Hands Are on Fire!

The one lotion I always use this time a year is Neutrogena Hand Cream. It is super thick so you don't need much. I works wonders. It is a little expensive, but I buy it at Sam's or Costco so it's a little cheaper.

My skin does the same thing. I'm a bit of a country girl and I have to say, I like udder balm the best. Find a feed store or tractor supply and get Udder balm. It is used for cows who's sensitive skin chaps due to milking. It has few perfumes and stuff in it. You might think this is too outlandish, but it is inexpensive and works. I used it for diaper rash for my girls too. Don't get the Udder stuff from the drugstore. Find a feed store.

Good luck
B.

My hands get the same way, especially with Antibacterial soaps (Bath and Body Works, public restroom soaps, etc.)- doesn't matter; they ALL do. lol My husband and I use Gold Bond (avail. @ Walmart for about $5.00), and it is WONDERFUL!

Eucerin is good and Dr. recommended as well by my pedi for my daughter. However, I LOVE a special hand lotion from Origins called "Make a Difference". It is about $18 for a relatively small tube (small enough for your purse) but it works great. It feels good, not greasy, soaks in well and helps soften cuticles. I can tell a big difference after using regularly in just a week.

My hands get very dry and I have not used anything that works like the Origins creme.

Good Luck
Susan

Eucerin works if you're not allergic to it (something in there bothered me) and it's pretty expensive, but it does work. Aquaphor was better and made by the same company. It repels the water.

Meleluca is an organic based company and a friend of mine sells their products and she raves about them. I've only heard good things, so they might be worth a try.

Mary Kay's hand cream is okay but not as good as others. BeautiControl's Extreme Repair (which I sell) is good too and doesn't come off after each hand wash. Their hand scrub is deeply moisturizing too but if you have any open, bleeding cracks you should not exfoliate with anyone's product till they are healed.

The benefit of a Crabtree & Evelyn store would be that you can go there and try it out. The drug stores don't usually have testers available.

Direct sales you have to go through a person but usually you're getting great tips too with the product.

One thing you can try no matter what moisturizer you use is to put it on then stick your hands in some bread bags for a few minutes so they get nice and warm and the product has a better chance of absorbing.

Have you tried Arbonne products? I have extremely dry skin and I use the Arbonne hand cream, it has no perfumes and no mineral oil, also I love the body serum and lotion for extremely dry skin.

Go to a health food store. You will be amazed what you can take care of with natural stuff.

A.

My husband has very dry skin on his hands to and swears by Eucerin. His family also has skin that thins a lot as they age and the Eucerin seems to help with that too. Good luck! Dry hands are very painful, so I hope you feel better soon!

I love a product that I found on QVC--Surgeon's Skin. It's terrific!

Good luck! :)

Hi:

I don't know if anyone has shared Melaleuca products with you or not, but they have a lotion called renew that is a must have! It penetrates all 7 layers of skin and heals from the inside out!!! It even heals eczema and keeps it from returning. It has a protective barrier so when you wash your hands it doesn't wash off. I don't go anywhere without it right now!!! I'd love to show you how you can purchase products wholesale through them! This product alone will change your skin. If you'd like me to call and chat with you email me and let me know. I can get you some right away!

Sincerely,

S. Brewer
Frisco, TX

Arbonne has great products for your skin. Visit www.betsycampbell.myarbonne.com. There is skin conditioning oil, hand cream and much more. Let me know if I can help you out.

Cortisone is for allergic reactions - it won't help infection and overly dry skin!

I highly recommend a pure, natural deep moisturizer. I would try shea butter with calendula infusion which will help the inflammation tremendously.

PLEASE stop using the cortisone indiscriminately. It can cause some nasty hormonal rebound effects in the body - very systemic and yucky.

As a massage therapist I try to use the most natural ingrediants possible - other very moisturizing ingrediants to look for are beeswax (forms a protective barrier to help keep moisture in the skin), cocoa butter, jojoba oil, coconut oils, etc. Go to a health food store and get some lotion there without synthetic ingrediants....if your hands are already inflammed synthetic chemicals mightbe causing a worse reaction.

