What does it mean if your knuckles are red?

Do you often catch yourself staring at your red knuckles, wondering what could be the cause? Or do people constantly ask if you’ve just finished a heavy round of fist bumping with someone? Fear no more because today we’ll dive into the possible causes of red knuckles.

Introduction

Redness in your hands is not uncommon but can sometimes be alarming. Although it can look like an injury or allergic reaction, it may also be a sign of something that’s been going on for some time.

The Skin and Its Layers

To better understand why our knuckles might turn red, let us first discuss the layers of our skin briefly.

The human skin has three layers: epidermis (the outermost layer), dermis (middle layer) and subcutaneous tissue (bottom layer). The epidermis is responsible for protecting us from environmental hazards while the dermis plays an essential role in regulating temperature and providing firmness to our skin. On the other hand, subcutaneous tissue secures everything together and provides insulation to our body.

So now that we know this information let’s start exploring why your knuckles are turning red!

Possible Causes Of Red Knuckles

  • Windburn
  • Eczema
  • Contact Dermatitis
  • Hypersensitivity Reactions
  • Changing weather conditions

Wind burn

Are there days when you feel like a winter warrior? Do you face mighty gusts as though they were nothing more than light breezes? Well, these winds may come with their downside after all! They can lead to windburn – which irritates exposed skin by stripping away its natural oils resulting in extreme dryness and inflammation.

Signs And Symptoms Of Wind Burn:

  • Dry And Tight Skin
  • Painful Or Tender To Touch
  • Swelling

If left unaided or exposed to further harsher conditions, windburn can escalate easily into more damaging signs.

How To Avoid Wind Burn

Investing in a good moisturizer is your first safeguard against the treacherous winds. Apply generously over exposed skin throughout winter.

Eczema

Eczema targets people of all ages with its uncomfortable and persistent itching. Also known as Atopic Dermatitis or AD it’s estimated that this condition affects about 10-20% of children worldwide while the figure drops by half for adults (Dienstag et al., 2020).

It’s not limited to any particular body region and may occur on hands too where one typically observes thickened scaly plaques and cracks (Thomsen SF, 2015)

Signs And Symptoms Of Eczema

  • Red Rashes
  • Dryness
  • Bumps
  • Scaling

In addition to hands, eczema tends to affect patches around elbows, knees or face. However, early detection helps manage symptoms effectively.

How To Naturally Treat Eczema

Some treatment options you could try include:

  1. Cold compresses: soak a washcloth in cold water wrung out excess water leaving[no/any] moisture behind.
  2. Handle stress efficiently as triggers affecting emotions could aggravate symptoms.
  3. Pat dry after bathing :Rubbing hard dries up skin even more suggesting thorough PAT DRYING instead MAYER,M(2008).

Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis occurs when our skin reacts negatively upon direct contact with irritants or allergens like soaps, detergents or fragrances used regularly hand whose proneness causes red swollen cracked painful thumbs unlike eczemas which are scaled (Irvine,A.D et Al.,2020).

Signs And Symptoms Of Contact Dermatitis

  • Burning
  • Itching
  • Skin Rashes

How To Avoid Contact Dermatitis

To avoid it, make sure to consider the following tips:

  1. Wear nonallergenic gloves during house chores
  2. Soaps and fragrances used should be less concentrated(Nickel et Al,1995).
    3.Wash hands frequently but use moisturizer there after.

Hypersensitivity Reactions

Excellent immunity is sound health insurance against foreign bodies or viruses within the body system whose sensitization leads to an overreaction thereby causing skin redness around knuckles futher these causes cahnging weather conditions lead to them.

Signs And Symptoms of Hypersensitivity Reaction

  • Sneezing
  • Skin Rash/Redness
  • Swelling

Our immune systems are unique however once they react negatively to a strain like dust pollen among others by sneezing then we preconceive some of vulnerabilities extending even further damaging skin at knuckle region.

How To Treat Hypersensitivity Reactions

Treatment methods for this condition include:

  1. Over-the-counter antihistamines
  2. Consultation with professional healthcare providers

Furthermore taking progressive steps early in tackling symptoms significantly reduce discomfort

## Factors Contributing To Knuckle Redness

### Changing Weather Conditions

Seasonal changes could affect your skin in unimaginable ways such that when seasons change hot summers or cold winters you may notice your hands itching .

This reaction might occur because our blood vessels expand their reach close intrdermal surface making us scratch more than usual.

Solutions Or Preventions Against Changing Temperatures

Start shopping ahead and purchasing heavier pairs of gloves ideally insulated gloves can protect hands again altering environments.

Another nice way to maintain hydration levels permanently applying lotions with cocoa butter E Vitamin against dry flaky surfaces also drinking liquids predominantly water GEGGEL,K.(2017).

Conclusion

In conclusion, having reddened knuckles isn’t always a cause for alarm. However if symptoms extend further, consider consulting doctors or medical experts around have been treating patients with these same conditions over the years bringing to bear their experience in handling more complex cases. Be sure to take care of your hands by regularly checking them and practicing skin safety instructions laid out here.

References

Dienstag JL et al., (2020). Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, .[online] 20th Edition.
Thomsen SF, (2015). “Atopic dermatitis: natural history ,diagnosis,and treatment.”ISRN Allergy [online], article ID 691436
Irvine,A.D.et Al.(2020),”Contact Dermatitis”, Lancet Vol 395 Number:10228 Pages2347-2358
Nickel JC1, Eidelman S(CA)(1995).”Preventionof nickel allergy; a decade later”J Am Acad Dermatol.[Online]32(6):1069-71.Mayer,M(2008) “Bathing babies and children separately from adults reduce contact Urushiol oil exposure”.[JAMA Dermatology online],144():799-803.
Geoggel K,Wells BT,Kwangsukstith C,Piegorsch WW,Yu Q,Liu M,(2017)”Risk Factors associated with dry skin problem among middle aged and senior community residents” [Downloaded Online],https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone/.0183722

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