Causes of dry skin on fingertips

The use of household chemicals, improper care, the external environment - all these nuances lead to changes in the condition of the skin. Irritation resembling an allergy may appear on the hands, dryness, peeling, and cracking may occur. These factors are not health deviations. Cracks in the fingers are considered a serious cause for concern, the causes and treatment of which are not related to weather conditions, household responsibilities or age-related changes. Wounds with blood should be a mandatory reason to see a doctor.

Causes of dry skin and cracked fingers

Peeling and dryness cause discomfort. Combined with itching and bleeding wounds, these signs turn into constant pain. The reasons for such manifestations can be various factors. Floor cleaners, dishes and other household chemicals have a negative effect on your hands. It is not difficult to get rid of their influence. If the causes of changes in the skin are diseases, then treatment is aimed not only at eliminating discomfort, but also at eliminating the disease.

Diseases that can cause itching, cracking, peeling and dry hands:

1. fungus (the main cause of the disease is considered to be weakened immunity);
2. contact dermatitis (the disease is caused by the use of household chemicals, contact with aggressive substances or allergens);
3. eczema (a serious disease accompanied by bleeding wounds, cracks, dry hands);
4. psoriasis (a distinctive symptom is the appearance of droplets of blood;
5. vitamin deficiency (the cause of dry and cracked hands is a lack of vitamins);
6. allergies (individual reaction to certain factors).

The question of why the skin on the fingers cracks requires a comprehensive examination by a dermatologist. Getting rid of some diseases is difficult. Such symptoms may be a manifestation of diabetes mellitus, diseases of internal organs, or dysfunction of individual body systems. When identifying the cause of dryness and peeling, you need to pay attention to the location of the lesion - pads, palms, area of ​​the periungual plates, interdigital areas.

The skin on the fingers near the nails is cracking

Frequent contact not only with household chemicals, but also with ordinary water, can cause irritation. The skin in the area of ​​the nail plates begins to peel, crack, and peel off. If factors such as water and chemistry are not present, then internal diseases are the cause of discomfort. Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis, but the most common of them are considered to be fungus on the fingers, hormonal imbalance, psoriasis, eczema, diabetes or abnormalities in the thyroid gland.

You can easily find restorative hand cream in any supermarket or pharmacy, this product is so popular. In particular, it will be useful for those whose problem is dry skin on their fingers.

1. Causes of dry skin on fingers
2. Signs of dry hand skin
3. Necessary care
4. Methods for preventing dryness
5. Tools Overview

Causes of dry skin on fingers

It’s not for nothing that they say that your hands tell you your age first. This is the absolute truth. In addition, the skin of the hands is less resistant to aggressive environmental factors - cold, cold, wind and temperature changes, so the winter season begins with the purchase of gloves and a good protective cream.

So, why can the skin on your hands become dry?

The skin on your hands has a thinner lipid barrier © iStock

On the skin of the hands, the lipid barrier is much thinner than, for example, on the skin of the back or forearm, so it is more susceptible to aging processes.

The skin of the hands is the most vulnerable. If she is not protected by gloves in cold weather, she will easily become chapped. One walk without covering - and dryness, redness and peeling occur.

Contact with household chemicals

Household chemicals: hand washing powders, dishwashing gels and bath cleaners dry out the skin of your hands, often causing irritation and redness.

Severe dry skin and persistent irritation may be signs of atopic dermatitis. But only a doctor can make a diagnosis, so we recommend that you refrain from self-medication and consult a specialist if the condition of the skin on your hands causes serious concern.

Caring for dry hand skin is not limited to applying cream © iStock

Signs of dry hand skin

The following symptoms indicate dry hand skin:

sometimes - burning and pain.

Three key signs of dry skin on your fingers:

dryness around the nails and rough, sloppy cuticles;

redness in areas that are most likely to come into contact with external irritants (for example, on the knuckles or fingertips), which may be accompanied by pain;

peeling that does not go away for a long time.

