Exfoliative Keratolysis: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis
Are you tired weeding through various articles about exfoliative keratolysis available online?
If yes, then don’t worry! We will resolve your every query in this influential guide that covers everything you need to know about exfoliative keratolysis, its symptoms, and treatment required to remove this insufficiency.
FIRST, let us understand…
What is Exfoliative Keratolysis?
It is one of the rarest diseases which is also known as skin peeling disease. In this disease, the skin of fingers starts peeling, which makes fingers look very ugly.
It usually happens when the palms, fingers, or feet become dry, which makes the skin rough and leads to the peeling of skin from the hand or feet. It mainly affects the tip of the fingers.
In the early stage of someone infected with this disease, it is recognized as air-filled blisters. This disease is not always painful.
Sometimes, it is not giving much pain to the fingers or foot, but it doesn’t look adorable. But on the other hand, sometimes it is too painful due to the red spots on the skin.
What are the causes of Exfoliative Keratolysis?
There may be various reasons for the development of exfoliative keratolysis. Some of the most common reasons are as follows:
Frequent Washing of the Hands
If the skin of the hands is dry. This gives rise to the problem of skin peeling and the development of cracks. Due to frequent handwashing with soap, the skin becomes dry.
Excessive usage of soap removes the natural oils which are present in the skin. As this oil amount gets reduced, the skin can no longer maintain the moisture content and starts to dry and develop cracks.
Climate Changes
If the climate where an individual is living is very dry, then this can also contribute towards developing dry skin and cracks in the skin, which will further result in the skin peel off.
Due to Sunburn
The sunrays have ultraviolet rays (UV) in them. These rays are very harmful to the human body and especially for the skin. Too much exposure to such rays can result in making the skin red, sore, warm, and would finally result in the peeling of the skin.
Sunburn, if not treated properly, it can result in the development of skin cancer in that particular region.
Sucking of Fingers
Sucking of the fingers is a common habit among the children. Constant sucking of the fingers or the thumb results in the removal of the natural oils from the skin, and the skin tends to become thin and dry in that region.
Just like the process of biting nails, some adults chew their fingers when they are nervous.
Exposure to Chemicals
The exposure of the skin to some harmful and strong chemicals can also result in Exfoliative Keratolysis. Now a day, people are involved in various day to day activities where they are knowingly or unknowingly getting exposed to harmful chemicals like construction, agriculture, mining, etc.
Many cleaning agents, soaps, detergents, etc. contain harmful chemicals, which, when comes in contact with the skin, can result in the peeling of the skin and development of cracks.
Symptoms of Exfoliative Keratolysis
Exfoliative Keratolysis disease is found to be the most commonly spread disease during the months of the summer season. Also, there are very high of diagnosing this disease in those people who have constant sweaty palms.
The most basic symptom of Exfoliative Keratolysis is the presence of blisters or ulcers on the hands, palm, or the fingers. These blisters burst and leave a liquid which, if comes in contact with the other parts, can result in the formation of blisters there also.
These blisters are not itchy, but they can result in the peeling of the skin from that particular area.
Exfoliative Keratolysis can also be determined when you see the split ends of the skin at the joint of the fingers. Sometimes, the skin becomes numb and hard, which is very difficult to peel off.
The point to remember is that after all this process, the healthy skin appears within 2-3 weeks, but Exfoliative Keratolysis reoccurs after some time. So it needs to be treated appropriately.
Treatment of Exfoliative Keratolysis
The treatment of Exfoliative Keratolysis can be done at home if it is at a very early stage. If someone has advanced Exfoliative Keratolysis, then he/she needs to visit a skin specialist and get the necessary treatment as soon as possible.
Treating Exfoliative Keratolysis at Home
Keratolysis can be treated at home if it is in the nascent stages. This can be done by applying the medical ointments like OTC moisturizer on the affected area and then avoiding any water or moisture contact with that affected region.
Also, making specific behavioral changes in living like avoiding irritants, sun exposure, etc. can prevent this disease.
Photochemotherapy
If Exfoliative Keratolysis is in the later or the advanced stages. Then the individual should go and visit a skin specialist.
Also, Photochemotherapy can be done to treat this disease. In this process, the skin cells which are present in the affected area are exposed to ultraviolet rays, which burns down the diseased cells.
Avoiding Irritants
Avoiding the use of substances that contain harmful chemicals can help in the treatment of Exfoliative Keratolysis.
Also using creams and ointments, which are made from natural and herbal substances, can help in the treatment of this disease.
Final Verdict
It is essential to understand that the steps mentioned above are the most common methods to cure the problem of Exfoliative Keratolysis.
In this guide, we have tried to cover the symptoms, causes, and remedies for the particular inflation disease of Exfoliative Keratolysis.
That’s not all! It should always be kept in mind that all these methods should not be done regularly, as this will affect the natural process of the body. Also, it should always be held in the mind that one should not practice this without consulting any physician as they can result in some ill effect on the body of the individual.
Sharing is caring! Your love and support motivates us!
