any Dr's out there? I CANT FIGURE OUT WHATS WRONG!

My boyfriend has extremely dry hands... not just dry but so dry that the skin on his fingers are cracking and peeling. just his fingers and his palms. ive tried everything. i thought it was the dish soap. so i changed it, 3 times, even to a hypoalergenic soap. that didnt work. then i changed all of the soaps in the bathroom. that didnt work either. i have bought a hypoalergenic fragrance free ultra healing lotion. he puts it on everyday multiple times a day. and it doesnt seem to work at all! ive been all over web md and i cant findanything that match his symtoms. i know, why dont we go see a doctor... he doesnt have insurance. i have asked some nurses that we know and have done everything they told me to do. no relief. and i feel bad because his fingers peel and crack to the point where it hurts him to touch things. if any one has any ideas please let me know.