To restore the skin of your hands, use masks © iStock

Necessary care

When things are really bad, hand skin care should not end with applying cream. We'll tell you what else you can do to make your hands thank you.

Pay attention to what you wash your hands with. If your skin is prone to dryness, it makes sense to replace classic bar or gel soap with cleanser labeled "soap-free".

Hand scrub - not the most popular product, but it definitely won’t hurt to get one. Exfoliation with abrasive particles stimulates cell renewal and removes dead epidermal scales, making the skin not only softer, but also better absorbs beneficial substances from the cream.

Hand cream - a product that must be on your bedside table (you can throw the second one in your bag, and the third one in your office desk drawer). You already know why it is needed, so we’ll tell you what will happen if you ignore it: the skin on your hands will age twenty years ahead of time.

Use as a restorative agent hand masks. These can be either special products or any rich hand cream. The latter should be applied in a thick layer, after which it is recommended to wear cotton gloves.

Methods for preventing dryness

Preventive measures will help avoid many problems.

Wash dishes with gloves: detergents contain high concentrations of surfactants. They will not harm plates and cups, but yes, the delicate skin of your hands.

Also perform cleaning with gloves, even if the instructions for the detergent do not indicate that skin protection is required. Cleaning products often contain lye or other harsh chemicals that can damage the delicate skin of your hands.

In the cold season, make it a rule to wear gloves or mittens; they will protect your hands from the harmful effects of wind and frost.

Tools Overview

The main component of the formula is allantoin, known for its healing properties. The cream intensively nourishes and softens even very dry hand skin, promotes the healing of microcracks and damage.

Allantoin and thermal water from La Roche-Posay mineral springs included in the composition are responsible for the regeneration of the hydrolipidic mantle, promote the healing of damage to the epidermis and restore tenderness to the skin of the hands. The cream is quickly absorbed and has a neutral smell.

Soothing multi-regenerating balm Cicaplast Baume, La Roche-Posay

Shea butter, panthenol, a complex of copper, manganese and zinc improve the skin restoration process. The product also relieves redness and irritation and instantly gives a feeling of comfort.

Care for dry and rough skin Intensive Treatment And Moisturizer, Kiehl’s

Rich in fatty acids, avocado, wheat and shea butters soften rough areas of the hands in just one night. The product will help even if your hands are chapped or in contact with aggressive chemicals (for example, solvent or detergent).

Experts say that dry skin on the hands, especially between the fingers, is a fairly common problem that 2/3 of children and adults, especially women, have encountered at least once in their lives. There are many medications and cosmetics to solve the problem, but the main thing is to find out why this disorder occurred. The reasons can be very different.

Why does the skin on your fingers dry out?

If your hands look rough, dry, cracked, the reasons may be:

1. Lack of vitamins in the daily diet, especially vitamins A and E;
2. Increased blood sugar levels;
3. Frequent contact with aggressive chemicals;
4. Prolonged exposure of the skin to ultraviolet rays, wind, rain or snow;
5. Low air humidity in a city apartment, especially during periods of intensive operation of central heating batteries;
6. Using cosmetics that do not match your skin type.

Some dermatological diseases may also be the cause: lichen, eczema, psoriasis. The skin often becomes dry due to allergies, a condition called “allergic dermatitis” or, more colloquially, “diathesis.” This happens especially often in children whose immune systems have not yet fully developed. Also, dry skin often occurs in women during menopause and in old age due to hormonal changes in the body.

Dry skin on fingers

Signs

You can conclude that your skin is dry by the following signs:

1. To the touch, the skin has become rough, rough and resembles sandpaper;
2. There is a constant feeling of skin tightness, this sensation causes great discomfort;
3. Small wrinkles and cracks appear on the hands and around the nails;
4. There is severe drying of the cuticle;
5. Burrs often appear at the edge of the nail;
6. The skin takes on an unhealthy color. They may be too pale, yellowish or red.

Also, one of the main signs of increased dryness is a tendency to frequent inflammation and irritation.

