Fingertips Dry and Cracking Archives

Painful dry, cracking hands (not the palms)

(I have been told I have eczema, but the pictures I've seen of that have been only on the palms...)

I have old lady hands, and I'm only 27. They are always cold, even in the summer, and when winter comes the tops of my hands crack, peel and bleed. Especially in the creases of the knuckles and on the sides of my fingers. Again, I thought everyone's did this... I have been applying thick medicated lotions after washing my hands and before sleep and any time I can think about it, and wear gloves as much as possible, but nothing seems to work.

This year has been the worst. I'm sure it has something to do with my running a day care in my home, since I must wash my hands quite often, but THAT I cannot change, for now...

Is there some vitamin I am low on?

Follow Ups:

• Re: Painful dry, cracking hands (not the palms) (Archive under "housewives' dermatitis".) Walt Stoll 08:55:13 2/29/00 (0)

In Reply to: Painful dry, cracking hands (not the palms) posted by Savannah/GA on February 19, 2000 at 00:50:55:

Dear Savanna,

Fortunately, for you , the same things that will eventually resolve your TMJ will also help your hands. To understand how this can be so, you need to see how this is all connected: your hands are cold for the same reason your muscles are tense in your jaw (stored stress in your hypothalamus).

UNFORTUNATELY, for you, your hands have progressed to what is called "housewife's dermatitis". Any doc would recognize it at this late stage! If you had just learned what you need to know years ago, you would never have developed this. NOW, it will not be enough to just get rid of the cause to be rid of this condition since you now have lost your body's normal resistance to chenicals on the surface of your skin.

Any doc can explain it to you IF he will take the time. AND, without the explanation, you will NEVER resolve it. Basically, you will need to reestablish that barrier. To do so, you will need to NEVER have any chemicals contact your skin for about 6 months. That means leaning how to do this with rubber gloves ALL THE TIME. Using Cortizone 10 or Cortaid (over the counter cortisone ointment) twice a day under the gloves---and using clean white cotton gloves 24 hours a day, will clear your skin up in the meantime.

You will never believe how well you will have to do this to get your skin back but you WILL, eventually, if you want your hands back.

Walt