Peeling skin on fingertips - any ideas? Definitely NOT because I don't moisturise ;-)

[PunishmentRoundupWithJoon]

For about a year now, maybe longer, I've had peeling skin on my fingertips. I have no idea why. It's certainly not because I don't moisturise enough - I use Flexitol Hand Balm, and Eucerin body lotion, both of which are for dry skin conditions.

Nowadays, I sit in front of the TV sandpapering my fingertips - literally. I bought a pack of sandpaper and I just run my fingers over it to get rid of the worst bits. I have to clip loose bits of every day with my nail clippers.

There's nothing I use that could be contributing to this, no substances or liquids. When I wash up I use gloves.

It's driving me mad because it feels AWFUL. It catches on everything and when applying cream to my face, bits catch and scratch my face.

Does anyone know of any condition that causes this?

Again, and I can't emphasise this enough, I moisturise frequently, with heavy duty stuff!

Thank you.

do you get itchy bumps under the skin before the peeling starts?

@didldidi - no, not at all. They don't itch at all. And they're always in a 'peeling' state, they never look normal.

I don't use any retinol or things on my face that promote peeling either - like retinol or acid peeling things (don't know the correct terminology!)

I get this if I've eaten something I'm intolerant to. I (and my DD) have also had it related to a stomach bug.

Did it start after Covid? Mine started then. Did get better but came back after I caught it again.

Ooh... I'm watching with interest, DH gets this on all of his fingers - not just the tips. Doesn't happen all the time, just occasionally then it vanishes for ages...

Apparently it is a symptom of COVID.

@Supersoakers - no, it started before I had Covid (tested postive a few months ago, no symptoms).

@rainbowsandcloudyskies - I must've had Covid for a year 😊

@Gumbo - Now that's interesting. What's his health like generally (if you don't mind my asking)? Mine doesn't vanish, it's like this all the time now.

Thought it was a bit odd myself 😂 but when I had COVID symptoms everyone was asking me about the skin on my fingers!

@PunishmentRoundupWithJoon His health is generally ok. He's got the peeling finger thing going on currently, it tends to last weeks or months, but then disappears.

Looking online it suggests it can be caused by washing hands too much... that's definitely NOT the case with DH😡

I get this as an allergy to washing up liquid.

Do you have gel nails?

@Gumbo - I don't wash my hands excessively either and when I do I use Oilatum if at home and if out, moisturise my hands immediately with the flexitol hand balm. By rights I should have the softest hands EVER.

Your DH is probably healthier for not washing his hands too much...you can be too clean....😁

@Offforatwix - not, don't have any nails other than my own short ones. That get sanded along with the fingertips...

Do you use anti bacterial hand wash?

@MarthaJonesPhone - no, have a tube of aqueous cream that I use when out.

@MarthaJonesPhone - although I have used it in the past.

I had this and then discovered I had an under active thyroid.

You can suddenly become allergic to something you've always used & never had a problem with.
I get this if I use anything with lanolin/hydantoin/allatoin. So many creams, shampoos, cosmetics, antiseptics contain these. I also react to nut butters.
The allergy started in my early 20s.
It takes a while to isolate the allergen but it's worth it.

My kids had this once after a holiday, I put canestan cream on it and it cleared up.

can be a sign of b3 deficiency and low vit d

you shoukd try high strength supplementation for three months and see if it makes a difference

(do you suffer from gut issues? Ceoliac?)

My hands looked similar but cleared up in a couple of months after I stopped using it.

Mine went like that when Fairy changed the formula of their washing up liquid.

This happened to me.about a year or so ago.

Dsis got this after taking penicillin (but lasted for quite a while after) - no recent antibiotics?

Oilatum I find very harsh. It also sounds like you're using a lot of different products. I'd get your bloods checked and go very simple with creams etc.