Cracked fingers are a problem that many people are familiar with, especially during the cold winter months. The fingers, especially the inside of the fingertip, are one of the most sensitive parts of the body. They are very well supplied with blood and there are a lot of nerves here that enable touching. Therefore, only a very thin layer of skin forms the barrier to the underlying tissue and cracks can quickly appear.
Symptoms
The symptoms of cracked fingers are obvious. The initially dry fingers and hands form cracks in the skin when there is a persistent lack of moisture. This particularly affects the fingers that are exposed to high stress, i.e. thumb and index finger.
The increasingly dry skin can be seen with the naked eye. In addition, there is a feeling of tension and the skin begins to become flaky. This can also lead to itching.
The symptoms often begin to develop in the area between the fingers and on the knuckles of the fingers. If there are cracks in the skin, these are often bloody and form scabs over time. If the fingertips are affected, the cracked skin can cause severe pain, as there are particularly many nerves running through this area. Often the function of the hands is limited when the fingers are cracked, as many movements are not possible or painful, such as grasping.
Causes
In most cases, too frequent hand washing with soap results in cracked and brittle fingers. Conventional soap not only washes away the dirt from the hands, but also the layer of grease that is naturally on the skin to protect it from drying out. The natural barrier of the skin is damaged and therefore the skin becomes more susceptible to external influences such as inflammation or even cold.
This is a big problem especially in winter, when most people are very anxious to wash their hands often and thoroughly due to the high number of flu-like infections. In addition to the damage to the natural protective layer of the skin, the cold wind and dry heating air in the winter also remove moisture from the hands. If the hands are not regularly applied cream when they are particularly dry or when they are washed a lot, this can cause cracks to form in the skin. In addition, the predisposition to the rapid formation of cracked skin can have genetic causes. Skin diseases such as neurodermatitis or eczema can also lead to cracked fingers.
