What Causes Skin Peeling of Hands Your hands go through a lot the entire day. Be it handling everyday chores or subjecting themselves to the harsh chemicals. With all this that the hands go through it is only natural for them to undergo certain conditions that could cause their wear and tear. Peeling of hands can be a natural result of a number of reasons. Peeling of hand skin is often thought to be a cosmetic problem, but the reality is far from it. Peeling of hand skin is actually a sign of a medical condition. Most often skin peeling of the hands could be accompanied with other symptoms as well. Various other conditions are triggered by certain irritants that can cause your skin to dry making them feel itchy and finally peel off. You may need to see a dermatologist to know the exact reasons for your condition and to figure out the right course of treatment. What Does Skin Peeling Look Like? When your skin on the hands and fingers shows symptoms of peeling, you may first notice flaky skin along with redness of the skin area where the flaking occurs. You could also experience symptoms like intense itching which could be caused due to skin irritation and drying. Though in most casing the peeling is not associated with any pain, for some people it could cause some pain as one bends or moves the hands frequently causing the skin to tighten. Open wounds on the hands from peeled or chapped skin could make one more prone to infections especially when one has other medical conditions like diabetes. Skin Peeling In Children Skin peeling of the hands can occur in both adults and children. In case of children the problem is normally associated with skin damage like exposure to the sun, some form of injury or a skin infection. However, in case of children, skin peeling in the hands can also be a sign of a serious medical condition. It is hence important to seek medical advice to get the best fit remedy to treat the skin condition. Symptoms of Peeling Skin in Children According to the Mayo clinic, peeling of the skin for children is often accompanied by other symptoms affecting the skin. The epidermis or the top layer of the skin may show certain signs of dryness, itching and severe rashes that could suddenly worsen with some climatic changes. While most of us ignore these as the signs of some form of dryness associated with the weather, it could very well be a medical condition like psoriasis or others. Sometimes the peeling of the skin could be only in the skin of hands and legs while in some cases it may spread all over the body. Causes of Skin peeling of hands in adults Some of the common causes of skin peeling in hands for adults include reasons like:
Environmental Factors: Cold and dry weather with chilly winds as well as excessive exposure to the sun can suck the moisture out of the skin leaving it dry and flaky. This is a very common contain and hands easily show the signs of the environment with slightest changes. Frequently washing of hands using harsh detergents or washing them often in the winter season could cause the natural moistures to get depleted from the skin causing them to dry and peel. Excessively washing your hands in hot water could also result in dryness of the skin since hot water can easily strip off the moisture from the hands and fingers. Medical Conditions: A number of medical conditions of the skin and over all body could also result in peeling of skin from the hands and feet. Some of these are: Eczema: Hand dermatitis is a type of eczema that is associated with peeling skin on the palms and around the back of the hands. Hand eczema is normally caused by certain genetic disorders, injuries or exposure to certain irritants like chemical cleansers. Eczema of the hands is very commonly seen in people working in industries that are associated with mechanical works, healthcare, metals, salons, catering and cleaning. Other symptoms associated with hand eczema include is common in industries like mechanical work, health care, salons, metalwork, catering and cleaning. Other symptoms of this skin infection include itching, itchy papules, fluid-filled blisters, scaly or cracking skin and swelling. Psoriasis: Another common skin condition associated with peeling of skin of the hands is called psoriasis. This is a medical condition that affects the life cycle of the skin cells. Psoriasis is caused when the skin cells rapidly build up on the skin surface with a scaly appearance resulting in itching, dryness and red patches. The Mayo Clinic explains that psoriasis is a common skin condition that affects the life cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis occurs when cells build up rapidly on the surface of the skin, appearing scaly, causing itching and dry, red patches. Psoriasis is normally a skin condition that runs in the genes of a person and can occur in people of all age groups. Dyshidrotic Hand Dermatitis: Dyshidrotic hand dermatitis is a medical condition that causes the occurrence of blisters under the skin and more importantly around the sides of the fingers and the palms. This condition is known to occur within the body and worsens as a person undergoes stress. Exfoliative Keratolysis: Exfoliative keratolysis is a condition of the skin which is characterized by peeling on the digits more than the palms or soles of the hands. This condition mainly occurs in the summer season and is known to affect children and younger people as compared to the old. Exfoliative keratolysis first starts with a blister that bursts leaving behind a circular area of peeled skin. This medical condition is often recurring and can worsen as one extensively uses household or industrial detergents and chemicals.