Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon CausesMedical ConditionsSymptoms"When to Seek CareDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Causes
Medical Conditions
Symptoms
“When to Seek Care
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Painful, cracked fingertips are usually due to dry skin. Causes may include cold weather, harsh cleaning products, or excessive handwashing. Cracked fingers may be a sign of a condition, likeeczema,psoriasis, or in rare cases, cancer.
Whether you are dealing with cracked fingertips alone ordry and cracked hands, it’s important to seek treatment and investigate any underlying medical issues.
Verywell / Sydney Saporito
Common Causes of Cracked Fingertips
Peeling fingertips are a sign of very dry skin, known asxerosis. Many people experience dry skin from products and exposures, such as:
Many people also experience dry skin from frequent handwashing because it removes the natural oils that keep your hands moisturized.
Medical Conditions That Cause Cracked Fingertips
In some cases, cracked, painful fingers can indicate an underlying medical condition that may require treatment. Possibilities range from eczema and a skin infection to diabetes and cancer.
Skin Conditions
Painfully dry skin is associated with chronic skin conditions, includingeczemaandpsoriasis.
Skin Infection
Once your skin becomes dry and cracked, it’s easier for bacteria and other germs to enter your body. That leads to an increased risk of infection, which can make it more difficult for your dry, cracked skin to heal.
Diabetes
People withdiabetesoften experience changes to blood flow in their extremities, particularly the hands and feet. This can cause skin to become dry and cracked.
Dry skin as a result of diabetes usually affects the feet first.
Cancer
In rare instances, dry, cracked skin on the fingers may be a sign of cancer.
Squamous cell carcinomaandbasal cell carcinomacan appear on the fingers in the form of small nodules or sores that can become scaly or crusty.
Vitamin Deficiency
Two vitamins that play a vital role in skin health at vitamin E and vitamin C. If you don’t get enough of these nutrients, you may be more prone to dry, cracked fingertips.
If you are worried you’re not getting enough of these vitamins from your diet, talk to your healthcare provider about taking supplements.
Symptoms That Accompany Cracked Fingertips
Cracked fingertip skin can be superficial or deep. Symptoms associated with cracked fingertips may include:
In some, the discomfort associated with cracked fingertips can affect everyday activities.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If your symptoms persist or you’re otherwise concerned about your peeling fingertips, it’s best to visit a healthcare provider to determine what’s causing the scaly skin. Specific signs that indicate you should see a healthcare provider include:
If your healthcare provider is unsure of the cause or wants to rule out other factors, they may suggest askin biopsy, in which a small sample of skin is taken so it can be examined under a microscope. This can help determine whether you have psoriasis, eczema, athlete’s foot, or cancer.
Your healthcare provider may suggest a blood test to measure glucose levels if they suspect your cracked fingertips are a sign of diabetes.
Treatment for Peeling Fingertips
If you’re experiencing dry, painful fingertips, you begin a regular moisturizing treatment at home. If your skin starts to heal as a result of at-home treatment, continue the routine in order to keep dry, cracked skin at bay.
When choosing the right moisturizer, dermatologists recommend:
At night, use your product of choice and sleep with cotton gloves on to help your hands retain moisture.
If your peeling fingertips don’t respond to moisturizing, speak with your healthcare provider about other treatment options.
Asteroid creamorantifungal creammight be needed to help your fingertips heal if the dry skin is a result of an infection.
For underlying conditions like eczema, psoriasis, ordiabetes, your healthcare provider will talk with you about lifestyle changes and treatments that will help reduce your symptoms. For example, apsoriasis soapmay be recommended if your cracked fingertips are due to a skin condition.
Healing Open Skin on Your FingersWhen cracks turn into open, bleeding wounds, you can use liquid bandages (liquid adhesive) to close the wound and help stop bleeding. These special bandages seal the cut closed, reducing the risk of infection.
