What Is Cracked Fingertips?[1]
Cracking of the skin can be very painful and debilitating. When the skin cracks in the fingertips then it makes it more difficult for an individual to perform his or her work duties or activities of daily living. There are numerous causes for the fingertips to get cracked. Some of the reasons are poor circulation to the fingers or pressure to the fingers due to the occupation of the individual. If an individual has a dry skin which in medical terminology is known as xerosis then that individual may be predisposed to skin cracking.
What Are The Causes Of Cracked Fingertips?
As stated, there can numerous factors which may lead to cracked skin in the fingertips. Some studies suggest that being overweight also is a factor which causes skin cracking. Cracked skin may also be a cause of some underlying medical attention and hence if skin cracking does not respond to normal treatments and does not get better then consultation with a physician is important to rule out any underlying condition causing skin cracking, as there may be a nerve problem.
How To Prevent Cracked Fingertips?
There are many ways with which an individual can prevent the skin from cracking. In case of Cracked Fingertips, it is imperative that the individual protects the finger from the cold weather by wearing gloves. It is also important for individuals to protect the hand from direct sunlight and put some form of sunscreen. It is important to keep the hands well moisturized with appropriate creams so that the skin does not get cracked.
How To Treat Cracked Fingertips?[2]
A medical consult is advised if cracked skin goes on to become sore, as this may lead to infections. Hence if an individual has a cracked fingertips which does not get better and progresses on to become an open sore then immediate medical attention is required to prevent infections.
Cracked Fingertips can also be caused due to occupational hazards, especially for those individuals who use their hands a lot at work. Citing an example, people working as dental assistants can have cracked fingertips due to overuse of the hands which may be made worse during the winter months. Also, individuals who work in jobs where their hands are continuously wet liking washing dishes may also be prone to Cracked Fingertips
As Skin Cracking is not a medical condition but is a symptoms indicative of an underlying medical condition hence it is advisable that an individual with cracked skin consult with the treating physician before starting a treatment to identify the exact cause of the skin cracking as the treatment modalities are different for different conditions and an incorrect treatment may lead to further worsening of the condition.
- Peeling skin syndrome | Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – an NCATS Program (nih.gov)
- Peeling Skin Syndrome – NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders) (rarediseases.org)