Who likes cracked and messy-looking fingertips? In fact, they can be quite a painful affair. If you have to deal with this issue frequently, you know how exasperating the condition is. So, how can you fix this? All you need are some simple and natural home remedies. Keep scrolling to know more.
Table Of Contents
What Causes Cracked Skin On The Fingertips?
How To Heal Cracked Fingertips Naturally
Tips To Prevent Cracked Fingertips
What Causes Cracked Skin On The Fingertips?
Although peeling or cracked skin on the fingertips is not much of a concern, it might have painful consequences. A number of factors could cause the skin on your fingertips to peel off. They are:
- Dry skin, especially during winters
- Repetitive washing of hands
- Use of soaps and other products with harsh chemicals
- Sunburn (it is often followed by dry and peeling skin a few days after the first burn)
- Dry, hot, and cold weathers
- Sucking on the thumb
Peeling and cracked skin may also be due to some underlying medical conditions like:
- Allergies: If your skin comes in contact with an allergen, it may begin to peel.
- Niacin (or Vitamin B3) deficiency.
- Vitamin A toxicity: Consuming too much of vitamin A may also cause your skin to crack and peel.
- Hand eczema: Genetics, as well as exposure to certain chemicals, can cause hand eczema.
- Psoriasis: A skin disorder that may appear as silver plaques or lesions on your skin.
- Exfoliative keratolysis: A skin condition that causes blisters, which may later begin to peel.
- Kawasaki disease: A rare disease that usually affects children under 5 years of age.
Let us now learn how to deal with this condition using natural remedies.
How To Heal Cracked Fingertips Naturally
- Vaseline
- Paraffin Wax
- Epsom Salt
- Coconut Oil
- Tea Tree Oil
- Castor Oil
- Diaper Cream
- Flaxseed Oil
- Super Glue
- Liquid Bandage
- Gloves
- Chapstick
- Flexitol
Home Remedies For Cracked Fingertips
1. Vaseline
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You Will Need
Vaseline (as required)
What You Have To Do
Take some Vaseline and apply it gently to your fingers and hands.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this a couple of times daily, especially when your hands begin to turn dry.
Why This Works
Vaseline is also referred to as petroleum jelly. In addition to instantly moisturizing your dry and cracked fingertips, it forms a layer on your skin and protects it from further infection (1).
2. Paraffin Wax
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You Will Need
- Paraffin wax
- Gloves
What You Have To Do
- Take a block of paraffin wax and heat it.
- Wash your hands with a mild soap and moisturize them.
- Immerse your hands in the wax and leave them in for a few seconds.
- Take your hands out and repeat this process 3 to 4 times.
- By now, a paraffin glove must have formed on your hands.
- Place your hands in a plastic cover and let them dry for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pull the cover off gently and remove any remnants of the wax from your hands.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this once every week or two.
Why This Works
Paraffin wax has emollient properties that keep your hands soft and supple. It also traps moisture and helps in getting rid of dead skin cells (2).
3. Epsom Salt
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You Will Need
- 1/2 cup of Epsom salt
- Water (as required)
What You Have To Do
- Fill a bucket or basin with warm water.
- Add about half a cup of Epsom salt to it.
- Soak both your hands in the water for 10 to 15 minutes.
- You can also exfoliate your dry hands with the coarse grains of Epsom salt.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this thrice a week.
Why This Works
Epsom salt is widely used for soothing and rejuvenating the skin. Soaking your hands in an Epsom salt solution can help in the removal of dead skin cells from your skin, thereby helping treat cracked fingertips (3).
4. Coconut Oil
Shutterstock
You Will Need
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
What You Have To Do
- Take a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil and massage it into both the hands.
- Allow your skin to absorb the oil completely.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this once daily, preferably after taking a bath.
Why This Works
The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil have excellent emollient and moisturizing properties, which help soothe the dry and cracked skin around your fingertips (4). Additionally, the antimicrobial properties of coconut oil protect your skin from infections (5), (6).
5. Tea Tree Oil
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You Will Need
- 2-3 drops of tea tree oil
- 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil
What You Have To Do
- Add two to three drops of tea tree oil to coconut oil and mix well.
- Apply this mixture to your fingertips and leave it on overnight.
- Wash your hands thoroughly the next morning.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this at least once daily, before going to bed.
Why This Works
Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic with excellent antimicrobial properties (7). Hence, it can speed up the healing of cracked skin and protect it from microbial infections.
Caution
Do not use tea tree oil without diluting it in any carrier oil as it might cause irritation.
6. Castor Oil
Shutterstock
You Will Need
Castor oil (as required)
What You Have To Do
- Take a little castor oil and massage it gently into the affected area.
