Solutions For Split Fingertips

Cracked, split fingertips are more often a problem when the weather is cold and the air is dry. Warm weather poses different sorts of challenges for the skin. Sometimes, however, the solutions can be quite similar. Readers often report on the results of easy, inexpensive approaches.

A+D for Split Fingertips:

Q. About two days ago, I noticed the fingers on my right hand were splitting at the tips. I honestly thought something was wrong with me.

At work today, my index finger was terribly dry and peeling to the point where it looked red. It’s really annoying.

I’m constantly washing my hands at work from greasy food and I also have to clean frosty machines. That must be why my fingertips are cracking.

When I looked for cures, I read about A+D ointment. I had some in my make-up bag and I put it on instantly. The split disappeared almost immediately. More people should know about this.

A. The active ingredients in Vitamin A+D Ointment are lanolin (15.5%) and petrolatum (53.4%). So-called inactive ingredients include cod liver oil, fragrance, light mineral oil, microcrystalline wax and paraffin. Because this product is available generically, some manufacturers may modify the ingredient list slightly. Cod liver oil provides the vitamins A and D in the name.

One warning: some people react to lanolin with contact dermatitis. Symptoms may include redness, itching, swelling or blistering. This can be quite challenging.

Could Urea Skin Cream Help Heal Sore Fingers?

We have long been fans of urea-based moisturizers. Research has shown that this compound can improve skin barrier function, which makes it helpful against eczema and seborrheic dermatitis as well as dry skin (Dermatology and Therapy, Dec. 2021). When we asked, cosmetic products chemist Chuck Friedman formulated a moisturizer with 20% urea and no fragrance. You might want to try our Urea Skin Relief, available in 6 oz and 2 oz sizes. We find it very helpful in healing split fingertips without unpleasant greasiness.

Dermatologists love greasy ointments, but lots of people find that inconvenient or unappealing. One study showed that a typical greasy ointment (paraffin-based emollient) prescribed by dermatologists in the UK was hardly better than no moisturizer at all (Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, June 2022). A product containing both urea and glycerol significantly outperformed the dermatologists’ usual choice. By strengthening the skin barrier, it protected the skin from irritation.

Bag Balm for Rashes:

Going beyond the drugstore, many readers appreciate the healing power of economical barnyard beauty aids.

Q. Bag Balm applied topically works wonders for red, itchy rashes in sensitive areas of the human body. It can be found at some drug stores as well as farm and feed stores.

Bag Balm comes in a square green can. It was originally developed for irritation on the udders of farm animals (cows, sheep, goats). In my view, it’s amazing and inexpensive, well worth the time it takes to find it! I pack the smallest size, a tiny can, when I’m traveling.

A. Bag Balm was introduced in 1899 by the Dairy Association Company of Vermont. The founders developed it as a treatment for cows’ chapped udders. It is now made by Vermont’s Original.

Farm families adopted its use for their own dry, chapped skin. It contains an antiseptic, 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate. Other moisturizing ingredients include lanolin and petroleum jelly. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Occasionally, people may find that they react badly to this product because of the lanolin. As we mentioned above, some people are sensitive to it.

Bag Balm or Other Ointments for Split Fingertips:

Q. When the skin on my fingertips cracks open, the splits are painful and take a long time to heal. I went to a dermatologist for a series of different pills and lotions but nothing has worked.

This problem seems to happen more in the winter months. It just started again, with cracks on two fingertips of my left hand. What can you suggest?

Greasy Moisturizers Work Best:

A. Dermatologists sometimes recommend moisturizers, “the greasier the better.” By these standards, plain petroleum jelly should work great. But many readers tell us that Vicks VapoRub is especially helpful against splitting skin on the fingertips. The herbal oils in the petrolatum base seem to add a little extra power and oomph.

Another great greasy remedy for split fingertips is A&D Ointment. This contains vitamins A and D in a petrolatum base and seems to help fingertips heal fast.

A couple of other old-fashioned approaches for split fingertips include Bag Balm (again, this uses petrolatum as the base) or Udder Cream. Both products were originally designed to keep cows’ udders from chapping in cold weather. If you apply any of these moisturizers at night, wear light cotton gloves like the ones professional photographers use for handling negatives. They’ll keep the sheets from getting too greasy.

One last approach readers have recommended is sealing the cracks of split fingertips with instant glue. A liquid bandage product from Band-Aid is formulated for skin and might be less irritating than a household adhesive.