Cracked Finger Tips

Ouch, that sounds painful...I have excema and the eucerin works for me but I have also used the Lanolin nipple cream. It is so thick it worked great for my hands! Good luck!

I have had the same problem due to ezcema...It is so painful! Nexcare makes a "skin glue" it comes in a small little bottle that looks like nail polish. It helps keep the skin togehter as it heals and keeps water out. Let me know if you have trouble finding it.

Good luck!

This sounds really crazy, but the same thing used to happen to me. I used Desitin on my cuticles and finger tips at night and they were great by the morning. The desitin creamy seemed to work well. Also the Gold Bond Ultimate (it has blue on the label) or the one with shea butter works wonderful too. It doesn't leave that sticky, slimy feeling you can sometimes get with lotions. Bath and Body works has another great product I just discovered called Mega Butter. Its in a blue and white plastic jar. Its shea, aloe, mango and avocado butters all in one. I used it on my hands and feet with gloves at night, helps a lot. I saw bag balm posted a lot too. It does help if you can get past the sticky feel. I sensitive and very dry skin and these 3 have been my favorite remedies. Hope that helps!

I use real butter with my meals almost daily. Whenever I get some on my hands I rub it in. Same thing with bacon grease or any animal fat. Rub it in. This and letting my dog lick my hands are the only things I've done different, and my fingertips haven't cracked for two seasons. I used to take Omega oil supplements. That did not prevent the occurence for me. Made me wonder why in the world plant oils would be a replacement for the animal (skin) oil we lose that results in dry skin. Too bad they don't have lotion made from human skin oil!
Prior to discovering this I tried all kinds of lotions, super glue, bandaids, and had pretty good luck getting them to heal and nipping them in the bud by cutting away the dried/dead edges with a nail clipper. Do this when the first sign of cracking appears, but careful, not too deep! Applying enough bandaid sheer strips with the gauze removed kept the area moist, so they wouldn't crack further, and helps hold the crack shut. Also make sure your fingernails have nice rounded corners.
I am so thankful to be rid of this suffering! Hope this helps someone else!

my fingers always cracked when i was nursing. i used something from the body shop, it had a silly name like "look ma new hands" or something like that. it was in a light blue tube and pretty expensive, but it worked and you only need to use a little bit.
good luck.

Hi M.,

I feel your pain. I have a tendency to over wash my hands throughout the day too. My knuckles get really dry and cracked, as well as the skin all around my finger tips. The top of my hands get so dry, that they get really itchy, and red. I finally consulted with a doc. First, don't use any liquid hand wash that is antibacterial, it dries already sensitive hands even more. Second, use either Dove liquid hand soap, or bar soap, without any added aloe or anything like that, the original stuff. As long as you wash long enough, and dry appropriately, you remove just as much bateria from your hands and any antibaterial soap (doc said). If possible, apply Cetaphil lotion emmediately after washing hands, or at least 3 times a day. At night, lotionize hands, and if you think you can stand it, wear a pair of booty socks on your hands to bed. The heat will help seal in the moisture, and keep your hands from drying much while you sleep. Cetaphil lotion is very light, not at all greasy, and really feels good on the hands. Dove soap is made mostly with oils, so it's very good on skin all over, and I now keep a bar next to my bathroom sink,instead of liquid soap. It lasts a whole lot longer than liquid soap, and my hands haven't been better.

Good Luck!

Mari

P.S. I had mentioned to doc that I also tried Aquaphor and Eucerin, and he still suggested Dove and Cetaphil above those.

I use aquafor or a store brand just like as well as bag balm (green square tin - for cow's utters) at night. It helps so much!

Have you tried bag balm? It's sold in a green tin (it's also called udder cream, b/c it was originally used on cows for cracked udders). I know lots of people who use it; I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a scent, and I know it works wonders. Good luck!

arbonne has a new intensive hand therapy product out for the holiday it is wonderful it is botanically based and has shea butter. if you are interested in it arbonne has a 45 day money back garrentee. my business is listed on mamasource. K. d mother of 4 with a arbonne home based business

Hi M.,

You may want to try A&D ointment or Aquafor.

