Cracks on the fingers near the nails can appear for a variety of reasons - internal and external. When the very first defects in the integrity of the skin occur, you should think about what could lead to their appearance and try to remove the provoking factors. If cracks appear constantly, cause a lot of unpleasant sensations, and it is impossible to independently determine the cause of their occurrence, you should definitely contact a specialist. This may indicate serious health problems.
Household chemicals
Any aggressive product, be it a liquid for cleaning plumbing, floors or windows, has a negative effect on the condition of the skin. If you do not want the skin under your fingernails to crack, when purchasing a product, you should pay attention to the composition. It should contain those components that protect the skin.
Drug treatment
If traditional methods are ineffective, a doctor should treat cracks in the hands. Indeed, most likely, in this case, the cause of the problem is a disruption in the functioning of internal organs and systems.
If a vitamin deficiency is established, a balanced and nutritious diet should be developed that can fully satisfy all the body’s needs. Sometimes it is advisable to take multivitamin preparations.
For fungal diseases of the skin and nails, if psoriasis or dermatitis is diagnosed, treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a dermatologist. And if the cause of cracks is diabetes or hypothyroidism, see an endocrinologist.
It should be remembered that the appearance of cracks on the hands near the nails should not be left to chance. Indeed, in the absence of appropriate treatment, surface cracks will very quickly turn into deep and painful wounds, which will be much more difficult to cope with, especially if they are accompanied by a bacterial infection.
Temperature
When considering the reasons for the appearance of such a symptom, sudden changes in temperature should also be included here. The fact is that sensitive skin reacts to frost and cold. The skin becomes dry, cracks form around the nails, as well as under them. If you do not take any measures, the wounds will become deeper and larger. They hurt a lot and cause discomfort to their owner, so during the cold season it is necessary to pay special attention to the hands.
Preventive measures
The appearance of cracks can be avoided by following a number of simple rules.
- When washing, use only soft water; if necessary, regular, hard water should be softened. Use mild soap. Dry your hands thoroughly after washing, especially paying attention to the space between your fingers. Don't forget to regularly lubricate your skin with nourishing cream.
- When using household chemicals, do not forget to wear protective gloves. They should also be worn while working in the garden, while cleaning the apartment or making repairs.
Don't forget to wear gloves. When it's cold, your hands should be kept warm.
Pay special attention to your hands in cold weather.- in a timely manner , do not delay visiting a doctor if even minor symptoms bother you.
- Follow a proper diet and regularly take a complex of vitamins, based on your gender and age. The menu should be as varied as possible, rich in vegetables, fruits, and protein products.
Cracks give your hands an unkempt appearance. They cause pain and discomfort to a person. Wounds can appear as a result of internal and external causes.
In the first case, the person will have to undergo complex treatment. In the second situation, it is enough to follow preventive measures by regularly caring for the skin of your hands.
Improper care
We continue to look at why the skin under the fingernails cracks. The reason often lies in improper skin care. This should include the use of inappropriate or expired cosmetics, irregular or infrequent hand washing. In addition, you should pay attention to the fact that too hard water, which dries out the skin, can cause cracks under the nails.
If you work for a long time without gloves with water, as well as without proper care, not only cracks and ulcers can form, but also nail disease, which is caused by fungi of the genus Candida.
If the skin on your fingers is cracking
The skin may become cracked not only near the nails, but also on the fingers in general. What causes this and how to get rid of the problem - we will find out further.
Causes
Exposure to cold is one of the main causes. If you frequently and for a long time expose your hands to frost, wind, or snow, your delicate skin may not be able to withstand it. As a result, cracks appear on the entire surface of the fingers.
Improper or insufficient care is a very likely cause. And if it is not common for women, then for men it is a common thing. Representatives of the stronger sex rarely use hand cosmetics - creams, masks, and consider it unnecessary to nourish and moisturize the skin.
Contact with household chemicals and various mechanical damage are also possible causes.
The video describes the main reasons:
Among the internal reasons the following can be noted:
- skin diseases;
- avitaminosis;
- diseases of internal organs.
Skin diseases
When answering the question of why the skin under the nails cracks, it is also necessary to mention skin diseases. Such ailments may be non-infectious or infectious in nature. In the first case, a person develops psoriasis or eczema. As for infectious diseases, this includes fungal infections. Skin diseases provoke the formation of deep cracks under the nails, around them, between the fingers, and also on the palms.
Features of therapy
When the skin under your nails cracks, the reasons can be many things, as you noticed. Therapy for this symptom will be based precisely on what specifically provoked the appearance of cracks. In case of problems and peeling near or under the nail, treatment includes:
- Taking vitamin complexes.
- Using medicated ointment, glue or cream.
- Paraffin therapy.
- Special hand masks using glycerin or mumiyo.
- The use of various antifungal drugs.
In order to restore a weakened immune system, it is necessary to take medications. It is best to use for these purposes those preparations that contain a large amount of microelements and vitamins. The most effective of them are “Complivit” and “Alphabet”.
Panthenol and Boro Plus creams have proven themselves to be quite good in the fight against peeling and cracks. These external products accelerate healing and soften tissue due to the fact that the composition contains nutrients that are balanced specifically to restore the skin when it is prone to dryness.
