# What the Hell is Happening to My Hands? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 26, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196 "2017-01-26T01:56:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/1 "2017-01-26T01:56:07Z")
Something weird is happening to my hands. Specifically, the skin on my hands. My hands look and feel like I’ve been doing hard manual labor for the past couple of weeks, without gloves. The skin on my palms is rough and sensitive and actually torn and bleeding in some spots (small abrasions, not too many of them). But I haven’t done anything that could account for this. I’ve been working at my desk job, like I have been for years and years. I haven’t been swinging a pickax or a sledgehammer. I haven’t picked up anything rougher than my daughter. I haven’t dipped my hands in lye. I haven’t had any chemical exposure at all. I haven’t changed brands of soap. As far as I know, the water supply in New York City hasn’t become contaminated with terrible industrial chemicals. I don’t get it. Anyone have any ideas? Should I see a doctor about this? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/2 "2017-01-26T02:08:04Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > I don’t get it. Anyone have any ideas? Should I see a doctor about this? Unless you have a history of winter chilblains, a doctor is a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/3 "2017-01-26T02:08:31Z")
Eczema? Psoriasis? If it’s just out of nowhere those would be my first two random guesses. It probably wouldn’t hurt to see a doctor (GP) because I think, off the top of my head, at least one type of psoriasis is related to arthritis. Also, and I’m just tossing this out there, does diabetes causes skin issues like that? And if so, would it do it before the point that you even realize you have it? That is, could you have this symptom and not know you have diabetes? ETA, I don’t know the weather in your area, but if it’s been really dry and cold, more so than usual, you may want to let that pass, take shorter, cooler showers, wash your hands with water that isn’t hot, use lotion etc. Cover the basics first. If you’re prone to doing things out of stress (for example, my ex-wife and daughter both bite/chew their bottom lip if something is bothering them, I can tell there’s an issue before they even realize it), make sure you’re not spending all day rubbing your hands. I’m also assuming you haven’t changed anything, like soap, detergent, fabric softener, wearing different gloves. Again, cover the basics before you worry about your hands falling off. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/4 "2017-01-26T02:09:02Z")
Just off hand, I’d say: GET TO A DERMATOLOGIST **NOW**! If this is a sudden change, I’d be scared and want to know right now. I do not scare easily at this point. For first-aid for rough hands: Get hand lotion - lots of it. And latex or nitrile exam gloves (now available in drug stores. We live in a very scared culture). Extract 4 or so gloves and leave them where they are easy to pick up. After working the lotion into your skin, apply lots of excess lotion to hands, or just pump a few tablespoons worth of lotion into the glove. Put on gloves and leave them on overnight or all day for a couple of days. Your body heat will cause the lotion to penetrate your skin. I developed this treatment on my own, and it is not endorsed by anyone. But, 2 days after sanding plaster, I had baby-soft hands. Of course, this would destroy the evidence the doctor would want to see… Timing is everything. ---
**Author:** ![Drummond\_Bays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@Drummond\_Bays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drummond_Bays)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/5 "2017-01-26T02:10:49Z")
Happens to me in the cold, oddly enough it’s worse when I work less with my hands. Psossibly the calloused skin acts as a protective layer? One of the best treatments I’ve found is ‘Working Hands’ A good, thick moisturizer, and a pair of warm gloves applied in that order. Or, same 2 steps as above, but put on latex gloves for 30 mins at home. Good luck! All too well acquainted with the little splits that burn like heck. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/6 "2017-01-26T03:13:08Z")
[From WebMD](http://www.webmd.com/beauty/dry-skin-13/ultra-dry-skin-when-call-doctor) > [@](#): > > So how do you know if you need to see a doctor for dry skin treatment? Experts have a rule of thumb. Try at-home dry skin treatments – like using moisturizers, humidifiers, and milder soap – for two weeks. If they haven’t helped, it’s time to schedule an appointment. > > You should also see an expert for dry skin treatment if you have any of the following specific signs and symptoms: > > **Sudden onset of dry skin** > Sudden onset of itchiness > Severe dry skin that’s cracking, swollen, red, bleeding, or oozing > The development of dry skin when you have other medical conditions like poor blood circulation or diabetes… My emphasis. I’d probably see a doctor. I’d much rather hear, “It’s no big deal,” than, “If only you had come when this first happened…” ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/7 "2017-01-26T03:30:48Z")
Thanks, everyone. **Joey P** , the weather here has been about what you’d expect for New York in January. Nothing unusual at all. No changes in soap, laundry detergent, gloves, etc. **Drummond Bays** , maybe it’s the weather, although I’ve never experienced this before. **ThelmaLou** , thanks for the Web MD quote. I guess I’ll try the hand lotion for a few days and see what happens. My wife has plenty of the stuff, I’ll just grab some of hers. Maybe it will clear up. If not, I’ll make an appointment with my doctor. Who knows, maybe I’m just getting old. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![stolatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@stolatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolatt)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/8 "2017-01-26T03:34:34Z")