-R.

You could try using Lansinoh, the lanolin product used on nursing mothers with cracked, sore, bleeding nipples. I use it on my lips in the winter instead of chapstick. Works great and it's ok if injested.

It might be time to visit a dermatologist. They can give you some stranger hand lotions that will be able to both heal and prevent the cracking. You also might want to cut down on how many times you wash your hands with soap and water every day.

I know from working day care what a pain it can be, but try using the lotion after each time you wash your hands. I used to have to do the same or my hands would be raw in 2 days. As for the Eucerine lotion, did you try the tub or the tube? I only ask because I have both and have noticed a different feel between the two. The tube has a greasy feel to it (almost like you're using petrolium jelly on your hands) where the tub doesn't feel as greasy. Despite this, it's the only thing that helped my hands aside from baby lotion. Hope this helps.

you have gotten tons of good tips, and tons of creams/salves to try, might i offer one more?
when i worked in a NICU, i had to wash my hands literally 60 times a day, and with having excema, my hands started to look like raw meat. the cream i swore by was gold bond intensive care (or something like that) it has a white tube with a gold cap, and smells like vanilla. it's not the old medicated kind we're used to. and definately use cotton gloves at night, with whatever cream you decide to go with, it will make a world of difference. good luck girl!

It's that time of year again isn't it! It's a combination of the colder weather and washing the hands. Are you drinking enough water as well to keep the skin hydrated?

I make my own medicinal salves, which tend to heal the cracks within about 3 days (at least to the point where there is no longer any pain). Salves are basically oil and beeswax. Medicinal oils are usually extracted in olive oil, which has its own antibacterial properties. For this purpose, I would recommend a salve with comfrey and plantain, or calendula.

Here's a link to the herbal master I studied under who sells something similar to what I described: http://www.greenwoodherbals.com/creams/index.html

I react to most commercial products as well - especially those with fragrance and color, so I totally understand!

They sell those gloves to sleep with lotion.It's not the most comfortable but it worked for me.I used eucerin but I'm sure you can find a lotion you like to use with them.Bath and Body works have them. T.

Im a manicurist and see this all the time, go to a local salon and see if they sell solar oil, buy a large and small bottle. keep one in your purse and the other next to your bed apply at bedtime and throughout the day and you should see results within a few days. Its great for cuts and scrapes, chapped lips, red noses from colds, on kids too, as long as they dont have nut allergies, it contains almond oil, good luck!

I get that too, and boy! it hurts. This is what works for me- I use rubber gloves whenever washing dishes. Each night I put on either Aquaphor or Eucerin cream at bedtime. Yes, it's very thick and yucky, but they are two of the very few things that will actually heal your skin, not just make it feel better. If it's on overnight, it can do a lot of good. During the day, I sometimes put on Burt's Bees Hand Salve or cuticle cream. they smell nice and are very thick, but I often find that I just end up washing them off just doing regular routine things. When my fingers get cracked, I seal the crack with super glue. It works! I guess it's not recommended because it may seal in bacteria, but I haven't had any problems. Also, there are at least two finger crack sealants you can find in the band aid section of drug stores or grocery stores. They work like super glue. I find they are often sold out, so check several places and stock up! I hope you find some relief.

Cracked and bleeding skin, particularly on the hands, can be caused by eczema. A couple of friends of mine had this very badly although it was elsewhere on their bodies. However, my husband had a lot of cracking around the cuticles but did not have eczema. He also has a lot of itchy and dry skin on his back but no redness, and the dermatologist says it's not eczema but just something common in very thin people with very little body fat. Needless to say, I do not have this problem LOL.

If it's eczema or some other allergy, the problem is coming from within you, and no amount of lotions or soap changes on the outside will make any difference. This may be why you have not had results no matter what products you try.

