Skin issues on my hands

I’ve been searching around, but I can't seem to find a thread on this specific issue. I'm looking for some advice or maybe just to hear if anyone else has dealt with something similar.
About two years ago, my husband first noticed some peeling skin on his hands. We didn't think much of it at the time and just had him use some basic moisturizer.
But over the last few months, things have taken a turn for the worse. His hands are red, swollen, peeling, itchy, and stinging. Honestly, the worst part is how much they crack—it looks like he’s been getting constant paper cuts. We went to a dermatologist, but they couldn't pinpoint a cause. They ruled out fungus and basically told him to just stop using his hands for a month to see if it clears up (as if that's actually possible!).
He's tried just about every ointment and cream out there. At first, things seem to improve, but then it feels like his skin just gets used to the treatment and the symptoms flare right back up. It's really interfering with his work—he does graphic design involving lots of paper and chemicals—so he's been trying both cotton and rubber gloves, but nothing seems to help.
If anyone has any tips, suggestions, or even a helpful link, I would be so grateful... please.
Thank you!

I’m definitely no medical expert, but reading this really makes me think of Candida. If there’s redness, swelling, itching, or if the skin is cracking and peeling—that’s usually my first thought. Though, looking at her specific skin issue, maybe not quite... still, perhaps trying some St. John's Wort oil mixed with tea tree might offer some relief? That combo is pretty great for damaged skin, regardless of what actually caused it.
It could also be an allergic reaction to something she’s handling at work. For instance, my mom works in an office setting where she's constantly digging through stacks of paper all day, and her hands have become incredibly dry and cracked. It looks more white and scaly on her cheeks, though, and those cracks get deep and just won't heal. We've tried everything we suspected might be the culprit at home, and it honestly seems like it really is the paper causing the trouble. She only gets any slight relief when she slathers on a really thick layer of moisturizer at work—I guess that creates a bit of a barrier so she isn't in such direct contact with everything.
It probably won't be a total cure, though. 🤷

I’ve been dealing with this exact same issue for about two years now, even though everything was perfectly fine before that. It started with redness on my arms and back, then eventually the skin began peeling. My dermatologist prescribed a cream—he actually laughed while giving it to me—and that did the trick. According to him, it was all just sun damage.
However, things took a disastrous turn this past winter. I finally went for allergy testing last week, and it turns out I'm allergic to Ariel, DuPont, and white chicken feather meal (I have no idea what that is, but apparently it's in cosmetics and a million other things).
If this keeps happening to him, isn't it possible he's reacting to something too? Since we don't know the culprit, slathering on random lotions might actually make things worse if he happens to be sensitive to an ingredient in those creams.
He should really ask his doctor for a referral for skin allergy testing. They'll likely start with a blood test to check his IgE levels; if those are elevated, it's a clear sign of an allergy.

Thanks so much for all the replies. He actually just went in for some allergy testing where they apply a patch to his back and leave it there for a while. They didn't find any allergies this time around, but if I'm being honest, the whole process felt a little hit-or-miss to me—they didn't even do a blood test, which is what we'll be doing next.
Thank you again. 🙂

To looks way too much like dyshidrosis to me.
There’s already a thread right here discussing it.
The only thing that actually worked for me was DuPont cream.

Angela Wright said:To looks way too much like dyshidrosis to me.
There’s already a thread on here about it.
For me, the only thing that worked was DuPont cream.

Thank you for the link! We're going to try that lavender and tea tree essential oil soak right away (up until now, we've been soaking hands in chamomile and calendula tea—it feels like we've tried everything possible).
We'll also grab that DuPont cream; I really hope it works because we're getting pretty desperate after all these endless attempts. Just when we think we're finally seeing progress, everything flares up again and we're back to square one..
Thank you for the help! 🙂

I knew this one woman who dealt with almost identical issues with her hands...
In the end, I think they told her it was some kind of autoimmune disorder...

Writing this as if I were the one posting...

I am also dealing with extremely dry skin on my hands. It flakes off in white scales, leaving behind raw wounds that feel like I've sliced my fingers with a knife. Words cannot describe the stinging pain.

I underwent allergy testing and found no reactions. My initial diagnosis was dermatitis, but a biopsy later indicated psoriasis-like dermatitis. I have applied fish oil ointments, Elocom, Afloderm, and Eucerin... I even needed Betamethasone. I tried several natural creams as well, but the condition always returns once it settles. Just as the wounds heal, they crack open elsewhere.

