Exfoliative Keratolysis - Finger Tip Peeling after saltwater fishing: Any cure?

I have bad fingertips peeling after fishing trips.  Based on my research it is a symptom called Exfoliative Keratolysis.  Which is common to a fisherman, sun, saltwater and bacteria can contribute to skin peeling.  Last Saturday I forgot to load gloves to my kayak and after 4 hours of fishing, my fingers got really bad as you can see from the attached photo.  I sued UREA cream as treatment and it helps.  However, I think I need to wear gloves to protect my hands from fish and saltwater as much as possible to minimize finger peeling conditions.  If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

What is Exfoliative Keratolysis?

Exfoliative keratolysis is a condition of hands and feet, belonging to a group of skin disorders called Dermatitis. The main characteristics of this disease is patchy peeling of the skin from palms, soles or both [1]. It is also known as “Focal palmar peeling” and “Dyshidrosis lamellosa sicca”

Bummer! My buddy first got that after handling ab guts as bait, then with squid, now whenever fishing salt. Tried cleaners, fresh water rinse - gloves seems to be the only viable remedy for him, but difficult.

Hey that also looks like my fingers last Friday. I couldn't figure why it got that way. Thanks for the post Paul.

Hey that also looks like my fingers last Friday. I couldn't figure why it got that way. Thanks for the post Paul.

Hope we can find a solution together.

Paul

I have a problem with getting an itchy rash were my drysuit gaskets are. I did some research and found that barrier cream might help. It provides a glove like film between your skin and the elements. It worked for me and it might be worth a try in your case too. I bought 3M Barrier Cream. It is most comenly used for persons suffering from bedsores.

I have a problem with getting an itchy rash were my drysuit gaskets are.

Mark, it sounds like you are allergic to latex.  Unfortunately, drysuit manufacturers haven’t come up with a material for drysuit gaskets which is as good as latex.  See https://immersionresearch.com/pages/latex-free-gaskets.

Silicon is almost as good as latex in several respects, but it can’t be glued onto a drysuit, so a ring system needs to be used to attach latex neck and wrist gaskets to a drysuit.  These ring systems are cumbersome, expensive, and require some customization of the drysuit.

It seems to me that a solution to the latex allergy problem would be to manufacture cylindrical silicon sleeves that you put on your neck and wrists before you put on a drysuit with standard latex neck and wrist gaskets.  The silicon sleeves would protect your skin from the latex, and the combination should be just as waterproof as a latex gasket by itself.  Because many people have latex allergies, it seems to me that there is a market for such a product.

There goes your hand modeling career 

I had this too- the peeling was severe. I'd peel skin off all the way around my finger nails. Also, the peeling never went past the second knuckle of any finger.

For me, I just have to rinse squid juice and fish slime off of my hands immediately. If I let it stay on my hands too long, the peeling begins about 2 weeks later. Haven't had the issue in years since I started rinsing.

Napajustin

I had this too- the peeling was severe. I'd peel skin off all the way around my finger nails. Also, the peeling never went past the second knuckle of any finger.

For me, I just have to rinse squid juice and fish slime off of my hands immediately. If I let it stay on my hands too long, the peeling begins about 2 weeks later. Haven't had the issue in years since I started rinsing.

Napajustin

Thank you for sharing your experience.  I have a very similar peeling pattern but my peeling starts immediately after fishing.

Do you rinse while fishing or after fishing?  Any special method for rinsing?

Paul

I use cotton gloves from costco, it minimizes peeling for me.  Dealing lines (fishing or crab pot, or such) usually do the peels for me.

Years ago this used to happen to my buddy and I everytime we went ab diving. As in most of this post, just the tips of the fingers and occasionally another spot or two farther down the finger like in the pic.  At first we thought is was physical/mechanical. IE rough hand work in the clod saltwater. Also suspected it had something to do with Ab slime since we also cleaned abs each time. And then it quit happening or at least a very reduced amount. Of course we were diving less and staying in the water less time and with better equipment, I did have some very nice gloves by then.  Bottomline, never understood it.

This post just reminded me of it all,

Seems like if it was a form of Exfoliative keratolysis it would be more widespread.

I'm still in the physical/mechanical causes. in your photo it looks like you have some on your index finger down where it would rub on your rod. (couldn't come up with a better way of saying that).

The gloves I had that may have helped were skin in with smooth glued seams inside, but they were dive gloves and would be hot and cumbersome to fish with. Tried it.

I have a problem with getting an itchy rash were my drysuit gaskets are.

Mark, it sounds like you are allergic to latex.  Unfortunately, drysuit manufacturers haven’t come up with a material for drysuit gaskets which is as good as latex.  See https://immersionresearch.com/pages/latex-free-gaskets.

Silicon is almost as good as latex in several respects, but it can’t be glued onto a drysuit, so a ring system needs to be used to attach latex neck and wrist gaskets to a drysuit.  These ring systems are cumbersome, expensive, and require some customization of the drysuit.

It seems to me that a solution to the latex allergy problem would be to manufacture cylindrical silicon sleeves that you put on your neck and wrists before you put on a drysuit with standard latex neck and wrist gaskets.  The silicon sleeves would protect your skin from the latex, and the combination should be just as waterproof as a latex gasket by itself.  Because many people have latex allergies, it seems to me that there is a market for such a product.

Yes, it does sound like he is allergic to latex. Consider trying a product called Bodyglide https://www.bodyglide.com/shop/?gclid=CjwKCAjw4NrpBRBsEiwAUcLcDGlb4DeS3sKl_uBgSZ0RQN143fbX08gmCVG6sKWGgFm4g2MaMvsGMhoC4MkQAvD_BwE, it will help with chafing that can occur with a variety of materials against the skin, and might even make it easier to slide into or out of the latex. -M

I have a problem with getting an itchy rash were my drysuit gaskets are.

Mark, it sounds like you are allergic to latex.  ...

If I use latex rubber gloves, my hands become irritated, and itch, crack, and peel for a week. When I first got my drysuit, I tried all kinds of ways to keep the latex from rubbing on my wrists (the neck gasket is neoprene), but found nothing that worked very well. I finally gave up, figuring I'd just have to live with a rash on my wrists. The strange thing is that I found that the latex gaskets on my drysuit actually don't irritate my wrists at all. I guess I really lucked out on that...

Don’t shoot the messenger!
TLW said find a local Mary Kay consultant and get a product set called satin hands and use twice a day, it moisturizes and puts a protective layer on your hands. Works for her with dish water, and when helping me work on the car or paint, the  thinner does that to my hands . It’s $36.00 a set unless on sale.

Great article discussing finger peeling issues after saltwater fishing.

Can Fishing and Saltwater Make Your Hands Peel?
https://surffishingsocalsd.com/can-fishing-and-saltwater-make-your-hands-peel/

Paul