Dry Raw Hands

I battled this for years before a dr saw it. She gave me a prescription strength cream (2 actually) that have helped tremendously. I did all the things you described and wore gloves from the time it was the tiniest bit cold out - nothing helped. These 2 creams (one is a steroid cream and one ammonium lactate) have done more in a few days than anything I tried at home ever did. I never thought to bring it up to the dr, but boy am I glad she noticed.

Triple Paste makes a severe dry skin/eczema lotion. It's AWESOME. I've tried everything too. This is far and away the best.

Well I have battled eczema for a while, so I feel you. The only thing that works for me is Aquaphor. It is mainly petroleum but it has some mineral oil etc in it and it is a wonder. I just use the walmart brand and it does just fine an is a lot less expensive. I put it on a couple times a day, just have to do it at a time where you have a few minutes to let it soak in. My hands still have a little dryness but nothing like before and they don't crack and bleed at all. I also wear gloves for kitchen work, like dishes and counter cleaning etc. This helps sooooooo much!! Good luck:)

Hi C.---I'd like to suggest another idea. Look at your diet to help with this problem. First, be sure that you are eating mostly plants; fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes/beans, nuts and seeds. Then, eat more of those that have a high content of omega 3 fatty acids. Those would be ground flax (a HUGE superfood-fiber, protein, omega 3's, vitamins, minerals and cancer fighting properties), walnuts, pumkin seeds and soy and canola oils (these are usually GMO if not organic). Of course, cold water fish will also provide omega 3's, but TOO MUCH animal protein is not good for long term health. Increasing your omega 3's should, in time, help your skin to withstand the frequent assaults AND heal faster when your skin is irritated.

Plants contain the nutrients necessary for your body to both protect and heal from the frequent had washing and skin cracking. Even if you feel that you eat alot of fruits and veggies, it may not be enough for your body. I truly believe that our food does not contain the nutrients today that are necessary for disease prevention. There are many reasons for that and, if you'd like, we can continue that discussion later. But, I believe that's why major health organizations are recommending that we eat 10+ servings a day...and more if you exercise or are experiencing any health conditions.

So, I know it may seem pretty out there, but I am confident that improving the diet could help. Understand that I am not suggesting your diet is poor, just that it may not be good enough to overcome your skin sensitivities. I am learning about the healing powers of food in a series of wellness classes, taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. I would be happy to share details of what she teaches to support my suggestions. Feel free to contact me at any time. Take care and good luck with your quest. Be well, D.

I never had eczema in my life until I had a baby...an then only on my hands....is it cracking and bleeding in places? Baby bath products were the worst for flaring it up on my hands.
And if there's an "itch/burn" factor it might be eczema. And you should see a dr. for an Rx.
But aquaphor IS amazing stuff for garden variety dry hands but it's a little greasy to use during the day. Have you ever tries Udderly Smooth? Very good!

i do that vaseline thing with my feet!, lol.........id reccommend using rubber gloves for all possible water realted activities and keeping extra immoliant lotion in every room

My hands do the same thing... in colder weather especially.
This is what I do:
Wash your hands using warm water (not hot)
with a small amount of gentle liquid soap (I like great value milk and honey)
and about 1 tsp of granulated sugar (yes table sugar).
This helps to exfoliate the skin and gets rid of the dryness.
Immediately after... put a generous amount of Neosporin (you can get this in great value brand also) all over your hands, especially on the parts that are chaffed or cracked, along with a small amount of Curel Original lotion. The lotion softens up the skin and the Neo heals the skin and protects it during a few more washings.

When my hands are extremely bad I do this with alot of Neo/Lotion and sleep with gloves on. When your hands are really bad it is best to use rubber gloves when you washing dishes, mop, etc.
Hope this helps.

Try lotions that are unscented and thick. The other thing that could be adding to the issue is the water tempature and/or soap. Use cool to warm not hot water. (The hot water dries out your skin) If you are using an antibacterial soap try switching to a regular soap. The antibacterial part can be hard on skin as well as scents. Try something clear. Keep up with the vaseline and socks at night. Make sure the socks are white cotton too. Good Luck. I am also a frequent handwasher so if you do dishes by hand try cutting down on how often you do them. The dishsoap can be harsh on hands to. I use reg. Dawn but they have a newer formula out that should be easier on the hands. I know if I used something Lemony for more than a few minutes my hands start to get that raw cracked feeling. Too make it easier on me I always make sure they are rinsed off well and usually put the silverware in a glass with hot soapy water and other utensils used for cooking in a larger container of hot soapy water. When I am ready to do dishes just dump the water, fill up the sink and get to work.

You first need to remove all the dry cracked skin before you can moisturizer them and get them to stop cracking. Take some honey and sugar and make a thick scrub. Rub into your hands well for a few minutes and rinse with luke warm water and apply a really good thick moisturizer. My dermatologist recommended that I use CeraVe cream that comes in a jar. It's wonderful stuff and you can even use it safely on your face.
C.

Having lived in one of the driest winter climates in the nation for 40 years I can sympathize with you.