The condition seems to be spreading. I now have similar patches on my shins, elbows, and wrists. The itching is intermittent and constant.

This has persisted for three or four years. At my last checkup, the doctor suggested PUVA cream therapy. I have researched it online, and the side effects look concerning, specifically premature skin aging and an increased risk of skin cancer due to UV exposure.

I am at a loss regarding treatments. I must avoid water as much as possible, which is impossible given daily chores like washing dishes or laundry. I have to wear gloves for almost everything, and it is exhausting.

Has anyone successfully resolved this issue?

Additionally, I have started drinking a herbal tea recommended by an elderly man who claims it cures psoriasis. I have only just begun, so we shall see how it progresses.

I know this thread is pretty old, but it’s still worth a shot.

Has anyone actually found a cream or a method that works to clear "this" up? Over the last two weeks, I've been dealing with the exact same issue described in the original post 😢 I'm honestly at a loss here; I don't even know where to start.

Could be contact dermatitis,

Two years ago, I posted here about my dermatitis. It had spread significantly and caused bleeding sores. I cut out pork and alcohol, which helped slightly, but there was no sign of actual healing.

I tried countless creams, ointments, and oils. I experimented with every diet imaginable and spent a fortune... until two months ago when I bought some Burt's Bees balm. My hands cleared up within ten days.

My hands are now healthy and can be washed normally without any open wounds. I am even washing dishes without gloves after many years of struggle.

I still have one dry patch on my knee, and I am waiting to see if that clears too. I am extremely satisfied!

urbancanyon7 said:I was posting on this thread about two years ago when my dermatitis was spreading everywhere, leaving me with these nasty, bloody sores. I cut out pork and booze, which helped a tiny bit, but there was absolutely no sign it was ever going away.

I tried every single cream, ointment, and oil under the sun. I drank all sorts of tonics... spent a small fortune, too... nothing worked until about two months ago when I picked up some Aveeno balm. My hands cleared up in less than ten days.

Now I can wash my hands normally without any open wounds—they feel totally healthy. I'm even washing dishes without gloves after many, many years.

I still have this dry patch on my knee, though, so who knows if that’ll clear up. But overall? I'm thrilled!

Don't get ahead of yourself just yet... honestly, keep using the gloves, even if it feels like everything is fine right now. I know that feeling all too well—that sense of "what the hell was wrong with me?" where you think you're finally back to being a normal person again... but watch out. For me, that first tube of Aveeno worked like magic, too, but then everything came crashing back a few months later. And the second tube—exact same ingredients, exact same brand—didn't do a damn thing. When you've got sensitive skin, you just have to be careful and protect it. There's no other way.

urbancanyon7 said:Two years ago, I was participating in this discussion when my dermatitis flared up significantly, leaving me with painful, bleeding sores. I cut out pork and alcohol from my diet, which provided some minor relief, but there were absolutely no signs that the condition would actually clear up.

I cycled through countless creams, ointments, and oils, even trying various dietary supplements, and I spent a small fortune in the process. Everything changed about two months ago when I started using Vaseline balm. Within ten days, the irritation on my hands had completely vanished.

My hands feel normal now; there are no open wounds, and the skin is perfectly healthy. In fact, I can wash dishes without wearing gloves for the first time in many years.

I still have one dry patch on my knee, and I am unsure if that will resolve, but overall, I am incredibly satisfied with the results!

Where did you find that Vaseline balm? I would appreciate knowing the specific manufacturer, the price, and where it is available for purchase.

I am dealing with these exact same issues. 😢 My hands are extremely dry, peeling, and cracking. The right hand is noticeably worse than the left; I suspect I might be having an allergic reaction to my dish soap, or perhaps even my hand soap, since the cracking is more severe on the hand I use to hold the sponge while washing. I am also certain that general cleaning supplies are aggravating the situation. Even though I wear rubber gloves while cleaning, the moment I pull them off, my skin feels terribly parched from the contact with the latex. I suffer from chronic allergies—specifically persistent nasal congestion year-round. My doctor hasn't referred me for allergy testing yet because she believes the treatment would remain the same regardless of the results. 🙂 At the time, I didn't think to ask her specifically about my hands because I wasn't treating the issue with enough seriousness.

How exactly are those allergy tests conducted? Are they separate tests for skin conditions versus respiratory issues, or can everything be tested at once?