Dry Hands

I have the same problem. Last year when my hands cracked and bled....I got a cheap pair of cotton gloves at Walgreens and every night I would put on the Aquaphor Healing Ointment then the gloves (to protect my sheets). I did this until the cracks healed, then I would use the Johnson and Johnson stuff (mentioned in someone elses response. It worked really good.

K.-
I too have this problem and I use my daughters baby lotion. (the pink bottle) it works wonders!

I would steer clear of any type of hand lotion of cream containing petrolatum, petrolatum ONLY dries your hands out more. In turn you use more and your hands will itch and crack more.

I would suggest Aveeno creams, or burts bees. Aveeno you can buy almost anywhere, burts bees you can get from Lunds Foods. You can also find very gentle anitbacterial soaps, and when you dry your hands don't rub, just blot.

I know this will sound weird but it works for me anyway I run a small in home daycare so I was my hands what seems like every 5mn. I actually use dish soap the Dawn botanicals or in the winter the one that says it helps hands then i put on pink baby lotion and Mary Kay night time face cream it is a pink gel type that is in a twist off container with white cotton gloves (available at walgreens) the nights when my hands are really bad. all are cheap and proably already in your house just make sure you use a little drop of soap. I hope you find something that works for you. Try and stay away from smelly (perfume) lotion it will burn and feel greasy

K.,

Hi, my name is B. and I am a consultant with Arbonne.
I had the same problem before I found Arbonne. I am a dental assistant and wash my hands a lot.
Arbonnes products are free of chemicals, dyes and perfumes. These are the ingredients that dry our skin. Our lotion is outstanding too. What I would suggest for you is our cleansing lotion, hand cream and skin conditioning oil for the really dry cracked areas.

If you have any questions about Arbonne and/or would like to try our products just let me know, I would love to help you.

B.

I work in a hospital and wash my hands constantly. I find that it helps to apply vaseline intensive care lotion or curel as much as I can. At home, I use soft soap or dial foam with moisturizers or aloe. I have lotion next to every soap dispenser in my house.
There is also a kit designed for people with dry hands. It comes with a cream that you apply. Afterwards, you slip the gloves over. This is usually best at night - for me at least.
I really helps, I just don't like having the gloves on.
Hope this help!
A.

Hi-
I don't like to use moisturizers because they seem to disrupt my skin's ability to produce it's own natural oils. Still, the winter sometimes gets the best of me so that's when I break out my jar of cocoa butter. That stuff works miracles, especially when I apply it to dry skin or chapped lips at night before I go to bed. It feels a bit greasy going on, but in the morning it has all been absorbed and my dry skin/chapped lips are gone. I only need to use it occasionally, unlike moisturizing lotions where it seems like the more I use, the more I need. It is the only thing I have found that seems to support my body's own natural balance rather than disrupt it.
Good luck!

Hi K.,

I've found that Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion works really well. If I wait too long to apply it and I start getting cracked, peely hands, then at bedtime I use a gentle exfoliator scrub on my hands and then apply something goopy (vaseline, lansinoh, night cream, udder cream, Aquaphor) and cover my hands with some cheap cotton gloves. The next day I start trying to keep up with my lotion applications again.

It might also help if you can try to drink more water.

Good luck!

Boy, do I know this problem all too well! I have very sensitive and dry skin year round and am also a chronic hand washer. Nothing has completely solved this problem for me, but I've figured out some things that definitely help: Dove sensitive bar soap, any old handlotion after EVERY handwashing, and Aquaphor (white tub with a blue lid at Target) on hands at bedtime. Vitamin E supplements may also help. You can ingest them or squeeze it directly onto your skin. I also never use Purell because it is very drying and irritating. Good luck!

Hi there, I have suffered from the same thing and have found that BeautiControl (spa line) makes a great hand creme called Extreme Hand Repair! It works thru at least 3 washes and has helped me a ton. they have a website and I am not sure if you have to order through a rep or not( kind of a mary kay thing) but my rep's e-mail is ____@____.com if that helps. Good Luck. (they have a foot one too.)

Hey K....

When my hands get to the point of no return (so it seems) I lather my hands up with vaseline at night and wear something over them such as socks (vaseline on bed sheets has a tendency to stain) or even some cheap gloves. Good luck!

You have gotten a lot of advice and mine is pretty much the same. I sell Avon and would recommend the Vitamoist lotion...it runs about $1.79 per tube so it if very inexpensive. I sell Avon and would be happy to sell you some if you think it would help. www.youravon.com/shaunaschmidt
I run a licensed daycare and have 8 kids here every day so you can imagine how many times a day I wash my hands and need a moisturizer that is not greasy. Let me know if you would like to try it...I have a 100% guarantee so if you don't like it just let me know.
S.

Mary Kay is real good it only takes a little also the lotions from Bath & BodyWorks work for me.

Avon Sells a hand Therapy lotion that I really like it I keep a few bottles around and only use that when they are really dry and it feels really nice.

hi
i have exactly the same problem - last winter (my first in minnesota), some of the cracks were so painful that they would wake me at night and i'd have to take pain killers. The only other time i had this problem was when my son was in the NICU and i had to use the gel everytime i re-entered his room so i'd definitely avoid the antibacterial gel. Bath and body works have some antibacterial hand moisturiser i think.
I've just bought something called Cows Udder cream (or something like that) as someone recommended it. I'll let you know how it works out but let me know if you get a good recommendation as my hands are already starting to deteriorate and its not even very cold yet! my email is ____@____.com
good luck!
J.

K., dry hands for moms who live in climates like MN are so common...I too wash and diaper several times a day. I switched to the all natural soaps and lotions and make my own baby wipes and use all natural lotions and oils daily...this will be my 2nd year using the products and also I am a consultant for Daisy Blue Naturals (www.3623.daisybluenaturals.com). As far as expense, the bar soaps are a bit less expensive, and do the trick...they are moisturizing as well and there is a liquid hand soap too...for little ones the bar soap will go farther for the cost. I love in Delano, MN. Let me know if you are interested in more info. I have posted on this site alot regarding eczema, dry skin and all. Thanks! You may even be interested in getting the products at the consultant discount, as it is a MN company. I stay at home too with girls 2 and 5 one still in diapers and the other who needs mommy to wipe her bottom after poopies...so lots of handwashing going on here:)

Johnson and Johnson also has a great lotion, they have the 24hr hand cream, it lasts through several washes, and the hand and body cream (my own fave) both my kids and husband have the same problem as you, on their hands, feet, elbows, etc, and these have completely solved our probs =)