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.

Have you asked your GP yet? Might be an intolerance or deficiency.
What would happen if you stopped all the sanding and moisturising?

Contact dermatitis? Do you wash your hands a lot?

@jackstini - no, not had antibiotics for about 4 years.

@TheShiningCarpet - had b3 levels checked a while ago and they were ok. Vitamin D was actually too high, so had to cut back on that (they were gummies and they tasted like wine gums!)

No gut issues that I'm aware of.

Oh my god - what was in my last post that they had to hide it???

All I said was that I haven't had antibiotics for about four years and no gut issues that I'm aware of...

ah, it's there now! Bloody hell. How odd was that....

I’ve had this as a post viral symptom quite a few times but it has gone after a few weeks.

Are you generally a hot- blooded person?

I remember as a kid my clammy-handed brother always had peeling fingers and both my sons have had it during the summer at times too. I just put it down to being hot-blooded and clammy 🤷‍♀️

@Binfire - no, my hands are never clammy. The skin is bone dry, always. They're very wrinkled too, extremely dry, Even the moisturiser makes no long term difference. They're also usually on the cold side - people have always commented on how cold my hands are, so I became really self conscious about it.

I went for a nerve conduction test a couple of weeks ago, (numbness in fingers) and the first thing the guy said was about how dry my hands were!

Do you have reynaulds? I never seen it with peeling skin, but might explain the freezing cold hands!

Do you have any idea what this is? Both my husband and I get it every few months. The bumps can be sore and around the side or bed of the nails or in the thumb joints. Possibly eczema? I have it at the moment and can't take the lid off anything without using a tea towel.

It’s a form of eczema - dyshydtotic

I get this. I think it is contact dermatitis but only in two fingers? I used 1% hydrocortisone cream over night for a week and it has cleared up and not returned.

Ah ok good about vits

what about your hba1c ? Have you had that tested? Diabetes can cause nerve damage neuropathy in extremities and peeling skin….

or likely Raynauds - cold dry wrinkled fingers is a symptom

OP, long-term eczema and hypothyroid patient here. Both conditions can cause very dry skin.

I would:

Change away from eucarin and flexitol to creams that contain no urea. It's marketed as a humectant but can be an irritant and that looks like a contact dermatitis response with your skin actively shedding the layer that's been touched by the irritant. I can't tolerate urea products at all. Use E45, Ceramide or Aveeno.

If you want to speed up recovery, apply hydrocortisone, then cover with a thick layer of vaseline, then sleep wearing cotton gloves - it'll clear up.

Longer term, your cold hands and dry skin suggest you might by subclinically hypothyroid, which needs a blood test from the GP.

Good luck!

I had this for several months and then it cleared up suddenly by itself. I think it must have been a deficiency in my case as it went away when I started taking multivitamins. Good luck op!

@JC03745 and @TheShiningCarpet - no, don't think it's Raynauds as despite my always being cold, there's no pain with it, no discomfort. My feet and nose are always freezing too.

@TheShiningCarpet - my hba1c is fine, within normal range, doctor was happy with it. I've never even been pre diabetic, even when I was significantly heavier. Suppose it wouldn't hurt to get it done again, just in case.

@DesparatePragmatist - this is really interesting, thank you. I've long wondered about my thyroid, but all tests (that the NHS does) come back as 'normal'. I don't have the latest ones to hand, but they were definitely classed as normal. Interesting what you say about the Urea too, will see what I can do there. The only thing is, I put the Eucerin all over my body and there's no peeling skin anywhere else. But I'm going to have a go with the hydrocortisone, just as an experiment.

I do have high cholesterol. Can that cause peeling fingers?? (clutching at straws...)