In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Some people struggle with the troublesome problem of cracking skin on their fingers. Cracks are most often accompanied by discomfort, pain, burning and itching. Find out what the causes of their formation are and how you can prevent and treat them.
- Cracking skin on the fingers is an aesthetic problem, but also associated with unpleasant sensations – the wounds sting, burn and heal difficult
- Moreover, there may be health problems behind this ailment
- Such symptoms may indicate, among others for atopic dermatitis or diabetes
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
Cracked skin on the fingers – causes
Cracked skin appears most often on the fingertips, the folds of the fingers, between the fingers, around the nails, as well as on fragments of the skin of the hands or on the entire palms. May appear on the right or left side only, or on both sides.
The cause of annoying cracks is very dry skin, which is usually the result of insufficient care, weather conditions (frost, wind and low temperatures) and chemical factors (e.g. during certain professions, washing dishes).
However, this is not only a cosmetic and aesthetic problem. Cracked skin on the fingers can be medically related and may be a symptom of diseases such as ringworm, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD), and even diabetes. The cause of damage to the outer lipid layer of the epidermis may also lie in hormonal disorders, e.g. in hypothyroidism.
When you struggle with cracked skin on your fingers, it is worth implementing appropriate diagnostics to know how to reduce the problematic symptoms. At Medonet Market, you can buy mail-order allergy tests for atopic skin diseases and a package of diagnostic tests for diabetes, which will allow you to recognize the problem and start effective treatment.
If the skin of the fingers and hands is constantly peeling and burning, or ulcers appear on it, do not ignore it and see a doctor, because you may be struggling with a more serious dermatological disease that will require specialist treatment.
Sometimes cracking skin on the fingers is the result of an allergic reaction to dust, mites, and metals (nickel, less often silver), from which the jewelry worn on the hands (rings, bracelets) is made.
Cracked skin on the fingers requires regular moisturizing. Try the nourishing hand cream with shea butter, sage extract and basil oil, which care for your hands and leave them moisturized for a long time.
Cracked skin on the fingers – prevention and treatment
You can minimize the risk of cracking skin on your fingers. If you frequently use harsh and irritating household detergents, remember to wear protective gloves (latex, nitrile, vinyl) on your hands when cleaning to prevent the cleaning agents from coming into direct contact with the skin.
Also, remember to wear regular gloves when it’s cold outside. Frozen hands are a very unpleasant ailment. Also secure your hands when working in the garden.
Regularly moisturize your skin by using creams containing aloe vera, vitamin A, urea or panthenol. You can also use the highly oiling ones (with petroleum jelly, paraffin or lanolin). Perform a hand peeling once a week (natural, e.g. from salt or sugar).
If you have a problem with cracked and chapped skin, order the Monastery liniment for cracked and chapped skin Cuticulus Klimuszko. It protects the skin against external factors, moisturizes it and makes it more elastic, preventing it from cracking.
It is worth showing cracking skin on your fingers to a dermatologist. You can visit the website via the halodoctor.pl portal. Consultation does not require leaving home, and the whole thing is done in a form convenient for the patient.
Coenzyme Q10, available as a supplement in Nutrinano capsules, also has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin. Coenzyme Q10 has been valued for years for its properties that rebuild skin cells and help restore its beautiful appearance.
It is good to use paraffin treatments for cracked skin on your fingers or to do moisturizing compresses at home. Just soak your hands in heated olive oil for about 2 minutes, and then gently remove the excess with a tissue. Put on plastic gloves and then cotton gloves on them, or just cover the compress with a towel. Take it off after about 15-20 minutes.
Such a treatment will not only moisturize the skin, but also help nourish and regenerate it. You can optionally add a yolk or a few drops of lemon juice to the oil. Another proven way to soften and heal cracked skin on the fingers is a 20-minute hand bath in a cooled decoction of linseed.
At night, you can grease your hands thickly with cream and wear gloves. A good choice is the Aloesove hand cream, which, thanks to the content of aloe vera and grape seed oil, provides the skin with a dose of hydration and has a nourishing effect. In turn, for the daily care of problematic skin, it is worth using Tar – a bar of soap for special tasks, which is also available in a liquid version.
It is also important to take care of the skin from the inside. It is important to drink plenty of water and include products rich in vitamin A, B vitamins and vitamin E in your diet. You can buy a set of dietary supplements with a vitamin complex for beautiful skin at a low price on Medonet Market. Also, try not to use cosmetics that contain alcohol. These methods will also work when cracked skin appears on the toes, but first, mycosis, which is usually manifested by similar changes, should be ruled out. Keep this in mind if you use public swimming pools or gyms as it is easy to get infected in e.g. locker rooms.
If the discontinuity of the epidermis is caused by a disease, the dermatologist will order you a special pharmacological treatment, possibly including systemic treatment. For example, treatment of bothersome atopic dermatitis will include the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, and steroids. In pharmacies without a prescription, there are also series of products designed for the needs of atopic skin, i.e. shampoos, ointments, creams and various moisturizing emollients. At Medonet Market you can buy specialized cosmetics for atopic skin. We recommend, for example, Atopicin brand products, which are available at promotional prices.
In the event that cracking fingertips or cracking skin on the toes appear in children, it is also worth visiting a specialist before undertaking the treatment on your own. The doctor will examine the child in detail and advise the parents. Remember that the cause of such an ailment can always be of various origins, and children cannot be experimented on and risk developing a possible disease.