Fingernails

[Suecon]

Hi.

Does anyone else get very sore fingernails? Down the sides where the skin dips around the nail. It happens when I've perhaps washed my hands a lot or not dried them sufficiently, although I always try. I have two at the moment and they're extremely uncomfortable. My hands are never immersed in water without rubber gloves

[4144diane]

Hi Suecon

I get what appear to be infected areas along the side of the nail and under the nail sometimes too, I am just recovering from a flare and have two areas against or under the fingernails at present, both are healing now, but they did get red and inflamed and a formed some puss. I am not sure if this is the same as what you are experiencing, but it is something that I seem to develop during a flare-up.

Hope it helps to think that you are not the only one that gets these symptoms.

[Suecon in reply to 4144diane]

Thank youbso much for replying, Diane. Mine have never been infected but they're sore enough to bother me for days. It must he very uncomfortable for you. I'm glad they're getting better. I have no idea how to avoid it as I need to wash my hands at certain points. Even liberal applications of barrier cream doesn't help. Do you have potential in growing toenails too? The fleshy part of my toes grows over my toenails so that they dig in and I have to be very careful how they're kept short

[hildebeast]

Yes I get very sore skin all around my finger nails and on bad times it makes touching things very painful. Religiously apply coconut hand cream every day which helps a little. It comes and goes and I get very crusty looking cuticles, most of the time. If it gets very bad I apply a little bit of cortisone cream for a few days, which you can buy over the counter - but maybe you should check with your GP before using this. This was the first thing I really noticed when my Lupus symptoms were coming on. GP didn't know what it was but said to use cortisone cream. 2 years later I got a Lupus diagnosis from a different doctor. It is a common sign of some auto immune conditions. xx

[Suecon]

Thanx, Hildebeast. The skin doesn't break and I have cortisone and various eczema creams so I could try it. The slightest drop of water or damp towel brings it on

[Cann]

I have problems with my nails and fingers, too. I treat the soreness with tea tree oil in a base oil of varying amounts of drops. I was referred to a dermatologist, but she told me the only drug treatment available had nasty ingredients which she stated could be life-threatening for me whereas the nails are not. Mine are in water a lot, too, with cleaning and gardening, cooking, etc. Drying them sufficiently is important and keeping the towels clean, which isn't easy as it means more washing if your hands are in water a great deal. I find soothing them is the best with the oil.

[Suecon]

Thanx, Cann. Mine aren't in water lot as I wear rubber gives for anything other than washing my hands. Thanx for the tips. X