream you will need to mix one spoon of honey with butter (a small piece). Add one tablespoon of decoction to the mixture, mix everything thoroughly and treat your hands with this mixture daily, morning and evening.

To maintain the moisture of the epidermis of your hands for 24 hours, you can create an ointment based on chamomile concentrate. To prepare it, you need to brew 2 tablespoons of chamomile flowers in 100 grams of water. First, bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer over low heat for one hour, remembering to stir occasionally. Afterwards, strain the mixture and add 1 teaspoon each of jojoba and shea butter, 4 drops of sweet orange oil (essential). After thorough mixing, preferably with a whisk, the cream is ready for use.

You can make a mixture and make compresses from it, which you hold on your hands for 30 minutes. To prepare, you need to mix 5 grams of glycerin with two tablespoons of honey.

Getting rid of cracks

Honey mask for hands. Very good reviews about the use of honey for cracks in the skin of the hands. For the mask you will need one egg yolk, which should be mixed with 50 grams of olive oil (if it is unavailable, you can use vegetable oil). Mix the ingredients and add honey (3 tbsp.)

The mask should be applied to cracks in the skin of the hands; it is recommended to cover the hands themselves with cellophane for 30 minutes. After the procedure, the cellophane is removed, hands are washed in warm water and covered with moisturizer. It’s even better to use real homemade sour cream.

To get rid of cracks, it is recommended to make baths with potato starch. Brew 1 teaspoon of starch in 250 ml of boiling water. The mixture should be thoroughly stirred until the starch is completely dissolved. After the solution acquires a sticky consistency, it should be diluted with 500 ml of hot water. The bath is ready, you should immerse your hands in it for 20 minutes. After the procedure, hands are treated with nourishing cream.

Is the skin on your fingers dry and cracking? A bath with medicinal plants will help:

• chamomile;
• calendula;
• plantain.

All herbs are mixed in equal parts (2 tablespoons each) and pour one liter of boiling water. After cooling, place your hands in the bath for 20 minutes. It is recommended to carry out the procedure every day until the skin is completely restored.

Is the skin on your fingers cracking? Are the reasons due to household chemicals or the climatic conditions of the place where you live? A nourishing mask can even be made from products that every housewife has - oatmeal. Pour boiling water over two tablespoons of flakes and wait until they swell. After this, they are distributed evenly over the entire hand and left for 15 minutes. Afterwards, the composition is washed off and hands are treated with essential moisturizing oil.

You can use sea buckthorn oil (3 tablespoons), which is mixed with 1 spoon of honey. The mixture is applied to damaged areas of the skin. After 30 minutes, the mixture is washed off, preferably with a herbal decoction, and the hands are treated with oil or a nourishing, preferably natural, cream.

Methods for treating cracks and peeling on hands

Cracks in the fingers are usually treated at home. If you take an integrated approach, you can quickly get rid of the problem. Folk recipes, moisturizing creams and ointments will help. But this treatment is not always effective. Deep cracks may form, which take a very long time to heal. Special therapy is required for infections and systemic diseases. In this case, only a doctor can determine what to do to get rid of skin damage.

external use of ointments and vitamins will have a healing effect and prevent infection

Drug treatment

If the skin on your fingers is severely cracked and deep wounds have formed, it is recommended to immediately use BF-6 medical glue. It will prevent infection and speed up healing. You can also use ointments such as Dexpanthenol, Ichthyol, Vishnevsky.

More serious medications are prescribed after examination to determine the cause of the pathology:

• if the damage is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics are used orally and in the form of ointments, for example, Levomekol, syntomycin emulsion;
• for fungal infections, antimycotic drugs are needed - Fluconazole, Ketoconazole, Candide, Lamisil, Exoderil;
• antiseptics are used as auxiliary agents, for example, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin, hydrogen peroxide;
• if wounds do not heal for a long time, ointments that stimulate regeneration processes will help: Actovegin, Solcoseryl, Methyluracil;
• for dermatitis and eczema, Flucinar, Fluorocort, Prednisolone ointment, Celestoderm are prescribed.

Vitamins and minerals

A common cause of dry skin is vitamin deficiency. For its normal condition, vitamins A, E, C, B, magnesium, zinc, Omega 3 fatty acids are required. It is recommended to take multivitamin complexes, normalize your diet by including more fresh vegetables and fruits, eggs, fish, dairy products, and vegetable oils.

Vitamins are useful for the skin of hands from cracks. For external use, oil solutions of vitamins A and E are used. They are added to creams, homemade ointments and masks.

if the pathology is provoked by external factors, moisturizers have an effective effect

Purpose of cosmetic moisturizers

If the problem is caused by external factors, you can use cosmetics with a moisturizing effect. Hand cream for cracks and peeling should be chosen without alcohol, dyes, or aggressive synthetic components.

The composition should contain oils, herbal extracts, panthenol, glycerin, and vitamins. Boro Plus, Green Pharmacy, Bioderma, Relana, Zorka are effective. You can use balms Rescuer, Guardian, 911, Balzamed. Calendula ointment, Panthenol, Bepanten have a healing effect.

