My Hands Need Help!

Have you tried Aveeno Baby (the version for eczema)? Not only are my hands super dry, but they get eczema as well. This is a very nice, thick cream, and I've tried most!

This may sound a bit strange, but try udder balm. When my hands get really chap I use udder balm at night and cover may hands with light cotton gloves or socks if necessary. The balm is very greasy and will absorb overnite. The balm is actually used by farmers on the teats of cows when chap and says for animal use only but it contains petroleum and lanolin wax.

I had my husband and daughter start using beauticontrol extreme hand repair and it works great, no more red chapped hands!

I'm the 24th person to comment, but here's a suggestion no one else made:

Nourish your skin from the INSIDE. I started taking fish oil supplements a couple years ago (my doc recommends them for everyone, because we all need more Omega 3 fatty acids in our systems, which feeds the brain). Well, I realized recently, that my hands don't dry our and crack like they used to in the winter anymore. Why? Because of the fish oil! I told this to my doc and she wasn't surprised. Because you're nourishing your body from the inside out with Omega-3's, your hair, skin and nails will all be more healthy.

Try it. I take two 1,200 mg capsules a day. It's a good investment in your long-term and brain health anyway.

I would HIGHLY recommend getting some Emu Oil. You used to be able to find it at some health food stores or Whole Foods but I have found it harder to find as of late so I order it on line (I order from Thunder Ridge Emu Products). It is a bit spendy but you need VERY little and it works miracles. Just a dab on your hands, lips or anything else that is cracked and the healing begins almost immediately. I struggled for years to find something that would work on my chapped winter fingers (they would literally split and bleed) but nothing ever worked -- until I found this product. I also use it on my children's lips which crack and bleed each winter. An added benefit is that it is a natural product making it safe for my family and the environment.

Good luck.
M.

Our dermatologist had suggested Vanicream lotion for our daughter when she was diagnosed with eczema. It's not going to be in stock at every pharmacy, but they should order it without a problem. A big tub at Walgreen's costs ~$10.
http://www.psico.com/

I also LOVE putting Aquaphor on my hands, but the trick is to put it on when you're not going to need to use your hands for a few minutes because of its greasy nature.

For Christmas each year, my husband I get each other Kiehl's hand cream. It may be expensive, but it is awesome.
http://www.kiehls.com/_us/_en/body/hands-and-feet/ultimat...

Another trick we've used is to put a good lotion on at night with gloves or something to protect the lotion from wiping off. Bath and body works used to have gloves just for that. They trap the moisturizer in and prevent the moisture from leaving the skin. It does amazing job quickly.

When I used to work with clay and throwing pots on the wheel, my hands got extremely dry. Even after washing and moisturizing they would still have clay residue and be dry and cracked. Corn Huskers was the only moisturizer that made it go away. It ain't pretty (it looks like snot in a bottle!)and there's no flowery scent either (no scent at all). But man, does it work! It's a little greasy after applying, so don't plan on opening any doors after you put it on, but otherwise it's great. Cheap too! You'll find it on the very bottom shelf, near the floor, of most drugstores. After the Corn Huskers fixes your hands, you can switch to a prettier moisturizer.

I love the NEW Mary Kay Fragrance Free Satin Hands....... the Hand Cream is a 24 hour moisturizer that lasts through several hand washings... and don't we as moms do a lot of that? My hands are no longer cracked and bleeding due to the dryness! YAY!

I have one suggestion that worked for me... I switched from pampers baby fresh wipes to pampers sensitive. It made a world of difference.

I have the same problems with dry hands! I love Aquaphor. I use it at night and wear gloves when I sleep because it is pretty greasy.

Try caking on Aquaphor and then putting gloves over them before bed and see how they are in the morning.

Cetaphil Cream or Eucerin cream....anything that is a CREAM vs a lotion will work better according to our dermatologist. Wear gloves when washing dishes or cleaning as well and switch to a cleanser rather than soap for washing your hands as a soap will dry it out. A cleanser (we use Cetaphil) won't have the 'bubbles' you have with soap but that doesn't make your hands clean vs not clean.

C., I would suggest Mary Kay's extra emollient night cream or the new fragrance free hand softner and hand cream. It always helps my diabetic son's cracked, bleeding hands.

Mary Kay satin hands set works wonders on dry and cracked hands and feet!