Healing Open Skin on Your Fingers
When cracks turn into open, bleeding wounds, you can use liquid bandages (liquid adhesive) to close the wound and help stop bleeding. These special bandages seal the cut closed, reducing the risk of infection.
How to Prevent Cracked Fingertips
The key to maintaining soft skin and avoiding cracked skin is to moisturize well and often.
Cracked skin results from environmental exposure and lifestyle factors as well. To protect your hands, make the following changes:
Summary
Moisturizing your hands should help your cracked fingertips. If they’re still dry, it’s best to speak to a healthcare provider about other treatments.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.National Eczema Association.What is eczema?National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.de Macedo, G.M.C., Nunes, S. & Barreto, T.Skin disorders in diabetes mellitus: an epidemiology and physiopathology review.Diabetol Metab Syndr.2016;8(1):63. doi:10.1186/s13098-016-0176-yAmerican Cancer Society.Nail changes.Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM.The roles of vitamin C in skin health.Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866. doi:10.3390/nu9080866Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Skin cancer of the hand and upper extremity.American Diabetes Association.Diagnosis.Purnamawati S, Indrastuti N, Danarti R, Saefudin T.The role of moisturizers in addressing various kinds of dermatitis: A review.Clin Med Res. 2017;15(3-4):75-87. doi:10.3121/cmr.2017.1363Medline Plus.Lacerations - liquid bandage.American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin relief from COVID-19 handwashing.National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.National Eczema Association.What is eczema?National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.de Macedo, G.M.C., Nunes, S. & Barreto, T.Skin disorders in diabetes mellitus: an epidemiology and physiopathology review.Diabetol Metab Syndr.2016;8(1):63. doi:10.1186/s13098-016-0176-yAmerican Cancer Society.Nail changes.Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM.The roles of vitamin C in skin health.Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866. doi:10.3390/nu9080866Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Skin cancer of the hand and upper extremity.American Diabetes Association.Diagnosis.Purnamawati S, Indrastuti N, Danarti R, Saefudin T.The role of moisturizers in addressing various kinds of dermatitis: A review.Clin Med Res. 2017;15(3-4):75-87. doi:10.3121/cmr.2017.1363Medline Plus.Lacerations - liquid bandage.American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin relief from COVID-19 handwashing.National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.National Eczema Association.What is eczema?National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.de Macedo, G.M.C., Nunes, S. & Barreto, T.Skin disorders in diabetes mellitus: an epidemiology and physiopathology review.Diabetol Metab Syndr.2016;8(1):63. doi:10.1186/s13098-016-0176-yAmerican Cancer Society.Nail changes.Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM.The roles of vitamin C in skin health.Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866. doi:10.3390/nu9080866Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Skin cancer of the hand and upper extremity.American Diabetes Association.Diagnosis.Purnamawati S, Indrastuti N, Danarti R, Saefudin T.The role of moisturizers in addressing various kinds of dermatitis: A review.Clin Med Res. 2017;15(3-4):75-87. doi:10.3121/cmr.2017.1363Medline Plus.Lacerations - liquid bandage.American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin relief from COVID-19 handwashing.National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.
American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.
National Eczema Association.What is eczema?
National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.
de Macedo, G.M.C., Nunes, S. & Barreto, T.Skin disorders in diabetes mellitus: an epidemiology and physiopathology review.Diabetol Metab Syndr.2016;8(1):63. doi:10.1186/s13098-016-0176-y
American Cancer Society.Nail changes.
Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.
Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM.The roles of vitamin C in skin health.Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866. doi:10.3390/nu9080866
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Skin cancer of the hand and upper extremity.
American Diabetes Association.Diagnosis.
Purnamawati S, Indrastuti N, Danarti R, Saefudin T.The role of moisturizers in addressing various kinds of dermatitis: A review.Clin Med Res. 2017;15(3-4):75-87. doi:10.3121/cmr.2017.1363
Medline Plus.Lacerations - liquid bandage.
American Academy of Dermatology.Dry skin relief from COVID-19 handwashing.
National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.
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