Causes of dry skin on hands

On a note. The fight against dry skin depends on what causes the problem: internal or external.

Internal causes are hormonal imbalances and general diseases, external causes are associated with environmental influences and the use of inappropriate cosmetics.

External

If dry skin around the fingernails is caused by external factors, the problem can be solved with the help of suitable cosmetics. Necessary:

1. Use care products designed for dry and sensitive hands;
2. Use a night cream with a soft texture daily;
3. Massage your palms and fingers using massage oil;
4. Do household chores and gardening work wearing protective gloves.
5. When exposed to the sun, you should apply a sunscreen to your palms and fingers, including the areas near your nails.

Domestic

If the reasons lie within the body, it is necessary to reconsider the diet and enrich it with foods rich in vitamins A and E. These vitamins improve the ability of skin cells to retain water and prevent dehydration. It is also worth consulting with an endocrinologist, because the problem may be hormonal in nature.

Peeling around nails

Peeling around nails

Peeling around the nails usually occurs with frequent contact with household chemicals and vitamin deficiency. To solve the problem, you need to eat right, use protective gloves and regularly lubricate the cuticle with special oil. You should also temporarily avoid using nail polish, as it often contains harsh chemicals.

Bursts between your fingers

On a note. If the skin on your fingers dries out and the top layer often cracks between your fingers, this is very dangerous, because each such crack is a “gateway” for infection.

Most often, the causes of dryness are internal, they are associated with hormonal imbalance or elevated blood sugar levels. In this case, cosmetics provide only short-term results, then the skin begins to burst again, so for treatment it is necessary to take medications orally as prescribed by the attending physician.

Treatment options

To get rid of the problem, you can use the following methods:

1. Moisturizing night and day creams;
2. Folk remedies according to “grandmother’s recipes”;
3. Preparations for oral use and vitamins;
4. Massage palms and fingertips using moisturizing massage oil.

Several methods can be used at once.

Folk

On a note. If you have dry skin around your fingernails, your grandmother’s advice will tell you what to do. The most effective folk remedy is a potato mask.

To do this you need to mix 4 tbsp. l. puree, 2 tbsp. l. preheated milk and tbsp. l. olive oil. The mixture should be thoroughly stirred and applied to cleansed skin of the hands and left for 20 minutes. A mask made from ground oatmeal flakes and tea leaves also works well. This mixture should be applied at night and gloves should be worn on your hands.

Medical

Of the products sold in pharmacies, the most effective are creams containing panthenol, a substance that quickly relieves dryness and inflammation. Bepanten cream and ointment are very popular. They can be used to soften the skin starting from newborn age. The drug does not cause allergies. The only negative is the rather high cost.

Cosmetic

Among cosmetic products, we can recommend creams for day and night hand care from Garnier and Nivea. The products contain a natural moisturizing factor and enhance the ability of the skin on the hands to retain water. The cosmetologist will tell you which cream to choose.

Advice from doctors

If dry hands and flaking of the skin between the fingers bother you very often, doctors recommend consulting with an endocrinologist and taking a blood test for sugar, as well as being tested for allergies. If after the examination no health problems are identified, you should consult a dermatologist. There may be skin diseases that are asymptomatic.

Preventing dry skin on hands

On a note. To keep your hands always soft, they need to be protected from the sun, frost and wind, as well as from contact with the ground. When working in the garden you only need to wear protective gloves.

It’s also worth giving your hands a rest from manicure from time to time. Starting from the age of 30, you should definitely use night cream to care for the skin of your palms and fingers, this will help prevent aging and roughening of the skin. Also, you should not wear rings made of nickel; this metal often causes allergies.

Usually, the problem of dry skin on the hands can be easily solved at home, if it is not caused by a serious skin disease. If the cause of dryness is a human illness, you should consult a professional dermatologist. He will prescribe products for external and internal use, and soon the skin condition will improve significantly. The main thing is to find out what causes the skin on your fingers to dry.