thumbs

[Wendi22]

I've had cracked skin on my thumb for a couple of months now and it's just not healing. I put it down originally to the cold, but since diagnosis last summer, the constant hand-washing isn't helping. Is diabetes and high BS also likely to be the reason it's not cleared up? Has anyone else had this problem? It's causing havoc with playing musical instruments...

 

[Diakat]

What are your sugar levels looking like? High sugars can hamper healing.

 

[therower]

Constant hand washing probably isn’t helping. Wash in warm salt water and then apply a quality skin / hand moisturiser especially overnight. Barrier creams can be useful if you using hands for a lot of manual work as well.

 

[Wendi22]

Blood sugars are still rather high, but coming down gradually.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

It's causing havoc with playing musical instruments...

What sort of musical instrument do you play?

 

[Wendi22]

What sort of musical instrument do you play?

The piano and ukulele. Not at the same time. Also the bodhran, but that's not affected by 'strummer's thumb'

 

[Knikki]

Always wear marigolds they help loads in preventing split skin when washing up

 

[Deleted member 308541]

The piano and ukulele. Not at the same time. Also the bodhran, but that's not affected by 'strummer's thumb'

Use one these picks on your thumb when playing the ukulele, you will not need them with the piano and drum.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Planet-Waves-Thumb-Picks-Medium/dp/B002G22AV2

 

[Antechinus]

I get splits in the ends of my thumbs and index fingers during winter. I believe it to be less skin oils being produced in the cold weather making the skin brittle. My brother in law, who is a mining engineer (poor referemce source Im afraid) thinks its caused by a fungus like tinea. He puts antifungal cream on his cracks. My treatment of choice is not recomended for diabetics as high risk of infection. So try an antifungal cream. Also Zinc and Vit D supplements may help, cant remember where I heard that.

 

[Antje77]

I only wash hands if I've recently handled sugary foods. Otherwise I wipe away the first drop of blood and test the second, as per my DN's instructions. Only wash and retest if I think the result is way higher than expected. My hands look fine, if a bit dirty.