All of my friends and my husband have had great results with Reliv - if you haven't heard of this fabulous company, you will after Saturday when a major announcement is coming out, making medical history. You can go to their website at reliv.com.

They've been around 20 years and have a variety of products. The basic nutrition plus the fiber product really takes care of a variety of allergies, from asthma and seasonal nasal things to skin allergies like what you may be experiencing. The company is very highly rated by all the big business magazines and consultants (Forbes, Fortune, DeMarche, Business Week as well as the Direct Selling Association), and they are on the cutting edge of food science. They make special formulas for kids, women, heart issues (like cholesterol and blood pressure), athletes (muscle formula & sports drink), people with joint problems like arthritis, and so on. In many cases, people can get rid of their prescriptions, over the counter items like pain relievers and allergy meds, co-payments (if they're rarely or never sick, they stop going to doctors for sick visits!) and have life-changing results in a variety of areas. If you'd like more info, I'd be happy to share more of our experiences. I can take you thru the website (which is very extensive and covers a range of things, many of which might not apply to you) in about 15 minutes. Feel free to email me or to call me at ###-###-####. I'd love to see you get relief!

Hello, M..

Get a diagnosis immediately. Don't wait another minute! I suspect psoriasis. You may be in a full blown flare up. I have exactally what you described. However your problem may be fungal. PLEASE STOP washing! Those detergent soaps are making the problem far worse. (My family and I no longer use any type of detergent soap) Moisture is no friend of either condition. And, the detergents actually further damage/remove the healthy protective layer of your skin. Had I known then what I know now. Get some cotton gloves (found at most pharmacies) and wear them underneath rubber (latex or non) gloves whenever you have to use detergent or other chemicals. Use ONLY mild cleansers to wash your hands, face, hair & body. Wash only when necessary. Stay as dry as possible. But retain a moisture barrier via moisturizers (I used CeraVe in the begining during a flare then Thermaseal when clear)Psoriasis is serious (Very different than eczema) and now being looked at as an Auto Immune Disease. Many types of treatment, but no cure. It can be kept at bay, however it is progressive and the risk of an improper or undiagnosed case (thinking it is seasonal or just dry skin) is if the psoriasis is in fact Psoriatic (which usually always shows up on the finger tips, nails (will appear pitted), and the palm) than you run the risk of permanant joint damage. Please seek the advice of a professional. And, please keep me updated as I will be thinking of you.

This website is helpful for anyone thinking they may have, recently been diagnosed, or just trying to sort through treatmeant. http://www.psoriasis.org

Hi M., Cracked finger tips are the worst! My fingers get like that too, but when I see it starting I use this treatment butter my mother gave us. She purchased it on the home shopping channels... not sure which one, but i would do a search on their website to find out how you can get it. It's called Olivarium Perlier Treatment Butter.. it can't be the cream, only the butter. You work this butter into your cracked finger tips in within days you'll see improvement. My husband works for FedEx and his hands were in terrible shape, cracked, bleeding really painful. He laughed at me, but tried it anyway. Within a few days his hands were healed. If you can't find it online, email me and i'll get you the information, because my mother orders this for me every year for Christmas :) Just so you know, it's made with Olive Oil and lavendar... made in Italy... truly awesome stuff! The best of luck to you. Remember to email me at ____@____.com for help if you need it.

My kids have extreme dry skin, where it cracks and bleeds. I have tried every prescription out there. The only thing that has work is Bag Balm. It is used for cows utters, and doesn't really smell great, but I noticed a change after the first application. It is natural and works wonders. I get it at the local drug store. I haven't been able to find it at the grocery store.

I use lanolin on my fingertips when they start to crack. It really helps. It is the thick goo that is recommended for new nursing moms to put on their nipples. I usually put it on at night just before I go to bed. When I wake up, the stuff is absorbed and my fingers feel better.

good luck.

