Dry Skin - Any Tips?

pookie-poo

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My hands are so dry that the skin on the tips of my fingers is cracking. I work in surgery, and I probably do at least 10 surgical scrubs a day. I also wash my hands between cases, between patients, and a bazillion more times a day! I try to use lotions between cases, but it only stays on my hands for about 20 minutes before I have to do another surgical scrub, so I don't get much relief. As soon as I leave work for the day, I apply hand cream, and re-apply several times in the evening and before bed, but my skin is still dry, chapped, cracked and sometimes bleeding. This worries me because, after my surgical gloves, intact skin is my best defense against blood-born pathogens like hepatitis B, hep C and HIV that I could come into contact with during surgery.

I've tried so many different lotions and creams, but still haven't found the one that seems to do it all. I've tired Body Shoppe Body Butter - makes my hands too sticky. Bath and Body Works lotions and creams - feels nice for such a short time, doesn't really heal. Eucerin - way too greasy! Bag Balm - oh man...can't get past the smell >GAK<. Plain 'ole Vaseline - doesn't soak in and way too greasy! USP Lanolin ointment - greasy, stinky, doesn't soak in. Too many different kinds from the health & beauty isles to even list here...most of them moisturize for a moment and then they disappear. The stuff that I had the best luck in the past with is Lac-Hydrin (12% ammonium lactate) cream. It used to be prescription only, but now is sold OTC (if you can afford $30 for a 5 oz. tube!) Lac-Hydrin doesn't seem to be working for me anymore now. I use it regularly and it's not healing my poor cracked skin. I've even bought some VetBond tissue adhesive (similar to the Dermabond skin sealant that we use in surgery) to glue the cracks on my fingertips together.

Does anyone have any 'tried & true' lotions or creams that work for you? Any suggestions? I really seem to be suffering this winter!!!

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icklemiss21

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Originally Posted by Trouts mom

Have you tried that cow udder cream? Apparently it is THE best thing to use..
It takes while to soak in also, but would be a great 'overnight' repair

I am a big fan of Aveeno (it was all we had in the house as teenagers as my sister is allergic to pretty much everything else and it was the only thing that helped with her excema)
 

esrgirl

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I like the Neutragena formula mentioned and also St. Ives Intensive Healing lotion. Burt's Bees makes a foot cream that comes in a tube that works great as well if you buy some of those moisture gloves, slather your hands in the Burt's Bees foot cream, then cover them with the gloves. Garden Botanika makes my favorite gloves. Parrafin (sp?) dip is wonderful to. I do not scrub in ever though, I just wash my hands gazillions of times and use that hand foam before and after visiting patients. My hands mostly just peel and get red, so I don't know if what works for me will work for you. Good luck!

http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/...ubCategory=yes

I guess Garden Botanika no longer has those gloves.
 

gailc

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While my hands get dry in the spring/summer months they aren't as bad as yours.
Your need to switch from a lotion to a creme. Eucerin (not the fake stuff) works really well for me. Also you have to sleep with gloves on-I can usually last about 3-4 hours with them on but it makes a BIG difference. Or if you are just watching TV wear those gloves-nothing fancy just thin cotton gloves. Also any tasks at home-like doing dishes-wear rubber gloves as the water is so drying on your skin.
What other products work well is Crabtree & Evelyn Gardener's Hand Therapy.
or if you want to check out this website-www.naturesacres-herbals.com. I've been buying products from this lady for several years. She raises her own herbs for her products and I recommend the Rose Comfrey or Sweet Violet Creams. You may be able to email her for advise too.
 

kiwideus

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I use Lush's dream cream - it is mostly natural and it smells herbal, but it really works - I suffer from dry skin and some patches of eczema and this stuff clears it right up, right away. I love it.
You can ask Lush to give you a sample to try before you buy. That is what I did and got a 10% discount when I did buy it.
 

abigail

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i think that using the heaviest cream you have is a great starter and i would add two changes: Put the cream on right after giving yours hands a short soak in warm water - the point is to lock the moisture in, creams dont ADD moisture. And then put on thin white cotton gloves so the cream doesn't rub off on sheets clothing etc. then go to bed.
 

wookie130

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Have you tried Aquafilic? It's thick pasty cream that comes in a plain white tub, and it has no scent at all. You basically smear it on the dry areas at night, put gloves on, and go to sleep...it is thick stuff, and won't absorb too well. I too have extremely dry skin, and so does my son, and we always have to keep a tub of this gunk on hand...it works great, and is often recommended and prescribed by dermatologists to treat eczema, and extreme dry patches. You can get it in Wal-Mart or Wal-greens.
 

katl8e

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A recent newspaper article recommended zinc, for dry skin and advised to use zinc-oxide based diaper rash ointment (i.e.: Desitin). I have a dry, itchy, sore, cracked elbow and have been doing twice-a-day applications of this ointment. It seems to be helping and I can get it at the 99-cent store. (Expensive isn't always necessarily better.)
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Trouts mom

Have you tried that cow udder cream? Apparently it is THE best thing to use..
I believe that's the Bag Balm she said she couldn't get past the smell of.

My hubby suffers as you do - he puts the Bag Balm on before bed and wears white cotton gloves while sleeping. It has helped him just by wearing the gloves. Perhaps wearing gloves with the moisturizer you choose will help you.
 

icklemiss21

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The 'official' udder balm is a little different from bag balm (personally bag balm does wonders for the skin but the smell makes me want to
)

I have the unscented udder balm and although it does have some scent to it (it smells like my face cream) it isn't strong at all and they have a lemon scented one also
 
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pookie-poo

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Oh good! Lots of great ideas! I just bought 12 pairs of cotton gloves on e-Bay (LOVE e-Bay!!! I need a 12 step program!) The scentless udder cream sounds good, might have to give that a try. I'm really looking forward to trying some different creams and the cotton gloves. Hopefully I will find a combination that works!

Any more suggestions?


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krazy kat2

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Gold Bond lotion works pretty well. Tattoo Goo and Tat Wax are awful for healing tattoos, but I found they work great for my dry hands. I am a part time massage therapist, so I am a frequent hand washer. They both come in a nice little tin you can carry in your pocket. They last better than I though a small tin would last, too.
 

white cat lover

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Gloves In A Bottle lotion worked somewhat for me...it supposedly doensn't wash off...no matter how many times you wash!

My dermatologist told me to use Curel...I also use Eucerin cream & Queen Helene Cocoa Butter stuff...
 

duchess15

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I have the same problem and for the same reason you do I keep my hands lotioned as best as I can. I found Vaseline intensive care advanced healing to really help. It's a thick lotion that absorbs into your skin, but I also believe it is waterproof which is really important! That keeps the lotion from washing off.
 

menagerie mama

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My all time favorite hand cream is Neutrogena hand cream. It works great! I love it, and there's a girl I work with that saw me putting it on one day and said "You use that too?" And pulled a tube out of her pocket. She said she has eczema and nothing but that works for her. And just last night I shook a lady's hand and she said "wow your hands are so soft!" Gold Bond medicated body lotion also feels good and soothes cuz it has aloe and vitamin E, and seems to have a menthol-ish base. Refreshing.
 
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