No-one can diagnose my problem. I'm desperate

Sunlight could give some relief for a various type of dermatological problems such as psoriasis,dermatitits and some type of eczema.For an accurate diagnosis a skin biopsy is indicated.

I am no doctor, so please understand that what follows is no attempt at giving you a potentially correct diagnosis. However, I have read a lot about what causes a damaged skin barrier, having suffered from eczema for a very long time and eventually curing it with St. John's Wort, a plant better known for its anti-depressor properties.

Most of the time, a damaged skin barrier is caused by improper Keratinocyte Differentiation. Think of this concept as the pieces of a puzzle (keratinocytes) that form an image (your skin barrier). When those cells are improperly differentiated, there are gaps between the pieces of the puzzle and the image becomes incomplete (cracked skin). When the skin is cracked, it causes moisture to get out and external pathogens like bacteria and allergens to get in, which will in turn contribute to the development of various skin diseases. Scientists are not sure yet as to what causes these gaps, but a few theories are emerging that possibly include the lack of certain protein along with possible genetic predispositions.

Regardless, if this indeed the problem in your case, St. John's Wort is known to help stimulate the differentiation of keratinocytes (fill the gaps in your skin), either by applying it in cream or oil form or by ingesting it in pill form. This process ususally takes time (several months). I can testify that it worked perfectly in my case, as I was cured from a 20-year case of eczema after taking 600mg/day of SJW extract for 6 months. 

There are however a few warnings if you are going to try SJW in oral form only, as it can interact with other medicine, especially the birth control pill, so please read about such potential interactions before considering the treatment. But I remain completely free of any flaky skin since I followed the treatment about 3 years ago.

So I suggest you read about those subjects by typing those keywords in your search engine before attempting the treatment for yourself. 

Good luck and enjoy reading!

My boy has been suffering from eczema. No doctor was willing to consider the possibility of allergy being a factor. I insisted on immunocap allergy blood test. It turned out he is severely allergic to dust mites and mold. We switched to Cotton clothing, beding, underwear, and all. 

Switch doctors until you find someone who will listen. If you show allergy to dogs, get it out of your life. Allergy shots are frequent and expensive. 

We switched to betametazone and his dermatitis has improved a lot. Sit in the sun a few minutes a day. Moisturize with eczema moisturizer twice a day. No long hot showers. Use ointments not creams. They seal and protect better. Keep reading online and learn what others in similar situation have tried. Good luck.

Hi Julie, I have been living with cracked hands for literally 25 years and have tried everything you can imagine to no avail.  About 6 weeks ago I read an article about apple cider vinegar for weight loss and knew a few people who did it so I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try.  Can't say I've lost any weight but unbelieveably my hands no longer crack!! I had never heard of it before but when i determined that it was most likely the apple cider vinegar (ACV) I did a little looking on line.  Your doctor is mostly likely right, its fungal and ACV is an anti fungal. I don't put it on my hands I drink it - yuck- but will continue to do so only because it is wonderful to have hands that are no longer covered in band aids.  I take 2 teaspoons a day with cranberry, orange or pineapple juice. A lot of people take it with warm water, honey and cinnamon.  All I can say is its worth a try. Good luck!

Two things,

1 get patch testing

2 have you heard of TSW (topical steroid withdrawal syndrome/red skin syndrome)

Just wanted to recommend Calmurid cream containing urea and lactic acid. I had very bad scaling of my hands due to contact with washing-up liquid. The cream softens cracked skin and promotes a faster healing. In my case, the skin would crack badly around the knuckles to the point where it was almost bleeding. It did sting a bit when first applied but I found it to be very effective. I guess it can be used on the feet too.