It is winter time and in my Connecticut- based practice I see a common problem in the cold weather: often painful cracking of skin on finger tips.

Interestingly, I was chatting with a friend who lives in Southern California where in spite of a much warmer climate, the weather has been unusually cold and right now she is suffering with the same issue. So in many different climates this can happen.

These little paper-cut like splits on the tips of fingers can be MOST painful and quite out-of-proportion to the appearance and size they present. Why do these occur? Here are some causes: low ambient humidity in one's environment, use of detergents, chemicals or lots of hand washing without replacing moisture, changing children's diapers and many other similar skin unfriendly settings.

All of these insults make the epidermal cells essentially dry up and lose their pliable nature. These dried-out rigid skin cells then lose attachment to one another allowing a break in the epidermal barrier. In some severe cases, infection can lurk here.

What to do? Apply the thickest and greasiest ointment you have on those cracks. Think of putting mortar between bricks! Do this multiple times a day until the cracks feel better. Use something like Vaseline, Bag Balm, Aquaphor, Bacitracin or Polysporin. Also make 100% sure that every time you wash your hands, change diapers, clean the kitchen or whatever, that you apply a hand cream to the entire hand -- cracks and all -- immediately after.

If the cracks are still stubborn, use over the counter 1% hydrocortisone ointment (try to find ointment instead of cream if possible -- it works better) and apply this to the cracks and splits. If it still is not improving, go see your dermatologist.

Blogging off,
Dr. Zalka