Treatment with folk remedies

For small cracks, and also as an auxiliary therapy, you can use traditional methods. These are hand baths, homemade ointments, lotions, and compresses.

• Aloe leaf accelerates the healing of fresh cracks. It needs to be cut lengthwise and the thorns cut off. Apply the inner side to the damaged area and bandage. Keep for 4-5 hours. In summer, instead of aloe, you can use yarrow, St. John's wort, nettle, and plantain. Mash the fresh grass to release the juice and bandage it to the crack.
• Take 1.5 cups of freshly prepared mashed potatoes. Add 2 tbsp. l. sour cream and 1 tsp. sea ​​buckthorn or rosehip oils. Dip your hands into the mixture and hold for 15-20 minutes.
• Pour the water in which the potatoes were boiled into a bowl and cool. For 500 ml of this decoction add 1 tbsp. l. starch and 2 tbsp. l. olive oil. Keep your hands on for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.
• A simpler starch bath is made with only starch. A glass of warm water will require 2 tsp. substances. After stirring, wait until the mixture thickens. Hold your hands for 10 minutes.
• Mix a glass of warm water and milk. Add 2 tbsp. l. corn starch and 6 drops of glycerin. Make a hand bath in this solution for 10 minutes.
• In a deep bowl, pour 3 tbsp. l. oatmeal with boiling water. When they cool down a little, put your hands in there and start kneading the flakes. This needs to be done for 10-15 minutes. For a better effect, you can add a little honey and olive oil to the porridge.
• In summer you can make oil from celandine. Finely chop the flowers and leaves of the plant, pour in olive oil in a 1:1 ratio. Leave for a month, strain. Use to lubricate cracks.
• An effective ointment is obtained from plantain. You need to grind the dried leaves and mix with Vaseline. You should get a thick ointment. It is used to lubricate cracks several times a day.
• Mumiyo solution heals any cracks well. You need to dissolve 1-2 tablets in a small amount of water. Lubricate problem areas, do not rinse.
• An effective ointment is made from egg yolk. You need to beat it, add a tablespoon of honey, 50 ml of glycerin and 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice. Mix everything well and rub into the skin several times a day.
• Another ointment recipe: mix honey and butter in equal quantities. Add a decoction of chamomile, calendula and plantain. You should get a mixture of thick sour cream. Apply this ointment at night and put on gloves.
• Prepare a decoction of 50 g of flax seed per glass of water and the same amount of chamomile decoction. Mix the decoctions after infusion. Use for bath.
• You can make a healing and softening cream. You will need 30 g of beeswax and 10 g of butter. Melt the mixture in a water bath, add a teaspoon of vitamins A and E. Store the cream in the refrigerator.
• At night, make hand baths with decoctions of chamomile, sage, calendula, plantain, and linden blossom. Keep your hands in the warm broth for 10-15 minutes, then pat dry with a soft cloth.

Regular use of caring hand masks will help maintain their health and beauty

Hand masks at home

Masks based on vegetable oils, medicinal herbs, honey and other components help to heal wounds faster, soften and moisturize the skin. They are used several times a week; for prevention, once is enough. The mask is washed off with warm boiled water. After this, your hands need to be blotted with a soft towel and lubricated with nourishing cream.

• Moisten a linen napkin with cedar oil. Wrap your hands for half an hour.
• An oil mask can be made differently. Steam your hands in hot water. Then rub slightly warmed sea buckthorn, rose hip or burdock oil into the skin. Flaxseed, castor or olive oil are also suitable. Pay special attention to damaged areas. Rub the oil into the skin, then put on cotton gloves.
• Grate the pulp of fresh cucumber on a fine grater. Apply the paste to the damaged areas.
• A mask made from raw potatoes is effective. After grinding, the mass must be mixed with egg yolk. Keep the mask on for 15 minutes.
• In a quarter glass of olive oil, stir 1 chicken yolk, a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil. Apply a thick layer to your hands several times a day, keep for half an hour.
• Mash half a banana, add a teaspoon each of sea buckthorn oil and honey. Apply to hands for 1 hour.
• Soak the rye bread crumb in warm milk. Apply the resulting mass to your hands and hold for 20 minutes.
• Mix 1 tbsp. l. sour cream and finely grated carrots. Add 1 tsp. vegetable oil.
• Make dough from 1 tbsp. l. flour and 2 tbsp. l. water. Add 1 spoon of honey and 2 spoons of glycerin. Knead well and distribute over damaged areas.
• 2 tbsp. l. Boil crushed oak bark in a water bath in 1 cup of boiling water for 20 minutes. Leave for half an hour. Moisten cotton pads and apply to damaged areas. Bandage and wrap with film. Leave overnight.
• Mix 1 tsp. glycerin and liquid honey, add 2 tsp. warm water, mix. Add 1 tsp. chopped oatmeal or oatmeal. Apply a thick layer to your hands and leave for half an hour.
• An effective mask is made from egg yolk, 100 ml of sour cream and lemon juice. Distribute the resulting mass over your hands, wrap it in film and put on gloves.

