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Dry, cracked hands and split fingers? Step on in.

Jefe's Dope

Red Forman
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Dec 20, 2017
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    I've been handling a lot of paper this Winter and it's drying me out even more than the usual here in dry Colorado. I have tried a couple products with some good results and found a trick, probably not a new one, that has been extremely helpful. Thought I'd share and hoped you might share your tips and tricks in regards to dry, split fingers and hands.

    This is my dry hand first aid kit. The newest is the Bag Balm and while greasy/oily, it works much better than I expected. The superglue is a life saver. I use it on the splits and cracks and it keeps them from continuing to split and really help with the pain of those splits. Great for paper cuts as well.

    IMG_0003.jpeg
     
    Vaseline. No gimmicks, it works.
    The Bag Balm is similar to Vaseline. I assume petroleum jelly with some herbs and spices. It smells like last nights campfire after it rained most the night. The one downside to Bag Balm.
     
    I've been handling a lot of paper this Winter and it's drying me out even more than the usual here in dry Colorado. I have tried a couple products with some good results and found a trick, probably not a new one, that has been extremely helpful. Thought I'd share and hoped you might share your tips and tricks in regards to dry, split fingers and hands.

    This is my dry hand first aid kit. The newest is the Bag Balm and while greasy/oily, it works much better than I expected. The superglue is a life saver. I use it on the splits and cracks and it keeps them from continuing to split and really help with the pain of those splits. Great for paper cuts as well.

    View attachment 7767305
    Yeah, i used superglue and baking powder(rapid setting agent) on a slice i was bleeding from. I use lucerin but it's greasy for a long time after, but works great.
     
    In a pinch blistex with duct tape over works really well. I'm a big fan of the okeeffes working hands
     
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    I've used all of them and several more. Winter is worst time. All work but best for me has been remembering to wear gloves when working on greasy/dirty stuff so I don't have to wash hands so often. Nitrile/poly/etc, mechanix wear type gloves, whatever. If I forget and start getting some cracking/spliting - Goldbond lotion has been working good lately. Key is not to get to that point.
     
    On the north slope folks will use a quart of Vaseline each month to prevent any exposed skin from the cold wind drying them out. If their skin cracks they lose the job.
     
    I've been having a terrible time this year with the skin on my hand just splitting in little painful slits.
    The doctor said something about wash your hands a lot less, but I'm way too picky about being clean to not wash my hands all the time.

    The problem I had is that most hand creams have some acid or such in them (hence you you can't use them on your dick), and using them for too long started to make my skin way to thin and sensitive to where things hurt a lot. Currently I'm using 100% shea butter which works well, the only problem is because it's so messy I can't use it during the day much.

    You know you have a dry cracking skin problem when you can't like... because your hand is way too rough...
     
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    Superglue works great on those damn cracks. The working hands lotion works good too.
    Cardboard dries the shit out of my hands and handling boxes all day makes it worse.
     
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    The weird thing is I used to suffer with this until a few years ago, but now don't (mid-50's here). That "working hands" cream was the best I found. I even have a tub of it in my primary vehicle from around 2015, but have not used it in years. I used to drive/ride out to Tractor Supply to buy it.
     
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    Bag balm. Before things get bad, put it on heavy before bed and then wear latex or nitrile gloves overnight. If it gets bad, you can do the same during the day while working if the gloves fit well. If they are too loose, it makes working harder. I imagine many of the remedies would work equally well under gloves. As stated earlier, the key is preventive maintenance.
     
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    I have dealt with dry hands and splitting skin at the edge of my finger nails.... My Dad had this issue.

    I finally broke down and went to a dermatologist, a real Doctor. Of all things she had this condition, also. She had done extensive research. She explained to me that it was a genetic condition. At one time my Dad was told the same thing by a Doctor. So, part of the reason comes from the gene pool.

    Second, she explained that IF I could remove all of the "perfumes" from all of the products I use, that would help the condition. Things like Downey fabric softener, certain clothes washing detergents are highly perfumes (Tide, etc), use a different soap to wash dishes. I got away from Dawhn dish washing soap and moved to some that were not as harsh. Shampoo was also a place we pick up perfumes so I went to a less scented shampoo..... The list of perfumes is long and, as she agreed, we will never remove all of the perfumes but we can eliminate the majority. Just make notes on anything that can be absorbed through your skin.

    Next, I upped my vitamin intake... Rather than take a multi vitamin, I started taking specific vitamins and nutrients. American's are consuming large amounts of processed foods and we are shorting ourselves on basic vitamins. I jokingly tell people I am on vitamin A,B,C,D,E and if there were more lettered vitamins I'd be taking them.

