Peeling skin on hands: What causes it?

I have a problem. For the past few days, the skin on my hands and fingers has been peeling quite badly. What causes peeling skin on hands?

- Tom / Indiana

Mayo Clinic dermatologist Lawrence Gibson, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

Peeling skin on hands typically is a temporary, harmless problem. It can have many causes, including:

Excessive perspiration and inadequate evaporation, most often when wearing gloves
Skin infections, such as fungal infections
Extremely dry skin — which can usually be remedied by using moisturizers, avoiding harsh soaps and using warm, rather than hot, water when washing your hands
Side effect of certain medications that cause skin drying, such as acne medications
Reaction to a medication, such as chemotherapy drugs or oral retinoids
Sunburn

Consult your doctor if you have extensive or unexplained skin peeling or if peeling continues for more than a couple of weeks. Rarely, peeling skin can be a sign of a serious underlying disorder, such as Kawasaki disease.