Having the skin on fingertips peeling or cracking is not only annoying but can also make you embarrassed every time you have to extend a warm handshake to your friends, colleagues or visitors. So what causes peeling skin on fingertips? What about cracked skin on fingertips? Read on to find out more on skin peeling on fingertips, causes, and some of the possible intervention measures that you can adopt to get your smooth, healthy looking fingertips back.
Why Is the Skin on My Fingertips Peeling – What Causes Peeling Fingertips
The skin on your fingertips can start peeling for several reasons. Using a harsh soap or washing detergents is one likely cause. Very frequent hand washing can also cause skin peeling on your fingertips.
Allergies to certain foods and ingredients in cosmetics and hair care products can also cause the skin on your fingertips to peel off. Dry skin is also a common culprit for peeling fingertips and this tends to happen more in winter when the humidity levels take a dip.
The use of heating furnaces associated with cold winter months can exacerbate the situation. Dry skin can also result from exposure to strong winds. Peeling fingertips can also signify a bacterial or fungal infection. It can also be caused by numerous skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis and ringworms among others.
Sunburn due to excessive or prolonged exposure to the sunlight can also cause peeling skin on fingertips. This can for example happen after that nice tan in summer without a sunscreen.
Finger Skin Peeling, Peeling Skin on Fingertips or Skin Peeling off Fingertips – Getting Rid of it at Home
If you are like most people, then peeling skin on fingertips is something that you would rather not have to walk around with. So how do you get rid of that skin peeling on fingertips? Here are a few helpful tips that you may want to consider:
Moisturize your fingertips: To stop peeling skin on fingertips, your first step should be to moisturize your fingertips with an over the counter moisturizer, whether a lotion, cream or ointment. Vaseline petroleum jelly makes for a cheap but very effective option.
The best time to apply the moisturizer you have chosen is immediately after washing your hands when the hands still have some moisture.
Be gentle when washing your fingers: first of all you should refrain from very frequent hand washing as this often makes the hands (and of course the fingertips) dry. You will also want to stay away from hot water for hand washing and instead use lukewarm water. Of utmost importance also is to use gentle soaps and detergent when washing your hands or washing clothes. Non-soap detergents would especially make for a great option for people trying to combat peeling skin on fingertips or any other part of the hands.
Eliminate any allergens: Going on with ways to stop peeling skin on fingertips watch allergens. Allergies are also a frequent cause of peeling skin and identifying and eliminating any potential allergen. The culprits could be a type of food you are taking, a garment or bedding material that you are allergic to or an ingredient or chemical compound in your home.
Run a humidifier: dry air is a common cause for dry skin and could be the underlying factor for a case of skin peeling off fingertips. One great way to ensure adequate moisture (humidity) in your living environment is to use a humidifier in your house. This helps by converting water to moisture when switched on and the moisture slowly fills the air.
Having a bamboo fern, a Boston palm or any other humidifying plant growing in your house or bedroom is a great alternative an electronic humidifier.
Other options you may want to use to get rid of peeling skin on fingertips are:
- Apply a 1% hydrocortisone cream on your peeling fingertips twice daily or as directed by your pharmacist.
- If your fingertips started peeling after starting a round of medication, talk to your doctor for instructions on how to continue with the medication
- Massage the sap from a fresh Aloe Vera plant on the affected fingers.
- If all the above interventions don’t seem to be helping, see your doctor as this could be an indication of more serious medical conditions e.g. diabetes
Skin Peeling around Fingertips
The other day someone asked, “Why is my skin peeling around fingertips?” well it is very likely the result of dry skin, an allergy, a side-effect to some medication, or a skin condition such as eczema. Your best bet would be to apply an over the counter moisturizer or to apply 1% hydrocortisone cream topically 2 time daily. If that doesn’t help, then you should consider seeking the attention of your doctor for advice.
Dry Skin on Fingertips
The skin on your fingertips can get dry following exposure to moisture stealing condition such as the harsh weather condition in the winter when humidity levels are at their lowest. The increased use of heating furnaces during winter months doesn’t make it any better.
Using harsh soaps and detergent as well as hot water for bathing and washing can also cause dry skin on fingertips and any other part of the skin and so can very frequent washing of hands.
Eliminating any moisture stealing elements in your daily lifestyle and adopting a stringent moisturizing routine can help to clear dry skin on fingertips. Applying 1% hydrocortisone creams also often helps. Remember to see a doctor if symptoms persist.
Cracked Skin on Fingertips
I have cracked skin on fingertips, what should I do? Does the question sound familiar to you? Well, dry skin on fingertips is often caused by exposure to harsh products and conditions. The following tips will help you to heal that cracked skin on fingertips:
- Use thick moisturizing lotions and creams such as Eucerin, Vaseline petroleum jelly or Aquaphor to moisturize your fingers. Applying them at night is especially helpful; you may want to use cotton gloves to protect your sheets though.
- Use mild soaps to wash your hand: You will in particular you will want to avoid hand soaps that contain Sodium lauryl sulfate, a common lathering agent that is often harsh on the skin.
- Stay away from alcohol hand sanitizers as these are often dehydrating to your skin.
- Avoid exposing your fingers to wind and cold temperatures. For example, it is advisable to wear gloves when walking around in winter.
- Use warm water to wash your hands as hot water strips out the skin’s natural oils
Suggested Further Reading
- Skin Peeling – Causes, Disease, on Mouth, Nose, Eyelid, Hands and Feet
- Skin Peeling on Fingers, Hands and Between Fingers
- Newborn Skin Peeling – Why, Infant or Baby Skin Peeling
- Skin Peeling on Face and How to Get Rid of It
- Skin Peeling between Toes and Peeling on Toes
- How to Stop Skin from Peeling, Prevent and Keep Skin from Peeling
- Sunburn Skin Peeling – Skin Peeling After Sunburn and How to Stop
- Peeling Skin on Hands – Why, Dry Peeling Hands, Fingers, Palm
- Peeling Feet – Causes, Dry Peeling Feet, Itchy, Cracked and Treatment
- Peeling Skin on Feet, Causes and Dry Scaly Feet
- Bottom of Feet Peeling Causes, in Children and Toes