Hi M.,
I experience the same problems, I have to share a product with you that has helped me greatly, its called clearshield -- its a mousse that you rub on your skin and the benefits are that it moisturizes your skin, and enhances the natural healing of dry cracked skin, the best part of all is that its a skin protectant too, once you put it on, even if you put your hands in water, the clearshield does not wash off for 4 hours, alot of people will use it if they work with chemicals and if they have any allergies, its works as a shield. hope this helps, you can look at the website below and in the search bar just type in clearshield for more information. www.marketamerica.com/taje let me know if you have any questions, and good luck !! C. e-mail ____@____.com

I know you have already received a lot of good advise and I have not read them all but just in case...make sure you have oils in your diet. I noticed when i started to diet after having my son my nails started to crack and peel and became very fragile. adding oils back in helped a lot.
Now my nails actually look better then they ever have.

M.... I started having that happen after I had my son, and the only thing that I found is to use hydrocortizone cream 1%-3%. Put it on a couple of times through out the day and within a day or two you will notice a HUGE differnce.

I hope this helps.

G.

Sounds like me! After every hand washing use lotion but especially at night before you go to bed, if regular lotions aren't working use good ol' vasaline. My doc told me to use it after I got exema all over my face caused by dry skin. I use just a tiny bit after cleansing my face before I go to bed & my skin has cleared up & stays hydrated. Good luck!

M.,

Have you tried sleep gloves? I found a pair in bed, bath and beyond or one of those stores. You put hand cream on - any that you like but a lot of it - then put these cotton gloves on and sleep with them on. I have found it really puts moisture back into the skin. I would also suggest having lotion at every sink so as soon as you wash your hands you put lotion on. And of course after you shower is the best time to put lotion on since your pours are open.

Good luck,
L. M

Hi M.!

I used to have this issue year round with my heels. Like you, nothing worked -- Eucerin, Aquaphor, Aveeno, etc. My podiatrist recommended Amlactin cream 2x per day (but obviously, I didn't wash my feet many times per day). This used to be perscription only, but is now sold over the counter. Has done really well with my feet. Perhaps it can help with your hands.

Good luck.

Hi M., I'd try vaseline on your fingertips at night and wrap them in Press N Seal. That stuff won't fall off. Wrap your whole hand. Maybe after a few nights, they'll be better. Good luck.
B.

M.,
I get very dry hand and fingertips. In fact, my thumb has a small slit in it near my fingernail right now and it's early in the cold weather season. I am a nurse and when I was pregnant with my son, I had the WORST dry hands and my skin was open and bleeding all the time. It was so painful and I did all the lotions in the world until my husband to me to load up my hand and fingers with Vaseline and he put socks on my hands and I went to bed. I mean, LOAD it on. It's weird and uncomfortable but works and your hands will be nice and soft. He uses Crisco or Olive Oil in the kitchen for his hands. Hope this works. I also like Eucerin creamy hand cream for PREVENTION. On the fingers put some bacitracin and a bandaid to help with healing too. Good Luck.

All of the tips you received are great, one other product to try is Kerodex 71 (not 51). The pharmacy would have to special order it. It creates a water-proof layer on your hands to prevent any further damage. Hope it helps!!

Hi M.,
in case you have not found anything to heal your cracked fingertips already i would love to share some products with you that i think could really help you. If you would like more info you can go to my website www.themoneymakingmom.com or email me @ ____@____.com luck.
E.

my husband has the same problem this time of year your skin dries out very fast. What we do is apply a little super glue or clear nail polish to the to the crack this protects it from further irratation and seal it to help it heal and the crack wont keep opening up whenever you wash your hands or put lotion on them. good luck!

J.

I saw Chuck Woolery on QVC (he was a game show host, remember him?) and he was selling "Zim's Crack Creme" -- He said he swears by it, that's why he decided to sell it on QVC. It is item number: F0658, Chuck Woolery Extreme Weather 4-piece Skin CareSystem - Introductory Price: $19.17 -- Here's the webpage - you can take a look at it. http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/para... -- Good luck if you decide to get it!

