Peely fingers

[Aubrey]

They get that way from time to time--I don't think it happens even every yr, maybe once every 2-4 yrs? Anyway, the skin down between ea finger starts kind-of flaking off, & it drives me bananas. My fingers feel furry. I can't use enough lotion to help, & now the palms of my hands are peeling, too. Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh.

 

Thoughts? I mean, other than, say, leprosy? :001_huh:

[Hillary in KS]

Does it ever get painful? Or does it hurt when you spread your fingers apart?

 

Ds got the peely thing between his fingers every winter until he was 6. 6 Was when we discovered he had TERRIBLE environmental allergies and he was basically allergic to the world around him.

 

Once we began treating the allergies, the flaky fingers went away. We haven't seen them in 7 years. We're still not sure what it was, only that it was associated with his allergies.

[Catwoman]

This may not apply to you, Aubrey, but have you changed your dishwashing detergent lately?

 

I was having a similar problem with my hands, and finally figured out that I'm allergic to the Palmolive liquid green dish soap. I don't normally buy that brand, but every now and then, I'd get it because it was on sale or something... and my hands would start peeling like crazy, just like yours.

 

I kept thinking the problem was simply that I was washing my hands too much, so I didn't find the connection right away, but once I stopped using the Palmolive, my skin was fine within a day or two. I waited a week or so, and tried the Palmolive again, just to see if I was right, and within a day, I was back to peeling hands.

 

The only reason I mention this is because you said the problem is only on your hands, which would rule out many other possibilities.

 

I hope you figure out what it is, as I hate that disgusting "furry hands" feeling, and I know that when my skin was like that, it eventually started to split and bleed. :ack2:

 

Cat

[Aubrey]

Does it ever get painful? Or does it hurt when you spread your fingers apart?

 

Ds got the peely thing between his fingers every winter until he was 6. 6 Was when we discovered he had TERRIBLE environmental allergies and he was basically allergic to the world around him.

 

Once we began treating the allergies, the flaky fingers went away. We haven't seen them in 7 years. We're still not sure what it was, only that it was associated with his allergies.

 

Nope, never hurts.

[Aubrey]

This may not apply to you, Aubrey, but have you changed your dishwashing detergent lately?

 

I was having a similar problem with my hands, and finally figured out that I'm allergic to the Palmolive liquid green dish soap. I don't normally buy that brand, but every now and then, I'd get it because it was on sale or something... and my hands would start peeling like crazy, just like yours.

 

I kept thinking the problem was simply that I was washing my hands too much, so I didn't find the connection right away, but once I stopped using the Palmolive, my skin was fine within a day or two. I waited a week or so, and tried the Palmolive again, just to see if I was right, and within a day, I was back to peeling hands.

 

The only reason I mention this is because you said the problem is only on your hands, which would rule out many other possibilities.

 

I hope you figure out what it is, as I hate that disgusting "furry hands" feeling, and I know that when my skin was like that, it eventually started to split and bleed. :ack2:

 

Cat

 

Whoa. I thought I was washing my hands too much, too. Plus, we don't have a dw here, so I've been washing all the dishes by hand.

 

It's been this way since we got the last bottle of stuff. I'll have to go look at it. Oh, I hope that's it!

 

ETA: Ok, the bottles looked the same, but I was actually using Palmolive until this last one that dh bought. It's Ajax. The Palmolive seemed better, but I couldn't put my finger on how, so I just thought I was crazy, kwim?

Edited May 2, 2009 by Aubrey

[Catwoman]

It might be worth a change, just to see if it makes a difference. (Or else you could be smarter than I am, and wear rubber gloves when you wash dishes.)

 

Cat

[SapphireStitch]

When I get the peely stuff right down at the base of the fingers where they meet the palm (I think this is where you are saying yours are peeling?) it seems to respond to treatment as though it were a yeast infection. I work on keeping the area completely dry, even drying between my fingers with a hair dryer after showering if it's bad enough. If that doesn't clear it up in a day or two, I apply a little bit of athlete's foot medicine to the area at night before I go to bed.

 

I think what happens to me is that I'm getting my hands wet All The Time and not getting them really thoroughly dry. I have to be very careful with other body areas to avoid yeast issues, so I think my skin or body chemistry makes me especially sensitive to this problem. My skin is very pale and Irish and susceptible to all kinds of rashes and such.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

 

Thoughts? I mean, other than, say, leprosy? :001_huh:

 

Strep, more likely.