Vaseline is a topical ointment that is not meant to penetrate. Your socks are probably absorbing most of it at night.

Try this:
http://www.drugstore.com/qxp88470/vermonts_original_bag_b...

Bag Balm is old school and if it's good enough for farmers, it's good enough for me.

I ditto the Aquaphor comments.

Also, Aveeno hand lotions work very well for my 5 year old, her hands get very dry & chapped once fall arrives. All the washing leaves them dry, red & painful. She puts Aveeno hand lotion on @ school & it soothes her hands quite nicely.

if none of that is helping you really need to talk to your dr about a referral toa dermatologist

Renew Hand Wash and Lotion. Better than the other lotions and not "medicated" like the Gold Bond and others. Great for dry skin and/or other skin conditions.

I suffer from dry hands that crack and bleed in the winter, too. The thing that works best for me is Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula Hand Cream. I put it on before I go to bed at night and if my hands are especially bad, in the morning again after my shower. It's great stuff -- very effective for me, anyway. However, if you try it, be warned that you don't need much! Start with a very small amount. If you use too much, it will take you forever to rub it into your skin! A 2-oz. tube usually lasts me most of the winter, even using it every night!

I use Avon moisture Therapy in the tube. It is much like vasaline in context but has much more moisture ability to it. I use the bath stuff and the lotion too but the thick lotion in the tube is more like a diaper rash ointment...thick and long lasting.

Please check your soap, some soaps do that to my hands and nothing helps. I cannot use Soft Soap at all, it will crack and break out my skin, especially under my rings if I use it more than once or twice. I often have to use it when using the bathroom in a public place like the docs office or at the gym. So I do try to be careful and get lotion on as soon as my hands are dry.

find a Mary Kay Consultant and get the satin hands products. Use the MK pink extra emollient night cream on your hands at night as hand cream and leave on. Might want to wear a pair of gloves or socks on your hands to keep it from getting on the bedding. It will work wonders. I also give this as a gift to new mothers to use as a diaper cream for diaper rash. My husband used it on his scar after having a kidney removed. No redness and healed great.

Hi C., I understand. I work in the medical field and was my hands at least 20 times per day if not more. I use a system called Satin hands by Mary Kay. There are three products in the set that work together. Every night or as needed I apply a deep moisturizer and exfoliator together , wash my hands with this scrub combo to remove the dry flakey skin ,then apply the lotion. My hands feel great! Also try by Avon a hand lotion called Silicone Glove. This lotion puts a barrier on your skin that protects even when you wash your hands. If you dont know anyone who sells these products in your area let me know and I can refer you to my reps.

I would like to recommend Mary Kay's Extra Emolient Night cream. It looks and feels greasy, but you can go to bed in satin sheets and it won't leave a mark. It stays in your skin for up to 5 washings and all you need to do to "reactivate" it in between is rub your hands together. It also works WONDERS on diaper rash because it has a waterproof barrier. I would ask your local consultant for a sample.

try drinking more water. dehydration can also lead to dry skin. also bag balm. avon sells really good lotions and gels that are great from dried hands (its what my mom uses when her hands get so dry they crack and bleed. also try crisco instead of the vaseline also applying lotion right after you wash your hands will help seal in the moisture

try a soap with lotion in it instead of alcohol and then try Aquafor instead of vaseline. Aquafor is amazing on dry skin.

My hands are doing the same thing and before bed I use my sons Aquaphor and wake up the next morning feeling great. The baby version is pretty greasy and intense but does the trick for night time. For the day, they have a hand lotion version that sinks in better.

Good Luck!

VillageMom
www.ittakesavillagedallas.com

try Bag Balm (yes, it is the same item used for cracked and drying cows' udders, but it works wonders! Try it one night with socks and see if your hands are like new in the morning. I am/was a quilter and would often prick my finger with the needles - sore, open, cracked - all would be well after one night with bag balm. I also would use it during the day.
Good luck

I think someone mentioned Renew....it is sold by Melaleuca. It is an awesome product line. One note of caution....if you by chance have artificial nails do not use anything with petroleum or mineral oil as it will slowly remove them......Otherwise, I would recommend it.

HI Cyndi,
I would have to second Diane's advice. The extremely dry skin is usually not a condition. It is a symptom of a condition. If I am needing increase my B vitamins, for example, my lips become dry and cracked. She gave you some very good advise on seeds/nuts/etc. Also taking your cod liver oil daily can help. For relieving the symptoms, I use the Renew line- body wash, hand soap, and lotion that is 7x's more effective then the leading lotion for dry skin and eczema. It is amazing! When I was a nurses aid- I would also use burts bees foot cream and then put socks on my hands overnite and that did wonders!

My doctor gave me a prescription cream for eczema that worked great. Switching dish detergents also helped. I now use Palmolive Pure and Clear. I also found that nursing ointment such as Lansinoh Lanolin helped. I used that during the day on the really dry parts because my prescription cream was harsh and I didn't want to expose my children to it. The lanolin was very soothing the parts of my hands that were so dry they were cracked and bleeding. I hope your hands get better soon. I know how painful it can be.