Apply a thick layer of the cream at night and cover your hands with knit gloves (not latex which is highly allergic).

Also - drink a LOT of water. If your urine is yellow and colors the water in toilet you are not getting enough water. Aim for it to be lighter in color and almost undectible once it is diluted into the toilet bowl. Your skin can only preserve moisture it already has. *laughing*

I could send you a sample of Melaleuca's Renew lotion if you email me your address... J.

I have three little ones all under the age of 5. Sooo, I am constantly washing my hands and they are always dry, cracked, and painful. Lately, I have been using Aquaphor. Our pediatrician recommended it for my babies when their faces were red and dry. It works great and is not perfumey or mediciney. I use it overnight and by morning, my hands are atleast 80% better. It's just hard to use it during the day because as I mentioned before...three little ones.
Hope this helps.
L.

I just asked about this a few days ago. I tried Mary Kay's Satin Hands, Jo Malone's Vitamin E Hand lotion, and Crabtree & Evelyn's 60 second Hand Fix. Crabtree and Evelyn was by far the best. After one day, my I can bend my hands without worrying about my skin cracking open.

I use intensive hand cream by derma topix. My sis is a pharmacutical sales rep for dermatology products. I can send you one to sample if you like (and she has one in stock). You are suppose to go to a dermatologist for this but they are so expensive. call me at ###-###-#### if you are interested. i am a SAHM and I understand the need to save money. If you want to go to a dermatologist my sis can give you a reference.

My daughter and mother-in-law have this problem. I use Eucerin lotion for my daughter though the whole winter. I apply it as often as they look dry. I usually have more sucess when I use it before her hands get too bad, inflamed red and stinging. There are very few lotions that don't make her hands sting.

I know this isn't much help to heal your hands right now, but maybe it can help next time.

My husband had the same problem. He was always in pain from the dry irritation and they were so dry and rough that it hurt me when he'd just graze my face!!! We found the best thing ever....Goldbond Ultimate Healing lotion. It comes in a white bottle and is amazing. His hands are completely soft and smooth after just a week of using it twice a day. You can find it at Target.

Mine was so severe that most of these products mentioned burned. I was in tears everytime I had to do something with my hands. One day I happened to ask my daughters pediatrician and he said every time I get out of the shower to rub my hands with Vaseline and it will lock in the moisture. It worked.

Get a good lotion like Eucerin and put it on heavy and then cover your hands with gloves for about 10 minutes or at Wal-Mart, Target, Sally and lots of other places you can get a parafin wax set and dip your hands in that and let harden before you take it off. (Don't worry it won't hurt because it is not hair removal wax.) or you could go to a nail shop and they will do the parafin for you for a few dollars per treatment.

you can use essential oils like lavender in a carrier oil like olive,seasame,almond,grapeseed...all you do is go to whole foods and buy some lavender essential oil and one of the carrier oils and you drop in about 5 to 10 drops in 2 tablespoons of the carrier oil..it is long lasting so you dont have to use it often..the lavender has antibacterial/healing properties

I'd call my doc and get a Rx....sorry!!!

I use a great product called "gloves in a bottle". It's fairly new so may be hard to find. Let me know and i can send you a sample. or go on line and see if they have a distributor near you. ____@____.com

Have you tried Cetaphil ? I really really like it, my little girl suffered from eczema when she was an infant and the dermatologist recommended it. I too have sensitive skin and use it as a moisturizer for face and body. My husband's hands have been extremely dry and he has started using it also. He's fussy but I have not heard any complaints...

I have found that the walmart or walgreens brand "equivalent" lotion works as well.

I hope this helps you.

I have the same problem and my favorite thing is Melaleuca's Renew lotion... works WONDERS! You have to order it online from www.melaleuca.com If you want to try it you pay full price but if you want to use it long term you can become a member and get it at a discount (kind of like sams or coscto...small anual fee... $30 the first year and $12 every year after that).

Stuff you can get at the store that works pretty good is Eucerin.... it's extremely greasy. Also Mineral Oil and sleep with gloves on over it. Last... there's stuff marketed for cow's udders because dairy cows are milked so much the crack a lot... It's called Bag Balm. It works great too.

