7-Yr-old Son Skin Peeling off All Fingers?

Updated on March 02, 2013
C.D. asks from Honolulu, HI
18 answers

All the skin on my 7-yr-old son's fingers is peeling off. It starts as a spot and then slowly these huge pieces of skin start to come off. Underneath is new, pink skin. He says it doesn't hurt at all. His skin has peeled off all ten fingers/thumbs up to his knuckles and now there is a spot on his palm and one of his pinky toes is losing its skin. Has anyone ever heard of this or know what this is?

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So What Happened?

Thanks, everyone, for the great responses. I was wondering if it could be a fungus from the shower, because he likes to fill up all these containers and then play with them. He also likes to "clean" the shower walls. Time to clean these old containers out, I am thinking. I have him on probiotics, too, in case it is a yeast overgrowth, because a few people have mentioned that to me. I am going to take him to the doctor this week and see what she says. Let you know.
Thanks again! C

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M.S.

answers from San Diego on

Always good to consult a physician when it comes to medical issues. I hope it is nothing, but I would have him see his doctor just so you don't let something potentially serious go untreated.

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K.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

My uncle had something similar happen to him and it turned out that he became allergic to oranges. Take him to the doctor and ask for a full allergy test. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.C.

answers from Las Vegas on

I agree with S.H. take him to the doctor A.S.A.P. My girlfriends great-nephew just went through something like this. At first they thought it was excema, but there is a disease which was discovered in China or Japan. It's called Kawoski Disease and you can look it up. But if a doctor hasn't run acrossed it, they won't look for it. It causes peeling, plus a few other things. He did turn out to be an allergy, but it was pretty scary and it's starting to be found here. Please have this checked and please mention it to your doctor. It probably is an allergy, but everything should be checked.

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S.B.

answers from San Diego on

That sounds like dermatitis sicca. I have the same problem on two of my fingers. When it comes on, I get a special ointment (called Ecural in German, don't know the US name) that I put on my fingers at night. Then I have to wrap up the fingers in gauze overnight. It takes quite a long time for it to go away. See your doctor about getting Ecural or something similar. Dermatitis sicca generally doesn't hurt unless the skin starts cracking, which mine will do when it's coming on.

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N.A.

answers from Washington DC on

my 4 and half yr old kid is having same problem can u tell me what u did ?

Updated

my 4 and half yr old kid is having same problem can u tell me what u did ?

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K.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

my hands do it too, and my 7 year old has it on his feet. It is excema. I think they use excema as a sweeping term, and the derma doesn't elaborate at all. You can use cortisone topically and put gloves on at night. That should work in a couple of days. I only had to do my son for 3 days. The dermatologist can prescribe something stronger, yet you want to use these creams as little as possible.
My hands do crack if I don't manage it, and then it does hurt.

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S.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

It's possible your son has Kawasaki's Disease. It's treatable but he should be taken to an infectious disease doctor ASAP.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Take him to the Doctor ASAP.

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K.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Its called eczema, I believe that's how you spell it!....My son has the same thing, except it is also eating up his nails. Doctors say that there is no explanation on the reason why the pealing happens but, it has to do with a fungus in the shower. The doctors say to stay away from Dial, Irish Spring, and any bar soaps that get left in the shower. We were perscribed an ointment that we put on him when he goes to bed the put a sock on his hands so that the ointment could get in the skin quicker. We were also prescribed a nail polish looking vile with a brush, we brush his fingers so that it kills the fungus.

Hope this helps!!!!!

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J.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

So it seems like you have seven different responses and seven different reasons so I am going to throw in another one. Have you checked for an overgrowth of yeast?

Steroids ususally are not going to fix the problem and could make it worse over the long run so try figuring out what is causing this. As I recommend to so many people, do you know if there are any food allergies. Culprits for many people would be dairy, wheat, eggs, yeast.

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R.F.

answers from San Diego on

My kids have never experienced this but I did once a couple of years ago. It occured after being sick for a few days and enduring a very high fever. A couple of days after I started feeling beter the skin on both hands shed completely. It was very weird to say the least, but it didn't itch or hurt in any way. I never sought any medical advice on it since I attributed it to the high fever.

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D.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

my son is 8 yrs old, and i noticed severe peeling of his hands, concentrated on his fingers. It looked like is should be very painful, but he swears it doesn't hurt at all. We figured out the culprit- the swing!! He loves to go on the swing- and the rope was causing his fingers to peel. We now just make sure he has lots of lotion on, or we put gloves on him when he is on the swing for long periods of time. Sometimes, it is the simpliest of things!! :)

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H.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

My brother had that happen to him when he was young too. We can't seem to remember why, but I remember he had to soak his hands and feet in iodine treatments all the time. After many months of these treatments it never came back again. But definitely see your doctor!

wishing your son the best,
H.

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C.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I am 50 years old and have the same problem.
My Doc says it is exemma and has given me steriod cream for daily use. Other reason could simply be and allergy response.

C.

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M.F.

answers from New York on

It's definitely an allergy to oranges ... i have the same allergy... it's happened since i was a kid... it took me over 20 years to figure out what it was... now that i know... i don't exclude oranges completely but i do have orange juice maybe once every six months but i am mentally prepared for the outcome... after consumption your body takes about a week to react to it... first tiny blisters will appear on the tips of the fingers under the skin... then a couple of days later the skin begins to peel off... thankfully that is the last phase of the reaction but you have to be careful... because at this point any acidic food can prolong the reaction ie. lemon, tomato sauce... so try to steer him clear of those foods until the peeling has ceased... do not even let him touch acidic foods at this point... otherwise it could stay for months... it doesn't hurt but it is uncomfortable and slightly annoying... also bring him to the doctor and have them check for other fruit and vegetable allergies... chances are they will find quite a few... btw... my daughter also has this allergy so it's definitely hereditary... if you have other children best guess would be to have them checked out as well... hope this was helpful

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C.C.

answers from San Diego on

My three daughters just had a problem like this. I took them to the doctor and it was Scarlet Fever (strep throat). The Doc said it was what happens at the very end stages of Scarlet Fever. It was treated with an antibiotic. Good Luck.

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M.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

This happened to me. My hands did the same thing it lasted for about 8 weeks. It is a virus. It started with a bubble then the bubble gets bigger and then the peeling. Every time I peeled it started with a bubble. This same thing happened on my toes and feet. I think it's called the hand and foot virus. It makes you feel a little tiered but for the most part pretty normal except for the peeling. Nothing helped not even lotion. It affects the hands and fingers, toes and feet. I took vitamins and extra vitamin C and built my immune system up. Do worry to much it does go away. It's lasts so long you think your going to have it forever. I didn't think it would ever go away but it did. Good luck.
M. R

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M.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

Amazing! Kristie responded that she'd known this to be an allergy to oranges...that's what happened to me for several years and, last year, to my nephew! The good thing is, it was something we both outgrew. (And it always happened in the winter time...orange season!)

Obviously, it may be a totally different food causing the allergy but it's likely dietary if he says it doesn't hurt or sting. (If it were a fungus, it wouldn't be on his hands and then his toes. Fungus festers where it's introduced. The fact that it's manifesting in two such different places tells you its an internal problem...diet.)

Best wishes,

M.

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