Skin On Fingers Thickened, Splitting In Painful Fissures. Steroid Cream Had No Effects. What Is It?

Posted on Thu, 12 Jan 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 Answered on

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : For the past three years, the skin on my fingers has thickened in certain areas, eventually splitting with painful fissures. The has begun in Spring and subsided in Winter, however this year it has not gone away. So I have been to see my GP twice who firstly took photographs of my hands exaplianing that he dodn't know what the cause or condition was. He presecibed some non-soap handwash and some setroid hand cream, neither of which had any positive effect. I returned to my GP and saw another doctor who prescriobed some "stonger" cream, again without any positive effect. The skin on my index fingers is broken, a litte scaly, with very painful fissures. Can you suggest what the problem is called, what may cause is and any possible cure or treatment?

Answered by Dr. P V S Prasad (3 hours later)

Hi Mr. Ronperrie.

Thank you for posting your query.

With your description I can think of two possibilities.
1. Localised psoriasis
2. Localised hand eczema.

These conditions can be managed with.

1. A good emolient to be applied frequently in the day.
2. A strong steroid cream followed by tacrolimus or pimecrolimus cream at night.
3. You may take anti hiatamines at night in addition.

If you want to establish the cause you may undergo patch tesats done by your dermatologist.

Hope I have answered your query. Please revert back to me if you need further clarifacation.

Wishing you good health.

Dr. Prasad P.V.S

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D