I hope you find somthing that works for you!

Renew lotion from Melaleuca is the best for this. It out performs even the leading excema creams etc. I have some samples if you would like to pick them up. I am a referral agent for Melaleuca. You can view their products at www.melaleuca.com and then email me if you would like to get set up to order or just try a sample of renew to get some immediate relief for you hands. :) M.
www.SaferForYourHome.com/texas

I have the exact same problem and the two best things I have found are Dr. Scholl's Cracked Skin Cream or Gold Bond Ultimate Healing. They are both wonderful. What helps a lot is to put the cream on and rub it in about half way and then put socks or gloves over your hands and that will force the cream into your hands. HTH!
M.

Oh, I have the same problem! I am constantly washing my hands and the dry air just irritates them further. I use Eucerin Calming Cream (just bought some more today!) as much as I can tolerate (if my hands are cracked even this mild cream will burn). It is pretty greasy at first but that goes away quickly. Another thing I do is put a thick layer of lotion on in the evening and put either gloves or old (clean!) socks on my hands for at least 30 minutes at a time. This just keeps the lotion from getting all over while my skin absorbs as much as it can.

Another thing I do, which is actually better when my hands are on fire, is to use chapstick on them. I just buy a fresh stick and use it on my hands. It is greasy, but it does not burn at all (make sure it is just the plain "flavor").

I also suggest trying to wear gloves when washing dishes for a while. And keep some lotion next to your sink that you can put on right after you wash and dry your hands. Good luck...I feel for you!!!

And I second the other post that suggests using lanolin. I actually use that at night sometimes with the gloves or socks because it is really sticky. Use it sparingly because a little goes a long way. I'm glad I read that post, I think I'm going to use it tonight! :-)

My hands are like that too in the winter. Blah! They feel tight and itchy and burn.
Aquaphor and Eucerine (which makes aquaphor) are great, but always hate the way they make my hands during the day- sticky or slimy or maybe it's both. I don't like that "stuff all over my hands" feeling, so I use Aveeno's daily moisturizing lotion. It coats well and soaks in and you can even wash your hands without them drying out.
Its not scented and doesn't burn. I like it a lot.
At night time, I don't mind the thicker moisturizers cause I'm asleep and who cares then. :) But the Aveeno is great during the day.
Good luck!

My hubby's hands felt like sandpaper,(sorry about spelling I'll have to sound it out) Neutrogena norweigen hand cream worked so well! It comes it a little bottle thats in a lil box in the cream section at walmart. Very thick, very good cream.

F.,

I know this sounds crazy, but Olive Oil is highly recommended for dry skin or eczema. As you probably know it is fairly cheap and found in the baking asile of your grocery store. I have done this myself, just use a small amount and rub it in well. Good Luck!

F., I am afraid I can't help U with the problem as my husband has the same problem. His skin on his hands and arms are terrible, no matter what we have tried, including going to a dermatologist. Of course, we are seniors, he is 76. I am going to be reading your responses with enthusiams.

Good luck.
J.

Hello F.:

Yes there is help. Remember aloe-vera? Yes, go to www.foreverliving.com to view the different aloe-vera lotions and health products. Feel free to contact me with questions.

Thank you,

D. P.
###-###-####
e-mail: ____@____.com

I would see a dermatologist. It sounds like you need a prescription cream. I also always use rubber gloves to do any dishes and if my hands get dry enough, wear cotton gloves with a heavy hand cream to bed at night. Good luck.

My dh has the same problem and his dermatologist told him to use Eucerin after every hand wash. Wear gloves when he is touching meats or any spices and when he cleans. We bought the gloves at Sally beauty supply since they had ones with out powder inside the gloves. If he has to help change a diaper he has to but gloves on. My dh will walk around the house with his hands covered in the Eucerin and it took a couple of week to get better.
Make sure you buy the one that is unscented.
Hope you feel better.

