Peeling finger skin can be caused by dry skin, frequent handwashing, eczema, a fungal infection, or sunburn.
Common causes
- Dry skin.
- Frequent hand washing or sanitizer.
- Eczema or contact dermatitis.
- Fungal infection.
- Sunburn.
- Dyshidrotic eczema.
- Nutrient deficiency.
Care
- Moisturize after washing.
- Wear gloves for chores.
- Don’t pick at skin.
See a doctor
If it is painful, blistering or doesn’t heal.
Why peeling happens
Peeling fingertips come from dry skin, frequent hand washing, sanitizers, cold weather, sunburn, allergic contact dermatitis, fungal infection or nutrient deficiency. Hand washing 8 to 10 times daily strips lipids from the skin barrier (stratum corneum), which renews every 28 days or so.
- Dyshidrotic eczema causes small blisters on the fingers and palms that then peel and itch.
- Kawasaki disease in children causes peeling of the fingertips 2 to 3 weeks after fever.
- Keratolysis exfoliativa causes recurrent peeling in circles, often in summer.
- Athlete’s foot fungus can spread to hands.
Care
Moisturize after washing with thick creams containing ceramides, glycerin or petrolatum. Use fragrance-free soap and wear gloves for cleaning. Avoid picking at peeling skin. Hydrocortisone 1 percent cream can calm irritated areas for up to 7 days. See a doctor if there is pain, oozing, spreading redness or peeling with fever, rash or joint pain.
Why peeling happens
Finger skin peels from dry air, frequent handwashing, sanitizers, sunburn, contact dermatitis, eczema, fungal infection or a reaction to products. The outer skin layer renews every 28 days or so, and damage to the barrier speeds shedding. Dyshidrotic eczema causes small blisters followed by peeling, and affects the sides of fingers.
Care
Use fragrance free moisturizer after washing, wear gloves for cleaning, avoid picking and use lukewarm water. Over the counter hydrocortisone can calm mild eczema. See a doctor if peeling is painful, comes with fever, spreads, or follows a new medicine, as Kawasaki disease in children also causes peeling fingertips and needs urgent care.
Medical conditions with peeling
Peeling fingertips can reflect dyshidrotic eczema, fungal infection (tinea manuum), psoriasis, contact dermatitis, hand foot and mouth disease recovery, allergic reaction, Kawasaki disease in young children, and skin shedding after sunburn. Frequent wet work is a risk factor for hand eczema, which affects about 10 percent of people at some time.
What to do at home
Use thick ointment or cream like petrolatum after washing, wear cotton lined gloves for wet work, use fragrance free soap and avoid picking skin. A hydrocortisone 1 percent cream for up to 7 days can ease inflammation. If peeling is accompanied by rash, fever, joint pain or lasts over 2 weeks, see a dermatologist, who may do a scraping for fungus.
Based on data from the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Eczema Association
