I have the same exact problem! In fact, I've had it so long that I have forgotten how painful it really is. At first, when I was about 14, just one of my cuticles dried up. I assumed it was because I had slammed that nail in the door, but eventually it happened to more nails. In high school, within about a 3 month period, all the rest of my cuticles dried up except one. Now, just recently (age 22) the last cuticle is drying up and it is really freaking me out. I have never been to a dermatologist, but I am definitely going to one now. I have been to a family medicine doctor who prescribed me steroid cream, but this only seemed to make the problem worse. Also, I've noticed a get dry, flaky, skin on some of my fingers now. I wonder if it is an autoimmune thing. Like you mentioned, I have tried all sorts of lotions. Everything from Gold Bond to 24 Hour Moisturizers to Cocoa Butter Lotion to Olive Oil to Utter Cream to Avon to Mary Kay to special cuticle gels to freaking Dead Sea Salt Mineral stuff that's supposed to help and absolutely NOTHING helps. I have one question, though. Have you noticed that your fingernails get bumpy now that the cuticle is not there to guide the nail growth? I have searched the internet and asked tons of medical students, several doctors, and nobody seems to know what causes this. I wonder if it is bacterial, too. Another thing I noticed is that the tips of my fingers get swollen and tingle sometimes (I'm a healthy 22 year old). My hands, especially fingertips, are extremely sensitive to cold. Best of luck to you, even though this post is a few years old. If you happen to have figured out something that helps, please let me know. I'm going to the dermatologist soon, though. Thanks! One last thing, do you happen to live at high altitude? Maybe that has something to do with it??

Here's an update - from my sister, the aesthetician: "First of all, make sure she is not using soap on her skin. She needs a good moisturizing cleanser for the face.Scrubbing will also make it worse. If she is on meds, that can cause a change in the skin. Not enough "good" fats in the body. Hot water. Wrong type of moisturizer for her skin type. Change in diet meaning eating something that she might not have been eating before. And as always with us female folk, hormonal changes can play a big part in changes in the skin. It might not be Lubriderm, it might be her body that is changing. I would suggest having a facial treatment with a licensed aesthetician. Ask friends, family, who they have gone to and enjoyed, the same as you would about a doctor or dentist. If she is flaking, it may be the beginning signs of psoriasis or exzema. In that case, she needs to see a physician. I would say a holistic physician since I have been told by some of my clients that the drugs given out by the regular physicians don't do well. There are many more reasons but that is a start." Her answer is much as I suspected - she's been doing this for a VERY LONG time, so I'm used to her responses. If you don't understand something, or have more questions, let me know.

Natal - Oh, I know. IMO Photoshopping like that shouldn't even be allowed. I always say anyone can be beautiful with the help of a makeup artist, hair extensions, spray tan, fake eyelashes, airbrushing, etc. :) So far I haven't spent a bunch of money on any product in general. I know most have big price tags with empty promises. I am a sucker for infomercials though so I have to stay away. lol My last purchase years ago was the bun and thigh roller! Nuff said. The appealing thing to me was that brand isn't pricey and I've heard AHA is good for your skin and dermatolgists recommend it? Since I bought all that I'll finish using it but I guess I've always figured in my mind a little wrinkle cream or serum can't hurt. An example that comes to mind often..Poor DH doesn't have much hair left on top of his head. At one point, he was using Nioxin products. I found it interesting that they have different steps to their line. System 1 is for fine, natural, normal to thin looking hair. System 2 is for fine, natural, NOTICEABLY thinning hair. There's probably reasons but I can't wrap my head around why you wouldn't just jump to system 2 if you were having this issue. Same goes with face products. Olay has a bunch of different systems. When I considered trying some of theirs it recommended the total effects. My mind wondered why I couldn't just buy something for skin that was already wrinkled thinking it would help more. Again, that may not be the case and I haven't done any real digging around but that's how I look at it. Jen - My t zone gets pretty darn oily so I also couldn't figure out why I was always hearing moisturize. Even oil free doesn't make sense to me really. Cooper - I figured you'd get what I was saying since you're not far away. There's not that many in the state. Even the ones I was 1st hoping to get into were a good hour away. I'm honestly a little leary of putting chemicals on my face in general and I think part of me doesn't want to know what's in them. This includes sunblock even though I've been using that on my face. The food we eat, the air we breathe.. I know that was windy but I'm feeling blabbery tonight. I really should be wrapping presents!

This is a fun post. I will say that in my busy working military life, I could get up, shower, shave underarms (daily), legs (3x weekly)makeup (eye shadow, mascara, foundation, powder, lipstick), hair (washed and blow dried, very short), dressed and out the door in 25 minutes. Now, years later, I use far less products and it seems to take far longer. When I was stationed in Spain I could get waxed, from top to toes, for about $7 so I never had to shave of pluck or anything. That made getting ready for work a real breeze. Now, in a typical morning I use: face wash - I use an Oil of Olay-type face cloth. hand wash - Dial Complete on all the sinks, two baths, mudroom, and kitchen. bar soap - I use a liquid soap; DH still uses the bars. :( shampoo - Daily conditioner - Perhaps once a week. hair serum - Never heard of it. hair mouse - No, but I keep a can of hairspray for the 3-4 times I year I might use it. toothpaste - At least five times a day. floss - Yes, but should more often. mouthwash - Listerine; twice a day for gum protection. shaving gel - Ha! The few times I shave I use shampoo. deodorant - Kept in both bathrooms and the bedroom. Wherever I dress I'm ready! body lotion - Rarely, but more so in winter. foot powder/or lotion - Gold Bond all over. face cream - No; but Mom says I should. foundation - Very rarely; 2-3 times a year. blush - I'm taking treatments for Rosacea so I'm good on the natural blush! LOL powder - Very rarely; 2-3 times a year. eyeshadow - Very rarely; 2-3 times a year. eyeliner - No; never liked the look. mascara - Can no longer wear. lipstick - Every day. I love lipstick with colour, but not the pale, dead looking non-color most gals are wearing now. I wear earrings daily, too. I love lipstick and earrings. And that's the daily stuff, add to that the occasional: hair coloring - I stopped coloring three months ago. I'm liking the "salt and pepper," heavy on the salt look! tooth whitening strips - No. nail polish/ base coat/top coat - I cut my nails as short as possible and push the cuticles back once a week. When I worked I kept them short and polished with a pale pink color. I did it my self. I do get medium length dark red gel nails for the Christmas season. nail polish remover - No need cuticle cream - No, but about every four months I'll get a manicure that does not include polish or false nails. They just soak, trim, work off the cuticles and do a hot wax dip. hand lotion - I keep bottles on each sink