Vaseline not the lotion but the pertoleum jelly.It works great for really dry hands.You can also put lotion on at night and then where gloves it will hold the moisture in if you can stand it.Also soak your hand in oatmeal this works great and feel good to,

I have the same problem. Stop using cortisone, it is not for dry skin and if used for a long time can thin your skin and affect its integrity. I recommend Eucerin or Flexitol, they make one for feet and one for hands. My feet are the same as my hands and the cold weather is brutal. I also always were gloves and try very hard to not let my hands get cold. Even if it is only going to be 40-50 I still wear gloves. Oh the other thing is persistence. By a bottle of lotion for very room in your house, every vehicle, small ones for purses ect. I am a nurse so I wash my hands tons at work and I carry one in my pocket, it was hard for me to adjust to but is now just a habit. USE IT ALL THE TIME. Good Luck.

I have a cheap and easy treatment. Go to Walmart and get a tube of the generic petroleum jelly CREAM. It is $1.69 I think. It will be a tad greasy but rubbing it in real well will help that. My hands get the same way and I tried all kinds of expensive treatments. A lot of them burn when I put them on. I got the petroleum jelly cream for my daughter's chapped skin on her face when she had excema as a baby and discovered how great it is!

Hi F.,

It looks like you have gotten a lot of great advice about things to try. I suffer with very dry hands in the winter as well, cracked knuckles and the works, ouch! I try to keep my great lotion right by the sink and put some on everytime I wash my hands in addition to several other times during the day.

I noticed someone already mentioned the Arbonne products so will just "second" the recommendation for this company as that is what I use. I use the rejuvanating creme and the skin conditioning oil. What I like about the Arbonne products are that they work with out using mineral oil which is found in so very many lotions and which is a derivative of crude oil. There is some controversy about the safety of this ingredient. Also there are no animal by-products such as lanolin used in their formulations either. It is my understanding that lanolin is the excretion of sheep skin.

Arbonne's products really work on my very dry skin and are a bit more on the natural side than many of the products that you will find at the grocery store if that is of interest to you.

e-mail me at ____@____.com if you would like more info. about the products and where to get them. Good Luck! I really do hope you find what works best for you :)!

So you've gotten tons of reponses but not this one. I use just regular whatever lotion for everyday moisturizing but when my hands get really bad I use Lansinoh pure lanolin. I got some at the hospital when I was breastfeeding. It's marketed for cracked nipples but can be used on hands and chapped lips. A tiny bit goes a long way and it's natural, no burning, too much will be a little greasy so just a little at a time works wonders. Purple tube in the baby care aisle with diaper creams, bottles, etc. If I remember correctly Target carries it.

Looks like all the advice so far is topical, but I would encourage you to try something nutritional. I have suffered with dry hands for years and had Rx topical steroids to treat it. I recently heard, though, that taking an omega-3 supplement, especially fish oil, will help your skin. I've been taking this supplement for over a month now and can really tell a difference. The bottle says a serving is 2 caplets, but I get good results with just 1 a day. If I'm doing heavy cleaning, I'll take an extra one for a couple of days. If I'm diligent with the supplement, I don't use the Rx at all and can get by with only one application of lotion each day. Of course, check with your doctor to make sure the omega-3 won't interact with any other medications you may be taking. It's the best thing I've found that fits into my life as a busy mom. Good luck!

I have had a problem like yours for years. The ONLY thing I can use on my hands to alleviate this problem is A&D ointment. It is great. Unlike other creams/lotions it does not burn on contact. Any other think I have tried burns like mad when I put it on my hands. You can find A&D ointment at Albertson's in the baby section around the diaper rash creams. It comes either in a tube (similar to toothpaste) or a 1lb. jar. I have only purchased the smaller tube at Albertson's, but have purchased the jar at Toys'R Us. You can find that in the baby section there also. Theoretically Babies R' Us should have it too, but I haven't seen it there.

Here is a link so you can see what the jar looks like:
http://www.americarx.com/Products/1042.html

If you use A&D you should apply it at night. If you have to you can put it on during the day, but it is a little greasy/oily so avoid contact with your hair!

Trust me- I have suffered with dry/cracked hands ever since I can remember. I can't use Vaseline/Gold Bond/Eucerin/Olive Oil/anything else. No offense to any dermatologists out there, but no creams they have ever prescribed have helped. They all burn too much. I am now 26-and for over 20 years this stuff has helped me out!

