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Wrinkly fingertips - anyone else?

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Posted 5/23/2011 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
For the past several weeks I've been noticing that the skin on the tips of my fingers has been getting wrinkly, like I was just in the bath. It's worse on my right hand, and feels rather unpleasant as well as looking funny.

I don't have any (known) health issues other than the UC, so I'm wondering if anyone else here has experienced this as well?

No recent changes for me in diet or environment, except that I switched from regular Rowasa to sfRowasa and started taking vitamin C and iron supplements about a month ago. I haven't been massively overdoing the supplements or anything; I'm getting around 4x RDA on the iron and maybe 6x RDA on the vitamin C.

Anyone else...?
Posted 5/23/2011 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
Mine get wrinkly in the bath too. Are yours wrinkly without being submerged in water for a period of time?
Posted 5/23/2011 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
No, guess I wasn't clear on this -- they're wrinkly *all the time*. Not just after being submerged in water... though they are more wrinkly after that ;).
Posted 5/23/2011 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
If it continues, you should see your doc because it might be a sign of something going wrong with your peripheral nervous system. Do they hurt at all? Also, even though you are taking pretty benign things, it wouldn't hurt to have your blood tested to rule out any possible toxicity from these supplements.
Posted 5/23/2011 11:01 PM (GMT 0)
Mine were wrinkly and peeling before my dx. I was severely dehydrated though. It was severe dry skin for me.
Posted 5/23/2011 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hmm, I don't think it's just dry skin for me -- I drink a lot of water during the day. I'm stopping the supplements for now and hopefully my fingers will go back to being normal.

Anyone else...? I guess it probably isn't UC-related after all, no big surprise. Just kind of weird.
Posted 5/24/2011 6:28 AM (GMT 0)
Ah ha!! I thought I was the only one! Yes I have this and it's really weird. I assumed it was a side effect of a medication. They look wrinkly just like I'd gone swimming for hours. But all the time. I am always careful to stay hydrated. It's weird.

I've always had thick skin on my hands. But since the diagnosis, my skin on my hands have gotten thin and wrinkly like you've described. For a while it was even peeling off. Now it's so thin that any little cut will bleed.
Posted 5/24/2011 7:35 AM (GMT 0)
I get something like this as well, particularly when I'm going into or through a flare-up. Always starts with my right hand, the skin gets really dry, especially on the knuckles, and then can split and bleed. I'm on pred at the moment which has reduced this but each time I reduce my dose it kicks up a little. It seems to be worse in the evening, I look at the back of my hand and it looks like someone elses, someone about 20 years older. I just keep them moisturised as much as I can but it's weird, and I've never quite figured out what's kicking it off.
Posted 11/20/2012 9:34 AM (GMT 0)
I get the exact same thing. My fingertips wrinkle like I've been in the bath. I'm on pentasa suppositories, 1g at night. I thought it was dehydration but it's not. :(
Posted 11/20/2012 9:37 AM (GMT 0)
Novagirl, can I ask about your meds as I'm cinfused as to why some people use Rowasa, when Canasa didn't work. It's all mesalamine?? Same as Pentasa.. Can anyone clear this up for me?
Posted 11/20/2012 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, it's all mesalamine. NONE of it worked for me. I think the Dr. was hoping that a different delivery method would help, but ultimately, it didn't.

Thankfully I'm in remission now (have been for around 2 months), but I'm not entirely sure why -- I did a few things all at the same time and immediately stopped all bleeding. I'll post about that in a separate thread later today.
Posted 11/20/2012 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
I have this problem and I always attributed it to being dehydrated.
Posted 11/21/2012 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
Pretty sure it's not dehydration. I get it when I'm completely hydrated. It's weird. Only started months ago.
Posted 11/21/2012 3:19 AM (GMT 0)
FWIW, mine aren't as bad any more. But, I've also moved from the high dry desert to Los Angeles. So, not sure whether that has something to do with it, in addition to having gone into remission. Too many variables.
Posted 11/21/2012 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Mine feel better if I use cream but it only lasts till I wash it off.. I will tell the Dr, for all the good it will do. Thanks for your reply
Posted 11/21/2012 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
Mine have been getting really wrinkly after being submerged for only a minute. I remember the good ol' days when it took nearly an hour to prune up.
Posted 11/21/2012 7:40 AM (GMT 0)
I got this for a while, the sore wrinkly finger tips, and started wearing gloves to wash dishes. I had never had an issue with it before, but wearing the gloves solved the problem.

I can actually still see a couple of the lines, but they haven't hurt for a long time.
Posted 9/30/2016 10:41 AM (GMT 0)
Hi NovaGal: this is an old post but I'm hoping for some answers. I have been experiencing "wrinkled fingertips" not being in water, it's uncomfortable and looks funny and is driving me crazy! There is not much on this issue on the Internet, so I'm hoping you're still on this forum and can let me know if you ever figured out was was causing yours and what you did? Thank you!
Posted 9/30/2016 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Workingmom1, still here just not posting much these days. My fingers aren't so bad as they were, but I never figured out what caused the issue. All I know is that it started around the same time as the UC and got better with (1) a move to a less dry climate and (2) better health. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Posted 9/30/2016 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
Not sure about the weird feeling as in how? If they feel cold and or numb look up raynauds
Posted 9/30/2016 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you!!! I've read it could be vitamin deficiencies, or other things related to the thyroid. I'll go to the dr if it still persists.

It's not a weird feeling like hot/cold, just like a dry and tight feeling
Posted 6/24/2017 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Nova Gal! I know this post is 6 years old but I started taking Iron and vitamin C the past three days and my fingertips are VERY shriveled! I remember when I took iron half a year ago the same thing happened. This time I was taking vitamin C with it, those emergenc-c packets, but last time I did not take vitamin C am 100% sure because I get issues from vitamin C and citric acid (histamine/itching/big itchy bumps under skin).

Seems to me the iron is what's doing it to you since it does it to me. Is it dehydration? I looked up iron and it can cause dehydration so maybe it's like taking an antihistamine, you have to drink excess water to make up for it? I really hope you get to read this.
Posted 7/22/2017 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting, SallySally. I'm taking a daily multi and I still often have issues with shriveled fingertips. I generally stay pretty hydrated (always have a water bottle on hand). At this point I'm chalking it up to age and other general health issues, but I'm not sure exactly which ones ... my colitis is now Crohn's, and I'm taking mercaptopurine and Humira to keep it in check. I was also diagnosed recently with rosacea, so I'm on some topical products for that (can't do the standard maintenance antibiotic due to the GI issues).

Good luck with yours. I know it can be uncomfortable and unsightly. But ultimately, it's just a little thing, and it's best to focus on the positive and take care of the big things!
Posted 7/22/2017 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
Novagal,

I have also developed rosacea. This study reports that people with UC are 65% more likely to develop rosacea and with crohn's it goes down to 49%.

The article mentioned that for UC patients using steroids actually triples the chance, too, so I believe that's what precipitated my case.

https://www.rosacea.org/weblog/further-studies-link-ibd-and-rosacea

Interesting article.

I have had great luck using a tea tree oil mixed with EVOO topically a few times a day. My bouts of rosacea are almost cleared up even, where a few weeks ago they were almost constant.
Posted 7/22/2017 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
**** My theory is that the immune system is acting against the commensal bacteria and/or demoted mites. And this is why the tea tree oil worked so well for me (anti- bacterial).

I didn't want to use steroid creams either !
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