If cracks have formed under the nails on your hands, and external remedies cannot cope with the problem, then experts recommend using medical glue. To do this, apply one drop of the drug to the damaged area, which hardens almost instantly. This glue facilitates the healing of formed cracks and is also a kind of protection against the penetration of infection into the wounds.
Paraffin therapy has a good therapeutic effect. You can do it at home if you have a special bath for this purpose in which paraffin is melted. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase such a bath, you can use a water bath. The duration of paraffin therapy is no more than a quarter of an hour. At the end of the procedure, in order to consolidate the effect, special cosmetic gloves are put on your hands and worn for about half an hour. Before carrying out the procedure, your fingers must be lubricated with some kind of greasy cream. Thanks to this, you can protect your skin from possible paraffin burns.
Glycerin-based masks are distinguished not only by their moisturizing properties, but also effectively protect the skin. To prepare such a mixture, you should take one tablespoon of soda, mix with iodine and glycerin, as well as a small amount of flour. When the mask is ready, it should be applied to the damaged area under and around the nails. The duration of the event should be no more than 15 minutes. It is recommended to make such masks in the evening so that after removal the skin does not come into contact with water.
If you have peeling skin and cracks under your nails, the methods described above can eliminate the problem. But if there is severe pain and it is impossible to touch your fingers, then you should use mumiyo. To do this, several tablets need to be dissolved in water and then applied to the painful area. It is necessary to keep the mummy for as long as possible. It can not only relieve pain, but also speed up tissue healing.
If the cause of a problem with the epidermis is the development of a fungal infection, in addition to cosmetics, you should also use drugs to combat mycosis. The most effective are “Batrafen”, “Clotrimazole”, “Loceryl”, “Kindid”, “Exoderil”.
These products are available in the form of tablets, solutions or varnishes. If your nail is affected, the drug must be applied to its surface. The duration of therapy, as well as the frequency of application, should be determined by a dermatologist. This will depend on the severity of the disease.
Traditional medicine recipes
Traditional methods of therapy also help to cure cracks. To improve the condition of the skin, you will need to mix an oil solution of vitamin E and almond oil. Wash your hands with warm water, lubricate with the mixture, leave for 1 hour, then wipe off the excess with a paper towel.
You will also need to make a compress from a softened banana, a mask of honey and egg yolk, and regularly massage your hands using sour cream and vegetable oil. It will be beneficial to use a recipe made from plantain leaves. The plant is washed, dried in the oven, and ground using a coffee grinder.
The raw materials are mixed with petroleum jelly, the consistency of thick sour cream should be obtained. The product is applied to the hands several times a day for 2 days. If the causes of the cracks are not related to fungus, the problem can be eliminated forever.
It is useful to use ointments based on medicinal plants:
- a tablespoon of chamomile, plantain, calendula;
- pour boiling water over it, heat in a water bath for 30 minutes;
- strain through cheesecloth;
- add a spoonful of honey, butter, bring to the consistency of sour cream;
- put in the refrigerator.
The ointment is used before going to bed, so as not to stain the bed, you should wear cotton gloves.
Every evening they make baths based on potato starch. For every 500 ml of warm water, take a large spoon of soda. An oat bran bath will help make your skin softer and healthier. One hundred grams of raw materials are poured with water, boiled, left for 12 hours, filtered, and hands are put into the broth for 15 minutes.
Important addition: What to do if it itches between your fingers and itches?
Another treatment option is baths of water and milk. Add 2 tablespoons of starch and a spoonful of glycerin to the liquid. The procedure is carried out before bed, after which the hands are wiped with a paper towel and a moisturizer is applied.
The skin may crack due to unfavorable external conditions, then the recommendations described will be quite effective and will help quickly solve the problem. In case of advanced forms of nail fungus and other pathological conditions, the patient must undergo a full course of treatment with medications.
Medicines will help cure diseases and speed up healing: corticosteroids, antibiotics, immunomodulators, antihistamines.
Prevention
To prevent the formation of dryness and cracks under the nails, it is necessary to constantly use moisturizing and nourishing products for the skin of the hands. It is also additionally recommended to carry out procedures aimed at skin care. To do this, you can use traditional medicine recipes. In spring and autumn, experts advise taking vitamin complexes for prevention purposes. Such activities significantly help maintain a healthy color, as well as the softness of the skin under and around the nails.
Medicines and pharmaceutical glue
Traditional medicine can be effective, but treatment must be long-term. Special pharmaceutical adhesives (“BF-6”, “Super-Glu”) help to achieve a quick therapeutic effect. The products have an antibacterial effect, their use allows you to:
- completely close the resulting crack;
- destroy bacteria that have managed to get inside;
- form a protective barrier that can prevent the penetration of new pathogenic bacteria.
The principle of their use is extremely simple: you need to drop a few drops directly into the wound and wait until the product hardens completely.
You can also use pharmaceutical ointments that have an antibacterial effect (Levomekol, ichthyol, Vishnevsky ointment). They treat cracks with signs of inflammation (skin redness, swelling, hyperemia). When cracks bleed, you need to use Lanovit cream. In the absence of an inflammatory reaction, it is better to use ointments that stimulate skin regeneration (Bepanten, Radevit, Panthenol, Boroplus) to treat wounds.