If you are a SAHM I bet you do a lot of cleaning everyday, all day long. I find my hands stay softer and dry out far less if I wear disposable vinyl gloves during laundry time and while doing the dishes. I've used Ahava products and I don't actually like them. I like to use chamomile or seaweed-based body lotion from my closest health food store for my hands and body. Also try to stay away from conventional body soap/shampoo in general. I look for items without propylene glycol or sodium laureth sulfates in them. While you're at it, why not make an appointment for a manicure? I'm sure you are deserving of one!!!

the best lotion i have found is called renew and it's from melaleuca. it's a pretty thin lotion but once it soaks in, the flakes and dry patches are gone-and it lasts even through washing your hands. another awesome advantage is it makes the best diaper rash cream i have ever used too! you can order it from www.melaleuca.com. otherwise if you smear aquaphor on your hands and get a pair of those cotton gloves you wear at night that works too. but aquaphor is very very greasy.

I use Avon's Moisture Therapy Hand Cream and I really like it.

Nutrogena Hand Cream works beautifully and for overnight, you can't go wrong with Mary Kay night cream, the pink goo works for all kinds of boo boos, chapped lips, moist skin, even for diaper rash, it's amazing stuff.
D.

I buy all of my stuff, including my lotion, online and it is amazing. It is 8 times more effective then eucerin and is like no lotion you have ever used. they actually just released a whole new line of new products too, so now they have a body wash, hand wash, lotion and bath oil. all of them are AMAZING!

It sounds funny but try saturating your hands in Olive Oil and wearing socks overnight. My 5 year old had hands so dry they would crack and bleed. She wouldn't put on lotion because the fragrances and chemicals burned, but olive oil was fine. After a few nights with olive oil and socks she is doing great - we will be keeping this routine through the winter.

I use the Herbalife skin care products - they have vitamins A, C & E in them - full of antioxidants for our skin. Our skin is our first line of defense to the outside world - it's important to give our skin vitamins too. Also - make sure you are getting the proper nutrition for your body - it makes such a huge difference. You also need to make sure you are drinking enough water everyday so that you stay hydrated. You should be drinking 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water every day. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions ____@____.com.

I have trouble with my hand getting dry and chapped. I get what look like little cuts on them and someone told me to try udder cream the brand is called udderly smooth they sell it in the pharmacy department and it is wonderful It is not greasy and makes your hands feel smooth I noticed a huge difference that day. It doesn't have the strong smell and you don't have that slimy feeling afterwords that some of the lotions have.

Hello!
Two things - when my hands are really bad, the only thing that really works for me is Petroleum Jelly, but because it does not soak in right away, I usually slather them before bed or so.
The other is, be careful to not put on lotion and then right after wash bottles, etc, because the soaps will not only take the lotion back off, but also what ever skin's onwn moisture that bonded with the lotion, making it worse and worse.
Good luck!

Hi, my name is M. and I am an Avon Rep. Don,t be scared, I am not trying to sell you anything. At least not yet. I had damaged my fingers from using bleach and other cleaning supplies when we moved to a new apt. Avon has a provitamin ACE hand cream that helps repairs dry undernourished skin. I used it and within four days, using just a penny size a few times a day, especially at night before bed, my fingers and hands were softer and smother that before. Now is almost two months and there is no eveidence of the damage from the cleaning supplies. That was when I decided to sell Avon. I am willing to send you a FREE sample for you to try. This sample will last you for at least a month. Please call me at ###-###-#### to arange for shipping this product to you.

My hands are also very dry from dishes and laundry- I use Gold Bond Ultimate- It works well for me- It is a little pricy but does the job and you don't need that much. It is not greasy as it soaks in very quickly.

try aquaphillic ointment it comes in a jar and you really don't need to use that much at a time I have used it for really dry hands and works really well

Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand Creme!! My hands are terribly dry, cracked and I even have excema, this lotion really works & it's fairly cheap :) Good Luck!!!

I have cuticle that bleed all winter long!
These are both for bedtime
1. On the sore, inflamed area, I put a dab of antibiotic ointment and wrap the end of my finger in a band aid for the night. It is always less sore and on its way to being healed in the am.
2. I use Aquaphor and then put short white socks on my hands overnight.

I would recommend the Renew lotion by Melaleuca. We have used it for 3 1/2 years now, and no dry skin. It is wonderful. I taught school, and gave some to a student in my classroom. He had severe eczema, and it cleared it up within a couple of weeks.

bath and body works - true blue spa collection - look ma, new hands hand lotion. works amazingly!!

For RICH MOISTURE and prevention, I love Shaklee's Enfuselle Spa Shea Butter Moisturizing Cream.

