Weird Skin Eruptions

[trents]

Someone else posted a topic about warts which prompted me to throw this out to the community for input.

Sometimes I get these dry, rough patches on the underside my fingers. Usually they are most noticeable on the index and and middle finger but sometimes the thumb is involved. They typically appear between the second and third joints, that is if I'm counting going away from the base of the finger. They first signal is usually a reddened area that is sometimes itchy and tender. Then they get scaly and can even crack open. They eventually heal but it seems I've always got one or more of them going at any given time. I used to have a worse time with this but switching from soap and water hand cleaning at work to an alcohol based sanitizing gel has made quite an improvement. I should mention that I work in a healthcare setting and must cleanse my hands many times a day.

While on vacation, one of these red, tender areas appeared on my right index finger at the second joint and persisted for about a week. A white pustual finally appeared and erupted. I squeezed it to get as much of the puss out and it seems to be healing fine. I had thought I might have had a foreign body in it but there was no sliver or anything visible after the pustual broke open. This was the first time I've had a pustual in connection with this phenomenon.

I've always wondered if this was related to my Celiac disease or just environmental. I know that dermatitis herpiformis is one of the classic symptoms of Celiac disase but I don't think what I experience is DH. Anybody else experience this with their hands?

Steve