Dry, splitting, cracking, bleeding finger tips

[unknown-user]

Hi Clinton.

my symphaty. and welcome to the blog of many similar sufferers.

althought we all seam to share the same symptons, i think there are different reasons for our ailments.

mine started when i was diagnosed with diabetes.

like most of us, doctors and dermatologist mearly prescibe ointments, which help, bur do not remove the problem, and it keeps on flaring up.

i have tried almost every ointment under the sun, including gloves in a bottle (in fact this expensive product helped the least)

i am now trying to go on a proper diet, and loose some weight.

i feel reasonable sure this will eleviate some of the problem.

happy reasearching

louis

[harpist123]

Oftentimes the fingertip issue is actually caused by a nail issue, as was the case with me. The need for short nails requires regular (daily) filing. This is the best way, because you only lightly file, as opposed to heavy duty filing, which would happen only when the nails are allowed to get too long. Then, when you file alot off, there is a very tender area of fingertip exposed, which can often crack, split and even bleed. I have very soft fingernails that actually wanted to split on their own. They needed to be strengthened, so I used a liquid (recommended to me by a dermatologist) applied to the entire nail area which is allowed to dry, 2 times a day. And I applied a high lanolin-enriched cream 3-4 times a day called “Elon Nail Essentials – Lanolin-Rich Nail Conditioner” (also recommended to me by the same dermatologist). Once I was able to strengthen the nail w/the previous mentioned liquid (takes several weeks, because the entire nail needs to grow out from the base), all I have needed since is the nail conditioner. I have been using it for years, and I live in Colorado, with a lack of humidity year-round. I no longer have a problem, and mine was the worst! If your nails are strong, use care in filing (never clip!!!). And file daily, because it seems you aren’t actually filing anything off, and your fingertips won’t suffer!

[Zen Sojourner]

You file your nails?

[Lyn Jackson]

Tincture of benzoin works great to toughen up your fingers and protect them if they are sore. It is a bit sticky before it dries, so be prepared to wait a few minutes. Also turns your fingers orange, but it’s worth it.

[unknown-user]

I am not a harpist but I found your sight because of the dry cracking bleeding finger ordeal. I am an aircraft mechanic that also plays the piano. For the last 7 months ago I suddenly started getting the cracking bleeding fingers. Very painful, sometimes to the point of not being able to use my hands. Just as the cracks would heal new ones would appear. Work was not as bad because I could use latex gloves or work gloves and this aided the peformance of my job. At home the piano was off limits. When I would force myself to play there would be more cracks and blood all over the keyboard. For months I did internet research to find a remedy. Thats how I found you guys. I would try something internal and external for a week or two to see what wouyld work. I spoke to my doctor ( general practitioner ) and he told me that any steroid cortizone would help but slow the healing of the cracks. He said that the healing of any cut or would is an inflammatory process. Steroid creams are anti inflammatory. I tried a bunch of stuff that helped but things never got better. Until now. On a lark I just bought a bottle of Glycerin from Duane Reade. I also bought stuff called Heel. It is a Duane Reade product for cracking heels. For the internal I tried Cod Liver Oil pills. I rub the glycerin on my hands after evry shower and twice a day ( morning/evening). I use the Heel cream once or twice in between. It’s been 8 days and my hands are normal. I saw a difference in two days. I don’t know if the cod liver oil (omega 3)

[unknown-user]

I have suffered with cracking fingertips for years, and I found “Finger glovers” that allow me to put medication (Neosporin, etc.) on them to encourage healing and work during the day at my regular job, without bandaids etc.

[HBrock25]

Well People I believe I found a cure for my problem, I suffered with dry, cacked and bleeding fingertips for about 3 years till a pharmasist recommended Prevex Protectant cream, after about 5 applications, skin cleared up quick and havent had a problem with my fingers in at least 6 months. LOL the tube says 200 applications s I only have 195 applications left. I WOULD RECCOMEND YOU GIVE IT A TRAY BUT NOT SURE IF ITS AVAILABLE ELSEWARE BUT i KNOW YOU CAN GET IT IN TORONTO, ITS WORTH THE TRAVEL HERE.

[HBrock25]

Although I am not a harpist, I discovered your forum while running a

[jessica-wolff]

Try Corn Husker’s Lotion, if it’s still around. Heavy-duty lotion, mostly glycerine, takes a while to sink in.

[HBrock25]

About six months ago I started getting dried, cracking, thumb, index and middle fingers on both hands. I tried everything and then started using jock itch anti fungal cream three times a day. Just a dab. Two weeks and my fingers are normal. What a relief.

