05/10/2023

Skin lesions known as fissures can be extremely painful and can even limit the performance of normal daily activities and, above all, work activities. But what are cracked hands? The term fissure comes from the Greek word rhagades, meaning 'fissure': fissures are precisely small linear lesions that can occur on the skin or mucous membranes and that affect the superficial layers of the skin, such as the epidermis or the dermis.

Symptoms such as dehydration, irritation, redness, inflammation, itching and extreme roughness often accompany fissures. The disorder can affect different areas of the body, but it is most frequent on hands, especially those of professionals exposed to numerous exogenous stresses every day.

What are the main causes of these annoying cuts and how can they be remedied in order to regain health and productivity? Let's delve into the topic with some useful tips.

Causes of hand cracks: why do they come?

Underlying the onset of fissures in the hands is severe dehydration of the skin, accompanied by a loss of elasticity and skin thickening or hyperkeratosis. Dry, thin and poorly moisturised skin is naturally predisposed to superficial, shallow but extremely painful ruptures, such as fissures.

The causes of hand cracks are varied and heterogeneous, but are often related to the daily habits of those who frequent professional environments where there is constant exposure to:

· aggressive substances;

· extreme temperatures;

· adverse weather conditions such as wind and/or humidity;

· UV radiation;

· friction trauma;

· macerations from occlusive PPE;

· irritation from poorly tolerated detergents.

These elements can undermine the effectiveness and firmness of the skin barrier, generating symptoms ranging from simple discomfort to full-blown pathology.

Certain predisposing factors may also favour the problem, for example:

· skin sensitivity and tendency to dryness;

· poor general hydration of the body;

· pathological alterations to the hydrolipidic film;

· moisture, favoured by the climate, frequent washing or inefficient drying processes;

· the age of the skin;

· the presence of concomitant dermatological diseases, such as dermatitis, psoriasis or other inflammatory manifestations.

When not treated promptly, fissures can develop into deeply irritative or inflammatory phenomena of the skin, or lead to skin infections that are difficult to treat.

Cold hand cracks: how to avoid them

Cold weather is one of the main triggers of hand cracks. In fact, workers' skin in winter is made drier, less elastic and prone to cracking due to certain environmental factors that can compromise its health. These include extreme cold, wind, and excessive humidity.

Dehydration and external stress factors play havoc with skin well-being, predisposing hand skin to a dangerous loss of softness and elasticity, resulting in thickening, irritation, redness, itching and fissuring.

In addition, contact with irritants, frequent washing, rubbing, maceration, and exposure to UVA and UVB rays (present even in winter) only exacerbate the disorder.

Under the attack of the most adverse weather conditions, the skin takes very little time to become irritated, especially in the most sensitive and predisposed individuals. How to protect it?

· First, by using protective PPE, such as gloves, which can shield the skin from the most extreme weather conditions.

· Regular use of the most effective professional barrier creams, designed to support the hydrolipidic film and its protective action.

· Thoroughly nourish the skin after each working day with moisturising creams that preserve its elasticity and keep it even, so as to avoid the risk of irritation and bacterial proliferation.

Chapped hands from washing-up liquid: chafing or irritation?

Repeated use of detergents and cleaning agents often leads to problems that can be defined as contact dermatitis. Such disorders can be irritative dermatitis (ICD), or allergic-type dermatitis (ACD), i.e. phenomena mediated by the immune system in response to a specific allergen. Chapped hands from detergents are all the more likely to occur when the products used are formulated with poor quality ingredients and/or are used frequently, as is the case in the workplace.

The symptoms of such irritations can range from redness, inflammation and itching to scaling and blisters. It is not excluded, however, that untreated dermatitis can lead to the formation of cuts and scaling or to actual fissures.

Natural remedies for hand cracks: cures

The most effective and immediate approach for hands with fissures is to research and eliminate the root cause. Moreover, in many people, dry, fissured skin with fissures responds very well to strategic lifestyle changes and the simplest self-medication remedies.

Basically, to prevent and treat fissures, it is necessary to intervene on the factors that make the skin drier, less elastic and less able to effectively manage its physiological self-repair mechanisms. Natural remedies for fissures in the hands include, for example:

· the use of lukewarm water for washing and the use of extreme gentleness in rubbing;

· a thorough drying phase that leaves no moisture on the skin surface;

· choosing to wash only with mild, hypoallergenic detergents free of chemical fragrances and irritants;

· the use of gloves and warm clothing especially in the winter season;

· the constant application of creams with good moisturising properties and containing active ingredients (such as glycerine, vitamin E, sericin, etc.), which should always be applied after washing or at the end of the working day.

· sufficient general hydration of the organism, achieved through the intake of at least 1.5-2 litres of water per day.

Preventing fissures means, above all, preserving the health of the skin precisely when it is most exposed, such as in the workplace. Many professional categories are involved in activities that put the skin to the test: mechanics, carpenters, tyre fitters, welders, electricians, hairdressers, beauticians, electricians, construction workers, farmers and so on.

For them, the prevention of fissures is taken care of by Nettuno, thanks to the Protex range of products specially formulated to protect the hands of professionals and support the natural barrier role of the skin. The formulations in the range contain specific products to shield them from oily and greasy substances, watery substances and UV rays.

If, in spite of prevention and treatment with natural remedies, fissures do not disappear or worsen, it is a good idea to contact a specialised doctor, who can analyse the situation and recommend an effective pharmacological treatment. Among the treatments for fissures on the hands may be the topical application of healing or antibiotic creams, or even cortisone or products with a keratoplastic action.

Rhagades on fingers: is the cure the same?

Speaking of fissures on the fingers refers to the fissures that occur on the fingertips, in the area around the nails and in the delicate interdigital spaces. Particularly deep and painful, they are sometimes accompanied by loss of serum and a real risk of infection.

Although localised in a specific location, the causes of fissures on the fingers are the same as those of fissures on the hands: a loss of elasticity and hydration, alterations in the hydrolipid film, thinning of the skin and a predisposition to superficial breakdown. Rarely, these fissures may also be caused by atopic dermatitis, diabetes, psoriasis and dyshidrosis.

Nettuno for healthy and protected hands

Support from Nettuno's Protex line should accompany the days of every professional who uses their hands as a working tool. Indeed, the risk of developing occupational diseases is high if the skin is not protected, washed thoroughly and nourished every day.

Set up your own programme now to maintain your skin wellness with Protex products such as:

·Protexsol Professional, the barrier cream against oily and greasy substances;

· Protexins Plus, the effective protective cream against water-based substances and maceration damage;

· Protexsun Protection SPF50, a powerful sun cream for face and body with FPS 50+.

Always combine them with Nettuno's most skin-friendly professional hand cleansers and the daily use of nourishing creams, such as Protexem Rinnova, for a complete and effective skin care programme!

Contact us for professional advice from our experts and start protecting the health of your hands now thanks to the performance of Nettuno's professional products!