# Dry hands



## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

My poor hands are so dry! Nothing I have tried works, I've tried Bag Balm, Vaseline, Lanolin nothing works. Any other suggestions ate welcome.


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## mommathea (May 27, 2009)

Have you tried bee's wax, coconut oil, joba oil?


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## foaly (Jan 14, 2008)

Eucerin cream


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

I have tried the Coconut Oil with limited success, I haven't tried the others. I would like to try a Bee's Wax salve if I can find a good one. All the Eucerin Cream's I looked at had alcohol in them which makes it worse mabey I can find one without.


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## foaly (Jan 14, 2008)

Dreamy said:


> I have tried the Coconut Oil with limited success, I haven't tried the others. I would like to try a Bee's Wax salve if I can find a good one. All the Eucerin Cream's I looked at had alcohol in them which makes it worse mabey I can find one without.


You're right, Dreamy. I never noticed the lanolin alcohol in Eucerin. It sure works for me.

Have you tried Cornhusker's Lotion?


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## rhaige9 (Oct 31, 2010)

I had a doc once recommend Euceruin. Twice actually. DD had a patch of excema and since I'm a dog groomer, I'm constantly washing my hands and stripping all the natural oils off them.


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Dreamy, have you tried thoroughly wetting your hands with water and THEN applying the Eucerin, Vaseline or whatever? Thereafter, you can use Norwegian Formula hand cream and it works great. It comes in a tube and you can get it at any drugstore or grocery store. It's a bit expensive but it really does work, and you only use a TINY amount, instead of having to slather your hands with gobs of the cheap stuff. My hands were in such dry condition that they were cracked and hurt, and this is what I use.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Elocn I've never tried this, as I happen to have some of this on hand I will try it. I will also try the Eucerin.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Drink more water. The skin is hydrated from the inside....and if you are not drinking enough water, coupled with all the out side forces, hands get so dry they crack and bleed.


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## stormywood (Jul 10, 2009)

Straight shea butter or if you can't find it, straight mashed up avocado!


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Dreamy said:


> My poor hands are so dry! Nothing I have tried works, I've tried Bag Balm, Vaseline, Lanolin nothing works. Any other suggestions ate welcome.


Lanolin and lavender oil twice a day. The Lanolin will work for dryness if it is pure enough, and the lavendar doesn't burn, but disinfects.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Wow great ideas, thanks! Stormywood why the avocado?


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

Mink oil,nothing better.


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## Merit (Jul 15, 2009)

I'm very surprised the lanolin didn't work. That stuff is the Be All End All...


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

If you can stand it, a good trick is to slather on whatever lotion or cream of your choice pretty thick, after a bath or just soaking your hands in warm water for a few minutes, just before bed and then wear gloves to bed. They have special ones you can buy either in the pharmacy or makeup sections of stores, but you can just use any cheap gloves, as long as they fit close, not loose like gardening or work gloves (can also be done with socks for the feet). Do that every night for a week or two, and you should see a big difference. 

It's what dermatologists recommend for diabetics. They also recommend Eucerin Intensive Repair cream over others. Apparently, it has enough emollients and urea to prevent drying, while the alpha hydroxy exfoliates the dead dry skin and encourages new cell growth. 

I have bad problems with cellulitis of my legs, the left in particular, and have a recurring ulcer that sometimes goes down to the bone. Lately, they've been having me soak it in a bucket of warm water with Dreft baby soap and using a light rubbing to debride it during the soak, then slathering on the Eucerin and wrap in an Ace bandage (since a sock won't cover it all), and it's looking better now than it ever has, even after surgical debridement.

Good luck!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

calliemoonbeam said:


> If you can stand it, a good trick is to slather on whatever lotion or cream of your choice pretty thick, after a bath or just soaking your hands in warm water for a few minutes, just before bed and then wear gloves to bed. They have special ones you can buy either in the pharmacy or makeup sections of stores, but you can just use any cheap gloves, as long as they fit close, not loose like gardening or work gloves (can also be done with socks for the feet). Do that every night for a week or two, and you should see a big difference.
> 
> It's what dermatologists recommend for diabetics. They also recommend Eucerin Intensive Repair cream over others. Apparently, it has enough emollients and urea to prevent drying, while the alpha hydroxy exfoliates the dead dry skin and encourages new cell growth.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice! When I put stuff on my hands lately I will do it at night and wear gloves to bed. It has really helped as much as I thought it would but I didn't try it with the Eucerin yet.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

You're welcome! Put some on and spend a couple of minutes really rubbing it in, and then put on another coat pretty thick, until you feel like a greased pig, lol. Part of it is also the warm (pretty warm, but not super hot) soak, it helps it absorb into the skin better. 

I was leery of the Eucerin too, especially since I apparently have a lanolin sensitivity, but they have me take Benadryl (and have a back-up prescription med if that's not enough, but so far not a problem), and it's been working wonders for me. Here's a FAQ about Eucerin that explains that lanolin alcohol, urea, etc. http://www.eucerinus.com/faqs.html#q14

Good luck!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

calliemoonbeam said:


> You're welcome! Put some on and spend a couple of minutes really rubbing it in, and then put on another coat pretty thick, until you feel like a greased pig, lol. Part of it is also the warm (pretty warm, but not super hot) soak, it helps it absorb into the skin better.
> 
> I was leery of the Eucerin too, especially since I apparently have a lanolin sensitivity, but they have me take Benadryl (and have a back-up prescription med if that's not enough, but so far not a problem), and it's been working wonders for me. Here's a FAQ about Eucerin that explains that lanolin alcohol, urea, etc. http://www.eucerinus.com/faqs.html#q14
> 
> Good luck!