I like to use liquid bandage on my hands for bad splits and neosporin for smaller cracks. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/9 "2017-01-26T03:38:58Z")
Doctor. Specialist. Chances of it being life-threatening I would say are slim but not none. The problem with skin issues is they have a habit of spreading and being hard to knock out sometimes. I would not delay trying OTC stuff and hoping for the best; I would call on an expert ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/10 "2017-01-26T04:42:59Z")
If you handle paper a lot indoors in winter, the dry heat combined with the absorbancy of the paper can make them rough and dried out. There is a hand cream especially for that, which contains urea. That might help. Given the dry heating in offices in cold winters, it could be a seasonal thing. Pharmacists are pretty knowledgeable and experienced people, a first step might to to show your hands to a pharmacist. They don’t charge a $100 office call and make you book an appointment a week in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/11 "2017-01-26T10:40:47Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > If you handle paper a lot indoors in winter, the dry heat combined with the absorbancy of the paper can make them rough and dried out. There is a hand cream especially for that, which contains urea. That might help. I’ve had exactly the same problem for almost 10 years: ultra dry, itchy skin and small cuts in Winter. Hand lotion provides some real but temporary relief. I basically have to wait until mid-Spring, when temperatures get much milder, to see some sort of improvement. Just like you, it appeared one year without a clear trigger and has reappeared every year since then. For half the year, from November until April, it looks as if I’m constantly wearing red gloves. So yeah, use hand lotion and skin-friendly soap, avoid hand dryers and chemicals like bleach as much as possible and don’t expose your hands to cold weather. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/12 "2017-01-26T11:47:11Z")
Don’t worry, you’re probably not turning into a [tree man](http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2007/11/19/it-still-amazes-me-sometimes/). Probably. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/13 "2017-01-26T13:12:27Z")
Did you change soap or hand lotion recently? I would get very dry and chapped skin on my hands but after I switched my soap and hand lotion it went away. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/14 "2017-01-26T16:57:52Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > The skin on my palms is rough and sensitive and actually torn and bleeding in some spots (small abrasions, not too many of them). Is there hair growing as well? If so, your problem may originate elsewhere. More seriously, I have had this sort of unexplained hand-only eczema for years. Dry wintertime air in the home make it worse. It’s never had a clear cause; it just started sometime and it never completely goes away (sorry! :(). I use Cetaphil or a store-brand equivalent to wash my hands instead of soap, and Working Hands lotion has healing powers above any other. My visits to dermatologists have yielded various creams and lotions that generally have had no appreciable effect. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/15 "2017-01-28T22:26:15Z")
-Ensure that you are well-hydrated. Something as simple as dehydration could very well be your problem. -Consider taking a multivitamin, several components of which are necessary for skin growth and repair. -Bathe your hands in a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar. Dry them without being too rough. Smear on some Vaseline(a little goes a long way) Pull on some disposable plastic gloves, keep them on overnight. Try it for a week. -Try any OTC hand cream, moisten your hands with water before slathering it on. This way the water has a chance to soften your skin, and the cream reduces evaporation. -STAY AWAY from hand sanitizers,the alcohol component makes skin dry. ---
**Author:** ![Vicsage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@Vicsage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicsage)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/16 "2017-01-29T00:46:34Z")
Have you taken any medications lately? Some meds have weird reactions on some people. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/17 "2017-01-29T00:55:06Z")
It’s possible to get a fungal infection on your hands like athlete’s foot. I have good insurance, and I would run to a doctor with something like this. If you have lousy or no insurance, you could try buying an athlete’s foot creme, and rubbing it on your hands. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/18 "2017-01-29T01:53:08Z")
Most likely a fungal infection, but I agree with the chorus above that getting it checked out is a good idea. It’s certainly possible to develop eczema as an adult, but it’s not terribly common that it comes out of nowhere with no changes in habits or foods eaten. Any \*sudden \*dramatic change is best run by a doctor, even if it’s just so that they can tell you it’s nothing serious. That’s what makes this different from “I’ve had eczema for years and…” ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/19 "2017-01-29T16:25:08Z")
I get cracked, dry hands in winter, which I also find a bit odd since I rarely leave the house without gloves on. I find moisturers containing shea butter to be really good at healing cracked skin. I discovered shea butter to be a bit of a revelation at healing the plethora of mini-cracks on my hands and fingers after heavy hand-drumming sessions. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196/20 "2017-01-29T17:16:17Z")
I just want to suggest trying nitrile or cotton gloves if you go that route? Now would not be a good time to find out you’re allergic to latex. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-happening-to-my-hands/778196.md?page=2)