How to Heal Fingertip Cracks and Fissures

I've had a few people asking me lately about fingertip cracks or as I consider them fingertip fissures.  These fissures are very painful and can inhibit the afflicted persons daily activities if they are bad enough.  I'm not surprised to hear of this issue as fingertip and cuticle cracks and fissures, along with hangnails, happen more in the winter months due to the drying effects of colder temperatures and indoor heating. 

 Before you try to fix this on your own, know this first, if you feel that the area is infected, see a doctor immediately.  You should not proceed with any of the following if there is any redness and swelling, or if there is any chance of pus forming.   Taking a chance with blood poisoning is worse than trying to deal with the fissure.  Soak your finger in warm salt water and call your doctor immediately.

If there is no infection present, there are a few things that can be done to help heal these fishers once they occur.  The first thing is to remove the excess skin on each side of the fissure.  What you will need is:

1.       Super Glue (if fissure is in danger of opening further)

2.       Cuticle sissors or nippers

3.       A 100 or 180 grit emery board

4.       An antibiotic ointment

Trim back the excess skin on each side of the fissure with a clean cuticle nipper or scissor.  Use caution when trimming the excess skin to prevent from cutting too low or making it bleed.  The fingertip fissure can even be filed smooth with a clean emery board. 

If the fissure keeps splitting, clean your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap, cleanse the area with hydrogen peroxide (use this only once as it will eat away at live tissue) then use super glue to hold the fissure together and gently file off the excess skin.  This excess skin keeps pulling the fissure apart and prevents the split from healing.  And don’t be afraid of using an antibacterial ointment and Band-Aids if necessary.  

If this condition is not the result of extreme temperature changes or does not clear up with added moisture to the affected area, see a doctor.  Fingertip cracks and fissures can also be caused by skin conditions like contact dermatitis and eczema.  Also, products like harsh detergents and soaps with sodium lauryl sulfate can also cause this problem, along with fungal infections and under active thyroid conditions.  

One of the best things is to prevent the cuticle and fingertip fissures before they start.   Use a good cuticle oil daily and lotion your hands and fingertips regularly.  If you are extremely prone to these types of fissures, use a cream with Urea or Papaya Enzyme/Pineapple Extract as one of the ingredients as these help to soften the proteins of the skin to let emollients penetrate easier.

These tips on Fingertip Fissures is brought to you by Bella10 Nail & Skin Care.
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