#ASK THE DOCTOR: Liquid soap and this epidemic of sore skin

Published: 00:57 GMT, 4 February 2014 | Updated: 00:57 GMT, 4 February 2014

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For some months I have been developing tiny cuts or fissures about 1 cm long at the end of my thumbs and often on my fingers. They are extremely bothersome and sting all the time. The nurse prescribed mometasone furoate ointment that I have to apply twice daily, but this hasn't helped. The only thing that stops the pain is putting plasters on the ends of my fingers, but this makes small tasks difficult.

Mr W. McKenna,  Uckfield, East Sussex.

The preservative methylisothiazolinone used in liquid soap causes severe allergic reactions in some people

More and more patients are coming to see me with this. I feel for you, as I hear these cracks can be extremely bothersome and so painful they disturb sleep.

Until recently I, too, would have prescribed a steroid cream or ointment such as mometasone furoate, with a similar lack of success. I was giving it more in hope than anything, as I was not sure what was causing this problem.

However, a year or so ago I heard about a preservative, methylisothiazolinone, an ingredient routinely used in a variety of products from liquid soaps and shower gels to washing-up liquid, skin moisturisers, sun protection creams, even baby wipes.