[HBrock25]

The skin on my thumbs and fingertips started cracking, splitting, and bleeding in my early teens; I’m 55 now, so I’ve suffered through 40 winters of near-daily pain. I never met anyone else with this problem until the Internet came along (thank God). I don’t work with my hands or outdoors for a living, which eliminates harsh weather, newsprint, paper money ink, plastics, musical instruments, or gymnastics as causes. I’ve always eaten healthy diet with fish, olive and other oils, lots of water, scant caffeine and wine, no drugs (prescription or otherwise), never smoked, never overweight, floss, exercise nearly daily, no health ailments–all the stuff we’re supposed to do, right?

Like my fellow sufferers, I’ve tried everything, including several (useless) dermatologists. (Below is a list cobbled together from memory of tried-and-failed treatments.)*

Not incidentally, it turned out, I used to suffer from chronic canker sores. Then, purely by accident, I discovered the cause of both problems. On an extended camping trip, the russack with the soap, shampoo, and detergent got lost, and we had to make due with baking soda. We washed our bodies, hair, teeth, and dishes with it. Bingo! My cracked fingertips healed and my canker sores disappears within days! As an added bonus, my skin became super soft and I didn’t need a moisturizer, and my baby-fine, stick-straight, tangle-prone hair developed some body and combed easily!

I’ve washed everything with baking soda ever since–with modifications; for example, I rinse my hair with diluted apple cider vinegar, and mostly brush my teeth with either Trader Joe’s or baby toothpaste (b. soda is too harsh on enamel for daily use). But I still don’t need a moisturizer! I wash dishes with b. soda and white vinegar–and no gloves.

The culprits behind my cracked fingertips was sodium laurel suflate, PEG, and ingredients with “eth” in them. The culprits behind my canker sores were toothpastes with the above and fluoride.

Try it and see if it doesn’t clear up for your problems, too! Meanwhile, for pain (finger, mouth, even zits) the hands-down best things are a drop of tea tree essential oil or oil of clove (available health foods stores and Walmart).

*(Vaseline, A & D Ointment, Zims Crack Cream, No Crack Super Hand Cream, Nexcare Skin Crack Care, Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, Acid Mantle Cream, New Skin, Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion, Nivea Cream, Bag Balm, Utter Balm, Chapped Heal Cream, Gloves In A Bottle, TheraSeal hand Protection, Split Finger Treatment Cream, New Skin, Super Glue, Lotil Cream, Blistex, Carmex, Rex-Eme Creme, AmLactin, anti-fungl cream, Burt’s Bees Hand Creme, Bacitracin/Polysporin/Neosporin & Band-aids/moleskin, Vicks VapoRub, petroleum jelly, mineral oil, glycerin alone & in combination, various types of lanolin & cotton gloves nightly, increasing vitamins A, C, D, E, Flaxseed oil, Cod liver oil, L-Lysine, doubling water intake, eating more extra virgin olive oil, fish; humidifier.)

[HBrock25]

I suffered very bad fingers from playing the harp and tried many shelf products, in the end it was a a local product that did the trick called ‘gardeners balm’ i think it contains beeswax and other essential oils but have had nothing like it before applied it a couple of times daily before and after practicing and healed up within 3 days.

The website is http://www.gardenersbalm.co.uk/

[jackson-ordean]

I had the bleeding cracked fingertips – (worst is to have both thumbs cracked/bleeding. Can hardly do anything). I was an Art teacher (wet/dry/clay, all day), am a carpenter/remodeler, potter, painter, model airplane maker, guitarist, chop my own wood in the winter. My fingers didn’t have a chance.

I finally made an all natural healing aid with beeswax, olive oil, honey, aloe vera oil, grape seed oil, grapefruit seed extract, candalilla wax, and put it in a used up lip balm tube. I knew I could carry it real easy and put it on frequently. I recommend 3x day for 3 days – should do the trick.

It works great. I finally made a commercial product out of it: CrackZapIt! It’s going good because it works for people. Worked for me, anyway!

My website (I only wholesale) is http://www.crackzapit.com.

My main distributor is http://www.duluthtrading.com, a catalog/internet company that sells products ‘designed & tested by tradesmen’. It might help some of you! Let me know.

[Elizabeth L]

Carmex lip balm has beeswax, etc. and works well on fingers.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Good for Duluth! Another local industry born. Now, can you make something out of smoked fish oil?

[Author]

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