Causes of Exfoliating Hand Skin & How to Overcome
Hand peeling due to friction is normal and can be handled with simple steps. But in a certain condition that should be watched out for, the skin of the hand peels can be used as a marker for the symptoms of a serious disease. As the outermost part of the body, from day to day the skin is exposed to many things, such as sunlight, wind, heat, humidity, and dryness. This exposure can cause repetitive irritation that can cause skin, including hand peeling skin.
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| Causes of Exfoliating Hand Skin & How to Overcome |
Hand peeling skin also called desquamation, naturally occurs when keratinocytes peel unconsciously after more than two weeks. Normally this happens without us knowing it. However, the skin can also peel due to conditions that are too dry or too long in the sun. These conditions generally can subside on their own or with treatment with freely sold products. There are a number of things that can be done if the skin of the hand is peeling not because of an illness.
- Apply sesame oil or wheat oil to the area of the skin that is peeling after the area is cleaned with water. Gently massage the peeling area. Both types of oil contain tocopherols, tocotrienols, and vitamin E which can moisturize the surface of the skin. Leave the oil until about an hour, then wash it with water.
- Tea bag. Tea contains tannic acid catechins which help repair skin damage. Apply a wet tea bag on the surface of the peeling skin until the tea content enters the skin pore and stimulates the growth of new skin cells.
- Some fruits contain cyanidin, pelargonidin, and anthocyanins which have antioxidant ingredients and enzymes to repair damage to skin proteins. You can try applying pieces of fruit, such as apples, bananas, strawberries, or blackberries to the skin of the peeling hand.
- Apply an antibacterial ointment that is sold freely to deal with hand peeling skin due to bacterial infection.
- Use sunscreen every six hours to help reduce the risk of sun damage to the skin of the hands that are peeling off when doing outdoor activities.
Hand Skin Flaking Due to Disease
But there are times when the skin of the hands peels with other symptoms, such as dry skin, itching, irritation, to a reddish rash. Hand peeling skin can be signs of disease, immune system disorders, to direct damage to the skin due to infection or burns. This situation generally results in accidental damage to the upper (epidermal) skin surface.
The following are some of the possible diseases that can cause hand peeling, including:
- Cancer (including the effects of cancer treatment).
- Impaired immune system.
- Infections, such as fungal infections and certain types of Staphylococcus.
- Genetic diseases, such as acral peeling syndrome.
- Contact dermatitis.
- Dry skin.
- Athlete's foot.
- Atopic dermatitis.
- Hyperhidrosis.
- Psoriasis.
- Scarlet fever.
- Roundworm infection.
- Steven-Johnson syndrome.
- Toxic shock syndrome.
- Radiation.
- Kawasaki disease.
Hand peeling skin can also be caused by the side effects of drugs. One of them is the use of retinoid drugs commonly used to treat acne. Immediately consult a doctor if the skin of the hand's peels occur continuously and/or accompanied by other symptoms that are considered worrying.
