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What Causes Skin On Hands And Feet To Be Rough?
Question: My skin on the hands and feet is very rough. Especially in winters, it becomes worse. The skin on my palms and the heels has got lot many craks as of now and it started paining as well. I do apply good moisturizer once I am done with my household jobs, but it is of no use. Please advise.
Brief Answer:
I suggest you to use a potent topical steroid in addition to moisturizers
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thanks for writing to us at healthcaremagic
This condition is due to extreme dryness of the skin of the palms and soles, manifesting as painful cracking and fissuring. Cold and dry weather in winters exacerbates the condition further.
The condition is more commonly seen in atopics; those who already have an underlying dry skin.
Frequent hand washing and household work with soaps and detergents exacerbates the condition further, specially in those engaged in household work and food handlers.
Soaps are too drying and extract all of the skin moisture; even prolonged immersion in plain water extracts most of the moisture from the skin. Soaps and detergent use should therefore be restricted to the minimum.
Urea and ammonium lactate based moisturizers are quite good for extremely dry and cracked, fissured skin in this condition. They are keratolytics i.e exfoliate dead skin. They also trap moisture from the atmosphere and lock it into the skin(hygroscopic agents)
Apart from using moisturizers, I also usually recommend my patients to use a potent topical steroid e.g clobetasol propionate 0.05% cream, twice daily.
Steroids are antinflammatory and help heal the cracks and fissures faster along with moisturizers.
Topical steroids are prescription products and therefore you need to contact your dermatologist for the needful.
The condition may recur if precautions are not taken. Regular use of a moisturizers frequently and each time after hand washing is recommended.
Regards
I suggest you to use a potent topical steroid in addition to moisturizers
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thanks for writing to us at healthcaremagic
This condition is due to extreme dryness of the skin of the palms and soles, manifesting as painful cracking and fissuring. Cold and dry weather in winters exacerbates the condition further.
The condition is more commonly seen in atopics; those who already have an underlying dry skin.
Frequent hand washing and household work with soaps and detergents exacerbates the condition further, specially in those engaged in household work and food handlers.
Soaps are too drying and extract all of the skin moisture; even prolonged immersion in plain water extracts most of the moisture from the skin. Soaps and detergent use should therefore be restricted to the minimum.
Urea and ammonium lactate based moisturizers are quite good for extremely dry and cracked, fissured skin in this condition. They are keratolytics i.e exfoliate dead skin. They also trap moisture from the atmosphere and lock it into the skin(hygroscopic agents)
Apart from using moisturizers, I also usually recommend my patients to use a potent topical steroid e.g clobetasol propionate 0.05% cream, twice daily.
Steroids are antinflammatory and help heal the cracks and fissures faster along with moisturizers.
Topical steroids are prescription products and therefore you need to contact your dermatologist for the needful.
The condition may recur if precautions are not taken. Regular use of a moisturizers frequently and each time after hand washing is recommended.
Regards
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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