- Wash it off after 15 to 20 minutes.
- You can also keep the oil on overnight.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this at least once daily.
Why This Works
Castor oil is a rich source of ricinoleic acid and vitamin E. These nutrients impart amazing emollient and healing properties to it that can help heal your skin. The oil can also keep your hands soft and moisturized for a long time (8).
7. Diaper Cream
You Will Need
Diaper cream (as required)
What You Have To Do
Apply diaper cream to your hands before going to bed and leave it on overnight.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this once daily, before going to bed.
Why This Works
Your baby’s diaper cream that is used to prevent rashes can also be used to heal the dry and chapped skin on your fingertips. This is mainly because most diaper creams contain zinc. Zinc not only helps in healing cracked skin but also softens the skin with its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties (9),(10).
8. Flaxseed Oil
Shutterstock
You Will Need
A few drops of flaxseed oil
What You Have To Do
- Take a few drops of flaxseed oil and apply to the affected areas.
- Massage the remaining oil on both the hands.
- You can also take flaxseed oil supplements after consulting your doctor.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this 1 to 2 times daily.
Why This Works
Flaxseed oil is derived from the flax plant. It contains fatty acids that heal dry skin and keep it soft. The powerful anti-inflammatory properties of flaxseed oil can help reduce inflammation and redness (11).
9. Super Glue
Shutterstock
You Will Need
Super glue
What You Have To Do
Put a drop of super glue on the painful cracks on your fingertips and allow it to dry.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this once daily, before sleeping.
Why This Works
Super glue can be a quick fix to heal cracked fingertips. Just a dab of it will keep your skin covered (12). However, some glues may be made of ingredients that can irritate your skin. So, make sure you look at the packaging before going ahead with this remedy.
10. Liquid Bandage
You Will Need
Liquid bandages
What You Have To Do
- Use liquid bandages to seal the deep and painful cracks on your fingertips.
- If you do not have liquid bandages handy, normal bandages will also do the trick.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this once every 1 or 2 days.
Why This Works
A liquid bandage forms a polymeric layer that binds to the cracked fingertip. This locks the moisture in your skin and protects it from dirt and microbial infections, thereby helping your cracked skin heal faster (13).
11. Gloves
Shutterstock
You Will Need
- Hand moisturizing gloves
- Petroleum jelly (optional)
What You Have To Do
- Wear a pair of moisturizing gel gloves that are specially made for treating dry and cracked hands.
- If you cannot find such gloves, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to both your hands and seal it in using cotton gloves. Leave it on overnight.
How Often You Should Do This
Wear these gloves daily for faster results.
Why This Works
Gloves help lock in the moisture in your hands and protect them from the harsh weather outside during winters. Moisturizing gloves are also available that keep your hands moisturized for most of the day and aid quick healing of dry and peeling skin.
12. Chapstick
Shutterstock
You Will Need
Non-flavored chapstick
What You Have To Do
Apply a thick layer of chapstick to your cracked fingertips.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this multiple times daily, almost as many times as you apply it to your lips.
Why This Works
Most chapsticks contain emollient and moisturizing components like beeswax, camphor, and vitamin E. These ingredients possess excellent healing and softening properties, and are hence one of the best options to heal chapped skin, including that on your fingertips (14).
13. Flexitol
You Will Need
Flexitol
What You Have To Do
Apply flexitol to the affected areas.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this twice daily.
Why This Works
Flexitol is a concentrated moisturizer and exfoliator that can help in keeping your skin soft. Regular application can also help in getting rid of cracked fingertips. Flexitol is antifungal and can thus protect your chapped fingers from microbial infections as well.
For most people, cracked and peeling skin is mostly a result of climate changes. If it is that time of the year again where your skin has begun to turn dry, you can take the following precautions.
Tips To Prevent Cracked Fingertips
- During cold weather, try and cover your hands whenever you go outside.
- Always keep your hands and feet moisturized.
- Drink lots of water and stay hydrated.
- Use warm (not hot) water to wash your hands.
- Do not use harsh soaps – instead, opt for mild moisturizing ones.
- Try not to use sanitizers as they tend to dry out your skin.
- Use a humidifier inside your home.
Mild symptoms associated with the condition can be easily treated with the above tips and remedies. Nonetheless, if your symptoms turn severe, and you experience severe pain or bleeding, you must visit your doctor immediately as this could be a result of some underlying medical condition.
You don’t have to hide your hands anymore! These remedies and tips will surely help in healing cracked fingertips and make your hands soft.
We hope you liked this article. Leave your feedback in the comments section below.
The post How To Heal Painful And Cracked Skin On The Fingertips appeared first on STYLECRAZE.
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