Why Do I Have Hard Skin on My Finger

Table of Contents

Why Do I Have Hard Skin On My Finger?

Hard skin on your fingers is not just a cosmetic issue. It’s actually very common and it could have many reasons. Here are some of them:

1) You’ve been working with your hands all your life but they’re starting to get too big for you now.

Your thumbs are getting bigger than other parts of your hand due to years of repetitive use.

2) You’ve had a cold or other virus.

This causes the skin to become dry and cracked. If you don’t keep your hands clean, then the cracks will spread and eventually lead to callous formation.

3) Your nails grow out too fast which leads to callouses forming on your fingers.

Nail fungus is another cause of hard skin on fingers.

4) You’ve got diabetes.

Diabetes affects the body’s ability to produce insulin, which makes the blood sugar level drop. This can make your hands feel like jelly and you may even develop callus-like bumps on your fingers.

5) You suffer from psoriasis (pimples).

Psoriasis is caused by the immune system attacking healthy cells in the skin. It causes redness, swelling and itchiness of affected areas.

Sometimes, a combination of the above reasons can lead to hard skin on fingers. In any case, calluses can be treated by addressing the root cause. If you think you have a serious case of callus, then it’s best to see a doctor.

Why Do I Have Hard Skin On My Thumb?

Your thumbs are worked the most in your hand. They are used for grasping things and help with balance and support. This makes them prone to getting calluses.

While calluses on your other fingers are common, you should take particular care of your thumbs. This is because they can become so large that it becomes very difficult to work or even do day-to-day tasks.

A number of things can cause a corn or callus to develop on your thumb:

1) Working in construction or as a mechanic can cause your hands to take a real beating.

Grasping, pulling, and welding all take their toll on your hands. If you play an instrument, such as the guitar or bass, you may develop a corn on your thumb from gripping the instrument.

2) If you do a lot of chopping with knives, you may find that your thumb takes a beating.

3) Typing or similar repetitive work can also cause a corn to develop on your thumb.

4) Working outdoors will expose your hands to the elements.

If you do not apply sunscreen or wear gloves, you may find that your thumb takes the brunt of the sun’s rays and you develop a callus or corn.

5) The most common cause of a callus on your thumb is from playing a stringed instrument, such as the guitar or bass.

Keeping your hands clean and dry can help prevent calluses from becoming nasty infections. If a callus does become infected, you may need to see a doctor.

What Is The Treatment For Hard Skin On My Thumb?

Treating a corn or callus on your thumb is fairly simple. You can:

1) Soak the corn or callus in warm water.

This will make it easier to remove.

2) Take a pumice stone and gently rub over the corn or callus to remove the dead skin.

Be careful not to over-do it and remove too much skin. You just need enough skin removed that your nail can push through.

3) Apply a bit of rubbing alcohol or peroxide to the area to kill off any bacteria.

4) Apply some moisturizer or antibiotic cream to the area and cover it with gauze.

Keep this on for 48 hours, checking every 12 hours to make sure it isn’t red, swollen or infected. If it looks infected, see a doctor.

5) After 48 hours, repeat steps 2 and 3.

6) Continue this process until the corn or callus is gone.

This may take weeks to months, depending on how bad the corn or callus is. A very deep corn or callus may need to be cut out by a doctor.

What Should I Do If I Have Diabetes?

If you have diabetes, it’s important that you keep your blood sugar under control. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause serious complications, including heart disease and kidney failure. It can also make you more prone to infection.

You should test your blood sugar levels daily and keep a record of the results. You should also test your blood glucose after eating to make sure it hasn’t spiked.

It’s best if you can keep your blood sugar level between 70 to 130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 after meals.

How Can I Prevent Hard Skin On My Thumb?

If you want to prevent a corn or callus from developing on your thumb, it’s best to take steps to avoid damage to the area. If you feel a corn or callus starting to form, you should also take steps to repair the area.

The best way to protect your thumb is by wearing a thimble when working with your hands. A tailor’s thimble is best as it is small and form-fitting, but other styles will work, too.

If you don’t feel a thimble is necessary, you can cover your thumb with athletic tape. Be sure to cover the base of your nail as well as the tip to protect it from friction during contact with objects.

Other options for protecting your thumbnail include:

1) Keeping your nails trimmed and clean.

Long or dirty nails can make any scratch or scrape worse.

2) Keeping your hands clean and dry to prevent infection in any wounds you get.

3) Using a small bit of first aid cream or gel to protect minor scratches, burns or wounds if you don’t have access to a thimble or athletic tape.

4) Keeping your hands warm when it is cold and keeping them cool when it is hot.

Hot temperatures and cold temperatures can dry out the skin, making it more prone to cracking or breaking.

If you follow these steps, you can limit your risk of getting a painful corn or callus on your thumb. If you do get one, it should heal quickly and leave no lasting damage if you take proper care of it. If pain or infection from a corn or callus gets severe, you may need to see a doctor.

Never try to remove a corn or callus yourself. Trying to do this can cause damage that leads to infection. Instead, have a doctor remove it for you if necessary.

If your job requires you handle items with your hands on a regular basis, consider asking your employer for ergonomic training or the purchase of ergonomic tools. This can help prevent the development of painful corns, calluses and blisters, which can lead to more serious problems if they are not taken cared of.

If nothing else works, you may want to talk to your employer about setting up a different job that involves less hand contact with rough surfaces. While this can be a last resort, it could also keep you from developing a serious condition that requires a long recovery period.

How To Remove A Corn Or Callus

If your thumb starts to develop a corn or callus, here is what you need to do:

1) Keep your hands clean and dry to prevent infection in any wounds you get.

2) Use a small bit of first aid cream or gel to protect minor scratches, burns or wounds if you don’t have access to a thimble or athletic tape.

3) After working, wash your hands with mild, antibacterial soap and dry them thoroughly.

4) Apply a thin layer of first aid cream or gel over the corn or callus to help protect it from friction or other irritation.

5) Place a small piece of moleskin or athletic tape over the top of the corn or callus to shield it from further damage.

Moleskin is better as it allows your skin to breathe, but athletic tape works, too. If you don’t have either of these, you can try using a Band-Aid or small adhesive bandage.

6) Take steps to ease the pain or prevent further damage.

For example, if you are a carpenter and you feel a pain in your thumb, you may want to wear a splint to keep you from using it for a few days until the pain goes away.

You may need to use these steps for several days or weeks, depending on how bad the condition of your skin is. It can take a while to heal completely.

If you continue working with your hands without taking proper care of your skin, you may end up having to see a doctor. You may also end up with permanent damage if you don’t treat it right away.

Do You Need To See A Doctor?

You may need to see a doctor if:

1) You can’t keep your hands clean and dry.

2) You have open wounds on your hands, such as large cracks in the skin or deep scratches.

3) The pain gets worse and doesn’t begin to get better within a couple days.

4) You don’t see any improvements after using first aid techniques for a week or two.

5) You develop a rash, redness or discoloration on the area, which may be a sign of a more serious infection.

The sooner you see a doctor, the better. Don’t wait until your hands become infected or don’t heal at all. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away and can cause long-term health problems.

A Word From Our Sponsor

Health Issues You May Not Have Considered is creative commons licensed information from NextAid NBC Universal Media, LLC.

NextAid is a registered trademark of NextAid NBC Universal Media, LLC.

Main page for Health Issues You May Not Have Considered.

P.S. Please let me know if the links do not work for you. I am interested to know if WordPress is playing up or if its just me.

TheWetLab