Try 'Bag Balm'... it's antiseptic and smells medicinal, but it works great. I think you could find it at Wal-Mart. That's where I got a tin of it, and it's lasted forever b/c a little bit goes a long way.

We use Arbonne at our house. My husband is a physician and we have tried so many of the creams, etc. and nothing has worked as well. I'd love to share them with you. You can check it all out at www.foravibrantlife.myarbonne.com. I can also send you samples.

I have a great product called extreme repair it is great for the hands and it repairs it and also we have a great scrub called show of hands it has the oils and botanicals for your hands. My website is www.beautipage.com/dsbrashear or email me.

Thanks
D.

I have the same problem and love a product at Bath & Body Works called Gardener's hand therapy. It's got shea butter and "Seven Magical Plants" (that one cracked me up), but it works really good and doesn't sting.

Try Gold Bond or, as crazy as it sounds, Bag Balm. It's what farmers originally used on cow's udders for the very same reason. It is in the lotion aisle in a small, light green, square tin.

I use the Gold Bond Ultimate softening with Shea Butter at Walmart. My husband and I love it. I use it twice a week and my hands and feet feel great.

I swear by Zim's Crack Cream! It works like nothing else and I swear that I have tried them all!

Try vasoline. I know it would be slick touching things so wear some soft gloves after applying it. I would prefer doing it at night when you sleep.

Try Eucurin (not sure its spelled right)Aquaphor. You can get it at any drug store for about $9. Its a little greasy. I put it on at night and by the next morning it is better.

AVON'S MOISTURE THERAPY HAND CREAM IN THE BLUE CAP AND FOR BODY MOISTURE THERAPY CREAM IN THE JAR WITH THE BLUE CAP. GREAT EVEN FOR SORIASIS. AND EXEMA. GO TO www.myavon.com OR LOOK UP AVON IN THE WHITE PAGES, OR EMAIL ME BACK.

You have hand eczema - very common! I would be happy to see you in my practice as you need a prescription. I am in the park cities area www.dallascosmeticcenter.com

Things you can do in the mean time: stop all antibacterial soaps and you can never get enough moisture. I use Eucerin original mosturizing cream - it is a bit greasy but it is great. If you do get a fissure(a cut) you can actually use super glue to repair. Nothing is going to really help except a strong Rx cream - I would be happy to see you!

If you would like more info, I will be on Good Morning Texas tomorrow am on ABC around 9:30. We have been chosen as the GMT dermatology experts, and we are on TV every other thursday to see back episodes log onto www.wfaa.com/gmt/parkcities
Good luck!

I'll have to third Arbonne. I love the skin conditioning oil... but I also think the ABC Baby Oil works great too! It's the same price as the skin conditioning oil only in a much larger bottle. My sons have eczema, and this is the only thing that has relieved their pain and itching- I put a squirt in their bath as well as rub it into the dry spots on their skin... even the $50 Rx didn't do nearly as well as the Baby Oil. I've tried tons of baby oils, and I have to say, Arbonne's is definitely the best.

You're welcome to Shop Online and check out the products Arbonne has to offer:

http://amychichester.myarbonne.com/

A.

Sounds so bad! You need to get a product that will remove (Ex foliate) that dry skin to stop the cracking first before you can put some moisturizer on it to help. I use a great product called Silk Spa that I buy at Great Earth Vitamins. It's a hand and body polish that helps my cracked dry knuckles from me washing them in the winter time. It really works and I suppose any other product that is similar would work just as well. I would check a health food store or a place that sells skin products.
Hope this helps,
C.

F.,

The mixing up of many things will help get your skin back in balance. Eucerin cream, Curel natural healing lotion, Mary Kay's Satin Hands www.marykay.com/KatDuck, olive oil - a little dab will do ya!, and keep drinking water! At our house we do it all during the winter months. We have the excema and pets and my husband has to get spelling? clortisome with something for his itchies...

Good luck and I can give you a sample of the Satin Hands free! Part of the business plus if you really like it - the product is 100% guaranteed by the Company!