You can try using Aquaphor ointment-it works really well!! Best to use at night when you go to bed because it is kind of greasy-I use it all the time- you will be amazed at how much better your hands look and feel in the morning!!

You have received many helpful hints. We have used bag balm, vaseline, and more recently have bought Surgeon's skin from QVC.com. They have a variety of products from surgeon's skin. You can read reviews from viewers. We like the one with bees wax in the stick. It has helped my husband's very dry feet, and heels.
Good luck.

Hi,

I have the same problem. Some years ago I went to several dermatologts to help me with my extremely dry skin on my hands only. The diagnosis was basically eczema - or simply a water allergy. Using water, especially cold water now in these colder month aggrevates it a lot.

Anyways the doctors, suggested a cotizone treatment first and then something like Eucerin. I also found this didn't help. The trouble with Eucerin and other lotions is that they all contain water which washes away and doesn't fully re-mosturize the skin. Finally one doctor suggets Nivia creme and that's really the best thing I can find yet. I occasionally use a bethemetazone creme if the cracks are bad, but this is not by the advice of a doctor so you might want to visit a dermatologst and ask about this if it gets worse.

Good luck. I know how painful and frustrating this is.

I use Aquaphor, heavy coat at night with cotton gloves over it. Helps immensely. Good luck.

I have the same problem. I use vaselin at night and try to just leave it caked onto my skin(almost like a dollop of whipped cream) on the cracks in my skin. I also use a pampers baby wipe to clean my hands after I change her diaper. If I clean her up I use the wipes for my hands too. I also watch what types of cleaners I use around the house because those can be irritating to the skin too. when I drink extra water too it helps keep my skin moisture and when you are wahing try to keep the water temp low and not too hot.
I know how painful it is i still get the cracks on y finger tips and it kills especially when you need to button something for the kids or latch the car seat belt.

Hi M.,

I have this problem a lot in the winter. The only thing I have found to work is what is called BooBoo Soother. You can go to the website www.wildherbs.com.

It is also great for little cuts such as paper cuts, burns, and scrapes

I hope you find it as helpful as I did. Pat

my fingers always crack in the cold months, it's very painful,and they throb at night. I have used Bag Balm with some success, it's very smelly,but, you coat your hands with it at bedtime and then cover them with white cotton gloves that you buy in the hand or foot care isle of your pharmacy. When the splits are really painful, I use liquid bandage, you apply like nail polish, it stings like hell for a minute, but stops the pain and seals the split. Also use paper towels when you dry your hand not a cloth towel.
Miki

Hi M. -

I feel your pain, literally! A few years ago, the same thing happened to me. It was only on my right hand, but all finger tips (except my pinky) had the peeling skin, cracked and painful. I tried everything. I have eczema, so I did go to a dermatologist who gave me about 3 different types of medicine. none of which worked all that well.

I hate to say it, but this lasted for me for about 2 years, where it was REALLY bad. The first few months it was so bad with cracking and bleeding, that I put Aquaphor ointment on my finger tips, then covered them with bandaids. I definitly looked pretty funny, but at least I was leaving droplets of blood all over, nor did it hurt when I banged them.

For cleaning, I ALWAYS used the blue non-latex gloves that your doctors and nurses would wear. At the time I was also changing a TON of diapers as I had two in diapers, and everytime I had to use a wipe.... I put the gloves on.

I also did try every type of lotion out there. My dermatologists have always recommended Eucerin, but it left my hands greasy... but ya know... greasy is better than pain!

The dermatologists never really came back with a true diagnosis of eczema or psorisis (eczema which I have, and my mom has both - and they are both hereditary), so I really cant tell you what the issue was, although I had been using a shampoo & conditioner. Once I ran out of the old shampoo & conditioner, I had tried a new type of shampoo & conditioner. It seemed to subside, and when I had used the old conditioner again in the future... my fingers cracked again.

