Question Why are my fingertips cracking/peeling after dives with zero contact

[AVANTI4]

Long time diver, first time poster. I'm a part time dive instructor, and I'll dive a couple times a week in all recreational depth ranges. I've been diving 23 years, but in the last 4 years when I dive regularly my finger tips will completely dry up, start to crack and ultimately peel, sometimes even bleed. The severity changes day to day, but the ones in the picture were when it was a bad case. I'm 100% sure its diving related as when I'm out of the water for a few weeks they become completely normal. So my question is, Why is this happening? Has anyone else dealt with anything like this? I've seen other pictures and threads and of fingers peeling but it seems their fingers were retaining moisture and looked pruned. This seems to be the opposite. I've visited dermatologists that have suggested it could be an allergy and to try moisturising, but this is beyond moisturiser. I don't use any soap for my mask. I do not touch a damn thing when I'm underwater except onto students when needed. This also has happened in multiple countries where I worked, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Tanzania, Philippines.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kimela]

All saltwater I'm assuming?

No idea why this is happening but look up polypodium leucotomos. My husband used to get really bad eczema on his legs when NOT diving, and the doc (who was a diver) recommended it. Cleared it up in two weeks. Anyway, it's a skin health support supplement. I take it daily because I've had several skin cancers. If you go on amazon and do a search for polypodium cream you'll find that there are not some expensive face creams that include it because it's good for the skin.

Other than that, Aquafor a few times a day? If you've been diving for 23 years that means you're somewhere between 33 and ???? Our skin gets thinner as we age. Maybe your fingertips just need a whole lot more extra care.

 

[MB NZ]

Happens to me too occasionally. I have a feeling soap in the shower after a dive makes it worse, but not sure. It's annoying, but not much else to worry about. One of life's mysteries!

 

[AVANTI4]

I will definitely look into polypodium leucotomos. Does it come in tablets? Do you know the name of the supplement? I'm in the Philippines now so it's a little harder to get things online but I'll take a look! I'll try anything at this point.

 

[Endler's]

Norwegian Formula® Hand Cream
Feels like petroleum jelly, but is really thick lotion. Apply at bedtime.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

There was a poster with a similar problem a few years back who was diagnosed with aquagenic peeling of hands and feet. The photos in that thread look similar to yours. There's also a much rarer condition called aquagenic urticaria. Might not be a bad idea to see a dermatologist.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[living4experiences]

I have a similar problem when I'm on a dive trip. My fingers don't look as bad as yours, but my fingertips dry out and peel and all my fingernails break off and won't start to regrow until I stop diving. It usually takes a week for the drying out to stop and a couple of weeks for the nails to grow again. Could be the aging process.