Thanks for the link, I've been wondering about the lanolin alcohol. I didn't do the soak last night but I did put some Eucerin on with gloves and slept with it and it helped somewhat. Tonight I will do the soak and gloves.


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## shellmar (Apr 4, 2008)

I have found that Aquaphor which is from the makers of Eucerin helps to heal my hands.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

It is the water that will probably be of most help. Drink lots and lots of it. Seems the older we get, the more we need to drink. Also, Flaxseed Oil helps keep moisture in the body.


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

Working Hands - waxy white stuff in a jar my sister introduced me to years ago. They used it in the barns when she was in Vet school in CO, best stuff ever for dry hands.

ETA - we order ours online but our Harbor Freight carries it too.


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## OUVickie (Mar 8, 2003)

I use Shea Butter or Cocoa butter - they seem to work really well. You can get those and body butter, which i think is a combination of those, at the Dollar Tree or Dollar General pretty cheap. 
I hope you can find something that helps, I know how painful cracked hands can be.


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## highlandview (Feb 15, 2007)

My hands crack and itch. I also get a little bump like rash in the winter. Tea tree oil has cleared this up for me. It seems to treat whatever is going on. I also at night moisturize them with Cocoa Butter.


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## thejerseylilly (Feb 17, 2011)

If you want them to be really soft....take a tsp of cooking oil, and about half a tsp of salt. Rub rub rub...and rub somemore. Then wash in warm water and some mild soap. Then pat your hands dry...and put on your favorite hand lotion. You'll be amazed at how soft they are. 
Also one of the main causes of dry hands, chapped lips, etc is lack of vitamin C.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

I am allergic to many hand creams...especially to the preservatives used in them. I get so itchy that I dig and make the itching worse sometimes. I have found that using some neomycin ointment first to combat any secondary infection from scratching at my skin is a good base, THEN I use Udder Balm cream that I get from Tractor Supply Co. 

I have used all the afore mentioned lotions, balms, creams, veggies... and some do some good for me but for 20 yrs now Udder Balm has been so good to my very very sensitive hands. If your hands are super irritated everything is going to burn. You may need a cortisone cream stronger than OTC stuff to calm your hystamine makers....or at least a clairatin pill (I get cheapo generic-works fine) or benedryl to calm the allergic respnses. Then neomycin, then Udder balm...and you might want to wear some clean cotton socks or gloves over night to keep the moisture in.

My dermatologist gave me a sample of cera ve lotion and it's gentle and thin enough for facial lotion. Cetaphil ( or wally'world's Equate version) are cheaper and gentle also. BUT nothing is a gentle and lightly scented and effective as good ol Udder balm ( not to be confused with Bag Balm).

My adult cousin has the same problems as I did and I sent him a container of Udder Balm and he is now singing it's praises too...after years of painfully cracked hands.

I feel for you!
*drink more water too!!!!
-scrt crk


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks for all the advice, I will try them all. Im trying to drink more water lately as i find I'm thirsty alot.


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## Natalia (Mar 4, 2011)

Ive has the best luck with using solid fats like shea, cocoa, kpangnan, coconut, and even plain crisco to wet seal like metioned above. I exfoliate every other day with various things like baking soda, coffee grounds, sugar, ect... give my hands a good soak and then apply. Also try to be very dilligent about applying ANY time your hands are in water. Good luck!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Natalia said:


> Ive has the best luck with using solid fats like shea, cocoa, kpangnan, coconut, and even plain crisco to wet seal like metioned above. I exfoliate every other day with various things like baking soda, coffee grounds, sugar, ect... give my hands a good soak and then apply. Also try to be very dilligent about applying ANY time your hands are in water. Good luck!


Thanks I often wondered if exfoliating would help.


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## Genevie (Jan 29, 2010)

Sounds like I am a bit late to the party but I wanted to recommend miracle of aloe foot cream (or hand cream, I just started with the foot cream in the first place and figured if it was working, why switch). It is the only thing I have ever found that will go beyond quick moisturizing and get those splits and cracks to heal up fast. If my hands are chapped, I put it on before bed and by morning the splits are sealed and soft enough to not bust open again.


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Dreamy, I'm wondering why you have been thirsty. Is it because you have been eating a lot of salt? If so, drink more water. But being thirsty all the time is a warning sign of diabetes. I don't want to alarm you, but you might want to see a doctor.


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## cjean (May 1, 2007)

> But being thirsty all the time is a warning sign of diabetes. I don't want to alarm you, but you might want to see a doctor.


This is true, maybe you should get tested...

Also, I want to suggest Burt's Bees Hand Salve. DH used it to help his psoriasis on the palms of his hands. 

More importantly, you might want to try taking EFAs (essential fatty acids) every day. Olive, borage, black cumin, flax seed oil...they really help the dry skin issues. Seriously!


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