For healing of hands that are already chapped and itchy, I love their Herbal Blend Multi-Purpose Cream.

HTH,
K.

http://K..myshaklee.com

I've noticed that Gold Bond Ultra Healing lotion works wonders on my hands and feet (I have really dry, cracked heels). It's not overly expensive and you can find it almost anywhere.

Hands down, bar none...the best product for your hurtin' hands is Renew Intensive Skin Therapy(now there's even a hand wash and body wash too for seriously dry skin..eczema, psoriasis etc) www.melaleuca.com/renew I Promise!

I could tell you stories all day long about "People who have tried everything"...and then found Renew.

Send me your address and I will pop a sample in the mail! You have to try it and see for yourself!! Email privately if you'd like me to get you a sample! ____@____.com and Good Luck to you! ;-)

When you get a good answer, please post it. My hands are so bad: I move them and they split open and bleed. I am in water alot and need to use sanitizers also, relative to where I work.

AVON Moisture Therapy Hand Cream is the best! Also, Crabtree & Evelyn have a "Gardeners" hand lotion/cream that works wonders!! The Avon is probably the cheaper choice, and both work incredibly well.

Same problem here. Lotion doesn't help my hands too much. I acutally use Aquaphor. Sometimes if I can't get my hands on it i grab neosporine. The ointment types tend to work better.

Sounds like you have some great advice already, but I wanted to add a few of things that I've found helpful. I have extremely dry chapped hands as well, and they crack and bleed if I'm not extremely diligent. A few things have helped- Mary Kay's Silk Hands (I think that's what it's called). It's several steps, including an exfoliator, and my hands always feel so much better afterward.

Another thing I've been using for years is an at home hot wax treatment. Last I looked they were about $35-40 for a machine, but well worth it. It is a small machine that heats up the wax, and then you dip your hand in the wax a few times and then place your hand in a plastic bag. The heat helps deeply moisturize your hands. Do that a couple times a week and your hands will look and feel like silk. The wax lasts a long time, and you can buy refills for it, too.

I've used the moisturizer in gloves overnight- also a very good idea for feet- you can find footies and gloves that are aloe infused at places like Kohls.

Check your lotions and make sure they don't have alcohol in them. I was using one for awhile and my hands never improved...then I looked at the label. Water, then alcohol. No wonder! I'm going to check all of our lotions and throw all the ones with alcohol out. I use Vanicream at work but I'm not a big fan- it just doesn't seem to help me or my coworkers. I don't have a favorite lotion yet, but I do like Aquafor.

If you do get cracks, you can use "Nexcare" or another brand of liquid bandage to seal the crack while it's healing.

I use my favorite lotion several times during the day and keep lotion bottles by the sink wo I am reminded to do it after washings if it seems necessary. I also bought a pair of gloves from the beauty section of the local drugstore to wear at night. I either slather my hands with lotion or apply hydrocortisone ointment before putting on the gloves. I notice a huge difference the next morning and don't need to use lotion as much the next day. I probably do this 2-3 nights a week. GOod luck finding something that works.

I am also a big fan of Aquapohor and the "lotion with gloves at night" trick. I also receommend Bag Balm. It is actually a formula that is created to be used on cows' udders- but is incredible for hands as well! It used to be hard to find in stores, but as it grew in popularity- it became easier to find.

Good luck!

Vasalene Intensive Care White Petroleum cream. Its about $3, and works great!

I use Aveeno and Avon's Silicone Glove. When I remember to use them, they work great!

There are lots of great suggestions. No one has recommended BeautiControl's Extreme Repair hand lotion which includes dimethicone to protect your skin from the elements and which doesn't wash off after EVERY handwashing. It's also fragrance free so doesn't sting on open sores. I do sell the stuff so probably somewhat biased, but it's probably my biggest seller. We also have a no-sting sea-salt scrub. If you need more info you can go to my webpage (and I apologize if I'm not supposed to post that here-feel free to tell me to stop anyone--I'm social net-work challenged. www.beautipage.com/marycostello

A little about me: Proud SAHM mom to 14yr boy, 11 yr girl and privaledged to raise my 6 yr son with Down Syndrome.

Hi C.,

Winter is absolutely brutal on my hands too. I feel like they look a good twenty years older than I am! I have discovered Cetaphil cream which works really well, absorbs quickly and is not greasy. I put that on every night and morning (and during the day if I remember/get the chance). My dermatologist said that creams are considerably better than lotions. Lotions can actually be drying. There's also Neutrogena Hand Cream/Repair which is also good stuff. The Cetaphil has no fragrance so I use it on my kids too.