Treatment of problems in children requires specialist consultation and a special approach

Pharmacy products

To treat the skin on the fingers, especially if the skin cracks until it bleeds and then does not heal for a long time, it is better to use pharmaceutical preparations that allow wounds to heal quickly. You should choose ointments and creams that have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, that is, they allow you to restore the skin as quickly as possible.

It is recommended to apply such ointments and creams in a thick layer and protect your hands with cotton or cosmetic gloves. It is recommended to carry out the procedures until complete recovery.

The most popular remedies include: “Actovegin”, “Levomekol”, “Vulnuzan”, “Sinaflanom”.

Very good reviews about Radevit hand cream. This is a combined drug that quickly eliminates itching and moisturizes the skin well. The cream is often recommended for use in complex therapy in the presence of skin diseases, for example, burns, dermatitis, erosions. The product is suitable as a preventative for allergies or periodic inflammatory processes. If the skin has cracks or other defects, they must be treated with an antiseptic before applying the cream. The cream is applied to the affected areas of the skin 2 times throughout the day. If the epidermis is very peeling, then a bandage should be applied after treatment with the cream, which should stop the access of air to the treated areas of the skin.

You can also use Panthenol, Bepanten and Solcoseryl ointment. The latter cream is made from natural ingredients, so it has a very short shelf life.

We use oils

The easiest way to deal with the problem of dry and cracked skin on your fingers is to use essential oils on a regular basis. The main thing is that they are natural. Oils allow you to reanimate the skin and even accelerate the growth of nails. Tea tree oil, chamomile, geranium, marjoram, and juniper have excellent properties. In addition to the moisturizing effect, they have antibacterial properties and quickly heal wounds. These oils can be mixed and made into a compress.

Grapefruit, orange and ylang-ylang oils have excellent properties. The main thing to remember is that the effect depends entirely on the regularity of using oils. If you make a compress or mask once a month or week, you shouldn’t expect a miracle. Only regular use will get rid of the problem.

Causes

Most often, dry skin on the fingers develops for the following reasons:

• Aggressive influence of household chemical liquids. With regular open contact of fingers (without the use of protective gloves) with soap, powders, dish detergents, etc. the skin quickly dries out and loses elasticity. This in turn leads to the appearance of cracks in areas of greatest skin tension.

Hand washing with low-quality soap and washing a bathtub or toilet with chlorine-containing products is considered even more dangerous. This is real torture for the delicate and sensitive skin of your fingers.

Moreover, some people can easily develop a severe allergic reaction to such events, not to mention serious harm to the health of the entire body.

• Incorrect hand skin care measures. At the same time, insufficiently moisturized skin can lead to drying out of the epidermis, which, when exposed to a cold wind or contact with cold water, can dry out and become covered with cracks.
• Using certain cosmetics that are not suitable for a person and cause dry skin. In this case, a pathological lack of moisture is regarded as a form of an allergic reaction.
• Contact dermatitis can develop after hand contact with acids, glue, varnish, paint and other chemical allergens. There are two forms of this disease: acute and chronic. The acute form occurs and develops quickly, while the chronic form lasts a long time, with frequent exacerbations.
• Fungal infections of the skin of the fingers. These diseases occur due to a sharp decrease in immunity (when taking antibiotics). In this condition, not only the skin of the fingers will be affected, but also the folds between the fingers themselves. In addition to severe dryness, fungal infection can cause itching, white plaque, thickening of the skin and redness.
• Eczema is considered a dangerous disease that can affect the skin on the fingers, especially the fingertips.
• Diabetes mellitus can seriously impair blood circulation in the body, including the nutrition of the hands, which leads to dry skin.
• Sudden temperature changes negatively affect the condition of the skin of the hands, especially exposure to cold and dry climates.
• Frequent contact with water. Despite the fact that it would seem that water will moisturize the skin, in fact, everything is exactly the opposite - water will dry out the epidermis and wash away its protective fat layer.
• Using skin care cosmetics that have already expired. Also, simply low-quality products can cause dryness.

Additional factors affecting dry hand skin are:

1. Weakened immunity.
2. Vitamin deficiency resulting from poor nutrition. This is especially common in spring and autumn.
3. Congenital dry hands and genetic susceptibility to this condition.
4. Psoriasis.
5. In addition to the main symptoms, Reiter's syndrome can also cause dry skin on the hands.
6. Ichthyosis is a hereditary disease that can increase keratinization of the skin. In this case, the epidermis cracks and resembles fish scales. It develops due to hormonal imbalance.

Peeling of the epidermis

Why does the skin on my fingers peel off? Most often, this problem occurs against the background of a fungal disease. Naturally, in such a situation it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. If you don’t have time, you can deal with the problem at home. For treatment, you will need freshly squeezed lemon juice, which must be used to treat the skin of your hands for several days.

The juice can be squeezed out of the fruit and applied to the affected areas of the skin using a cotton swab, or you can cut off a piece of lemon and treat the epidermis with it. After 10 minutes, hands should be rinsed under warm water and treated with moisturizer.

However, you should always remember that you can get rid of fungal diseases of the skin using folk remedies only if the disease is at its initial stage.