So, it could be a hand soap, a shampoo or conditioner, a body soap that you are using. For soaps, my dermatologist always recommended just plain old Dove (and so does the OB-GYN). You may want to stop using the soap you have currently and try dove for a few weeks. see if there is any change. if there isnt, try stoping your current shampoo & conditioner, etc...

I am sorry to tell you that after 4 years, I do still get it. Not to the extreme that I had it when it first started, but the skin will peel...

Oh.. sorry, I do know the one thing that will cure it... and that is soaking in the waters in Aruba.... :) There was so much salt in the ocean, that it totally cleared it up for the week while I was there in 2005...

Good luck... I would cut down on your hand washing, use lotion EVERY time after you wash your hands, and use non-latex gloves for any type of cleaning (dishes, dusting, bathrooms, even diaper changing)

L.

before you go to bed cover your hands and fingers with Aquaphor and put on some cotton gloves. (you can find both at CVS.) i have the worst feet as far as cracks, etc go and the Aquaphor overnight & covered would make an amazing difference in just one night!

good luck! :)

How about wearing disposable gloves? If you are sensitive to latex, you can get latex-free ones. Either use them as disposables, or just wash your gloved hands as you normally do. Do you work in public childcare or healthcare? If not- maybe you don't need to wash so often?

Bag balm might also be a good pick- it is pretty much nipple cream for cows!

I swear by Aquaphor. It is lighter than vaseline and I use it every night on my hands, nose, and sometimes face in the winter to prevent cracking. You can get it at the grocery store, CVS, etc - I get the big tub of it and it lasts all winter.

I like to use Aquaphor when mine crack.

You will undoubtably have dozens of suggestions of things to try.
I will add to you list lol
Up here in Maine it is a common problem and the cracks will go through to the "meat" and bleed.
1st favorite and easiest, keep cider vinegar beside the sink. Vinegar is tremendously healing..after doing your dishes ect...rub some on your hands as you would lotion. You could also make a mixture with the vinegar and a bit of honey. Have to use it each time you wet your hands to do its best.
2nd most favorite and very effective solution is an organic bees wax hand cream. You should be able to buy unscented in a health /natural food store.
Moose wax is very good too...
Using pine tar soap for washing hands should help. Many Mainers use only pine tar soap in the winter. Can get it at Health food store, online at Vermont Country Store, LLBeans. It has the scent of the pine tar but I do not know that it is added. It is a very gentle soap in spite of its name, and can be used as a bath soap, shampoo, on babies. It is very healing and many people with excema (sp?) use it with an element of success.
When my hands are at the dry stage, not yet cracked I use a glycerin lotion. OH man, cant think of the name of it but you can buy it in Hallmark card stores. Comes in little white containers and has a ribbon flower bud on the top. I find the lavender works best for me.
Can you not wear plastic gloves when your hands are in the water?
When someone up nawth here has really bad hands, they put something, usually the bees wax stuff, on at bedtime and wear a pair of 100% cotton gloves to bed.
I think Cabelo's , a hunting supply store, has several remedies for bad hands too.
Folks from Maine tend toward inexpensive, natural and old fashioned remedies for common problems as opposed to fancy pricey things. Most of them work pretty good. I would hope at least one will help you.
Best wishes and God bless
Grandmother Lowell

Hi M.,

I have the same problem....it looks like you've received a lot of suggestions (I'm taking note) One I did not see is to use Flexitol Heel Balm (technically for rough and cry cracked feet which is also a problem for me) It is sold in Target/Walmart and drug store in the foot care section. I use it at night specifically on the affected areas (It has a bit of an odor so not really ideal for daily hand cream) and generally by morning the heeling has begun and the pain subsided.....if you are religious about applying it, it will work quickly. The other thing I love is Crabtree and Evelyn Body Butter as a daily hand cream. Smells great and keeps your hands like butter

Good luck!