Good luck!

i have several kinds of lotions, but can't spend $20 per bottle on it, so i have found the best route is use it ALL the time - after EVERY hand wash. and you have to make sure your hands are totally dry before applying. one of my favorites is this vitamin E lotion that walmart carries, it's in a jar (comes in a 2 pack actually) and costs less than $4 for the two. i had to look pretty hard for it, my walmart had it on the very bottom shelf. there isn't much fragrance or dyes, but it is a very heavy cream that goes on nongreasy. to me it just feels like pure moisture. really great for bedtime. but like i said, using it six or eight times a day (or any good lotion) is the only way i've kept away the crappy hands.

I personally like the Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair lotion. It works really well.

I would have to suggest Mary Kay satin hands system and particularly the Extra Emollient Night Cream. I have used it for years and so has my mother. She works in a kitchen and is very prone to very dry hands that used to spend most of the winter cracked. The best part is that it now comes fragrance free and I have even used it on my son's sensitive skin without any problems.

My goal was to avoid dry hands this winter and so I tried the "Real Simple" recommened Neutrogena hand cream. I love it. The original is a little thicker but you only need a dab and the non-greasy is great, too. At around $6 a tube, I keep one in my car, in my purse and at the kitchen sink. Virtually no fragrance. Good luck.

Hi, C.! Arbonne's body serum and body lotion used together two times per day will work wonders. My hands used to be so dry, they would bleed. If I consistently use these products, you would never know I have dry skin.

I like Aquaphor as well for a "lotion", but I will also recommend a SOAP that you can use for everyday use in your house--it's the "next to godliness" hand soap from Trader Joe's. I recently bought it and LOVE it! It has tea tree oil in it, and has been softening my hands (we have it in the bathroom)really well--as someone who has young kids and works in the medical field, I wash my hand ALOT so this is great to have in our home!

The only thing that works for me is Caudalie hand and nail lotion. It's non greasy and absorbs fast.
Buy it at sephora!

A ton of great advise.
I just wanted to add - I took my daughter to our doctor for I thought she had alergies - He recommend Aquaphor and said he uses it also. It worked! So not only is this a personal recommendation, but my doctor recommended and uses as well. Another suggestion - go to your local walmart, target pharmacy and ask them - I have found that they are more than happy to make suggestions and/or they will tell you if they believe it is something "more".

Best of Luck
C.
www.snowflakegems.com

C. - you may need to use something on the inside. Sounds funny but drinking water is really important to healthy skin. I used to have excema on my one hand and when my chiropractor upped my dosage of Omega3's due to another issue, the excema disappeared and has never returned.

If you want to know more, contact me.

Good luck

When my hands are really dry (like now), I mix Vasoline with whatever other lotion I have, or use olive oil and either of those methods seem to work. You have to keep doing them though because they don't "cure" the dryness forever.

I like Nivea products-they soak in and stay till I wash my hands-then I do put on more.
Another one my daughter turned me on to is Jergens-Sensitive Skin Relief-it begins as a little "sticky type" feeling yet I wear it for a minute or so and it soaks in and stays very well-besides that it usually costs around $5.00 for a bottle of 21 fluid ounces-now that is worth it! If I am in a hurry then a pat my hands with a tissue to set it then I am good to go. I hope yo carry a small bottle/tube in your bag when you are on the run? This always helps after shopping and such.

I know you've gotten a lot of advice already, but here's what we do...

My daughter's hands chap, crack, and bleed all winter long, and there have been times that she has cried it hurts so much. One day we were rustling through all the lotions and ointments we keep around here, and she came across a tube of Desitin Clear. Before I could stop her, she put a dab on and smeared it in. Within a couple hours the pain was gone, the redness relieved. There is no alcohol in the Desitin, unlike most of your lotions today. She started using this 3 years ago, and always makes sure she has a tube for herself now.

Best of luck!

my boys have the same problem. try using pure aquafor (not the lotion, the ointment). It feels a little greasy, but even if you only use it once every second or third day, then just use a good lotion in the meantime, it seems to do the trick.
good luck!

My whole family uses a product called Renew Intensive Skin Therapy. It's made by Melaleuca, the wellness company in Idaho. It is a patented formula which has been scientifically proven to work seven times better than Eucerin for extremely chapped, dry skin, and even cures eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions. If you have any more questions about it or how to get it, email me, ____@____.com, and I'll get back to you. Good luck!