Hi M......you poor darlin' .. I was just talking to my friend about your delema and we both agree to stop washing your hands so many times a day and use purel or any hand sanitizer as it will keep the water away for awhile and let them heal up. The next thing is to use some Norwegian Formual hand cream or Norwegian formula Cracked Heel cream. When you go to bed wear some white cotton gloves ( very old fashion but my Mom and grand mom had the most beautiful hands I've ever seen and that was their formula. Nutrogena makes the best products.

P. and Janis

I have the same problem! The key is to make sure your hands, cuticles and nails are moisturized all the time. After every single hand wash and even in between. Before bed try vaseline or get Baby Eczema Cream (it has Winne the Pooh and Piglet) on the tube. It is very thick but works better than vaseline, then put gloves on your hands while you sleep.
Also I find that the Kiss My Face hand lotion works the best.
Also while cleaning & washing dishes use rubber gloves, I use surgical rubber gloves latex free.

I used to use a lotion by Goldbond Ultimate Healing lotion. It worked pretty good and it didn't have that greasy feeling that some lotions can leave behind. I also found that Burts Bees products work pretty good too. I like the Eucerin cream in the tub over the lotion in the pump bottle to me they feel different. I use the tub cream on both of my boys. You could also try aquaphor and balmex makes a daily skin protectant which is very similar to aquaphor. They both have a vaseline type of texture and feel to them so they are greasy but will probably be the best to help your fingers. I hope you find something that works.

Aquafor... it is what my doctor recommended to me. Do not buy the "store brand" equal...

A very good remedy is simple....each night before going to bed,put good old vaseline on your hands and put on some cotton gloves. You will see a difference in the morning.

Hope this helps you as it has helped me over the years.

S.

The lotions you are using have a lot of chemical fillers in them that are irritating. You need to use something all natural and very thick and soothing like straight shea butter (www.sheabutterhut.com) or coconut oil (available at the health food store or healthy section of the grocery store). These things are very thick and greasy but they work! Put them on at night and then wear gloves to bed to keep them moisturized. Look for lotions with a 0 (zero) rating on www.cosmeticsdatabase.org - that means they don't have any dangerous, irritating chemicals in them.

My dad has a similar problem and I bought some soap free/fragrance free products from Bath & Body for him. He said they really helped. The products were C.E. Bigelo or C.O. Bigelo or something like that. They have a soap free hand wash (soap is very drying) and a fragrance free hand lotion.

good luck - I hope you find something to help.

I have all my life had this problem. Here are the things I do. First of all, if the cracks are extremely bad - you can superglue them together so they can heal. Truly. My brother actually superglues every single finger crack he gets. I don't do every one, but if it is really bad and just won't heal, I do it. Second of all, the only liquid soap I can tolerate are the ones that have aloe added - specifically Softsoap. Anything else just eats my hands raw. Third of all, give the "original" Eucirin lotion a try for a week. I hated the oily feel originally. But my kids pedi insisted I use that and that only on their dry skin, and so I had to get it on my hands. I came to appreciate it, and now other lotions feel drying to me. My pedi said "Check the ingredients on every other lotion. They have alcohol in them, so they won't feel greasy and will evaporate. But that alcohol is drying out your skin." He's right. Check the labels. Finally, if you can find it - Zim's Crack Creme is a miracle in a bottle. It might STING like crazy in some of your cracks at first. It is worth the sting. It will help your hands heal quickly. You'll want to get a pair of cotton gloves and put it on at night. During the day it is way too slippery and greasy. Don't even bother with the Zim's day creme - it is useless. Oh - one other thing - dishwashing soap. Get Ivory dishwashing soap. It's the only one that doesn't eat my hands raw too.

M.
I had this same issue after many years of working outside.What worked for my problem was good old vasaline and wearing cotton gloves at night. Also bag balm. For during the day vaseline and bandaids to wrap your fingers, with sergical gloves over that. I know its not easy with kids because you are always washing your hands.hope this is helpfull
D. d