    My "go to" hand cream is Aquaphor Healing treatment. I slather that stuff on my finger tips and put on a pair of the cheap blue gloves from Harbor Freight and then put on my regular work gloves.... At times when the condition gets real bad, I will wear the blue gloves to bed to hold the Aquaphor in place on my hands...

    In my case, wearing wet / damp gloves compounds the issue of finger skin splitting... Being in Montana, the weather condition certainly is a challenge.

    I have tried all of the above mentioned products with limited success... In my case I can literately feel pain in the area that is going to split a day before it actually starts to split and I double up on the remedies.

    The road to healing your hands is a long one that requires due diligence in maintaining them.

    Finding a Dermatologist that really understands the condition is difficult... Like a needle in a hay stack.

    Best of luck...
     
    When I use to pull traps in the winter(lobster traps) we used Preparation H and super glue for splits and cuts. You would still have rough hands but the skin would no longer dry out and crack.
    Burt Bees products are/were owned by a first-class antigun ass so there is that as well
     
    We recently had to repair the pipe that drains the washing machine and during that time, we had to hand wash our clothes. Holy shit! I have never experienced such dry hands in my life after hand washing clothes!
     
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    I have tried all of the above mentioned products with limited success... In my case I can literately feel pain in the area that is going to split a day before it actually starts to split

    I get that exact same thing, I'm like oh crap tomorrow this is going to be split and hurt tomorrow.

    I use a lot of dawn dish soap.

    What did you find that works better?
     
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    I have dealt with dry hands and splitting skin at the edge of my finger nails.... My Dad had this issue.

    I finally broke down and went to a dermatologist, a real Doctor. Of all things she had this condition, also. She had done extensive research. She explained to me that it was a genetic condition. At one time my Dad was told the same thing by a Doctor. So, part of the reason comes from the gene pool.

    Second, she explained that IF I could remove all of the "perfumes" from all of the products I use, that would help the condition. Things like Downey fabric softener, certain clothes washing detergents are highly perfumes (Tide, etc), use a different soap to wash dishes. I got away from Dawhn dish washing soap and moved to some that were not as harsh. Shampoo was also a place we pick up perfumes so I went to a less scented shampoo..... The list of perfumes is long and, as she agreed, we will never remove all of the perfumes but we can eliminate the majority. Just make notes on anything that can be absorbed through your skin.

    Next, I upped my vitamin intake... Rather than take a multi vitamin, I started taking specific vitamins and nutrients. American's are consuming large amounts of processed foods and we are shorting ourselves on basic vitamins. I jokingly tell people I am on vitamin A,B,C,D,E and if there were more lettered vitamins I'd be taking them.

    My "go to" hand cream is Aquaphor Healing treatment. I slather that stuff on my finger tips and put on a pair of the cheap blue gloves from Harbor Freight and then put on my regular work gloves.... At times when the condition gets real bad, I will wear the blue gloves to bed to hold the Aquaphor in place on my hands...

    In my case, wearing wet / damp gloves compounds the issue of finger skin splitting... Being in Montana, the weather condition certainly is a challenge.

    I have tried all of the above mentioned products with limited success... In my case I can literately feel pain in the area that is going to split a day before it actually starts to split and I double up on the remedies.

    The road to healing your hands is a long one that requires due diligence in maintaining them.

    Finding a Dermatologist that really understands the condition is difficult... Like a needle in a hay stack.

    Best of luck...
    I'm speaking very far out of my league, apologies if you have already considered this thought.

    Before my dad died, damn, it still chokes me up, he was on chemo. And while on it he would get horrible hand and foot syndrome.
    If I understand it correctly, the chemo was coming out his palms of his hands and feet which caused him to severely crack. He was tough though, could take anything.

    I wonder, if you hadn't already, if you read about the hand and foot syndrome, could there be something useful for you in it
     
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    This is my go to after a recommendation from a friend who works on powerlines.

    A little greasy at first but nothing is better

    98C78277-2147-49F0-B457-C1A2A683149E.jpeg
     
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    Why do you think hookers hand are so soft, its from that sticky natural hand cream.
     
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    As most have said....stay on top of it and you wont have issues. As a kid, my mom had me believe vasoline was the only cure for dry hands.....hated it.

    First gf introduced me to hand lotion. My hands/feet have been good ever since.

    I had split webs, fingers and all that as a kid. Now, every shower, hand was, etc., I lotion up. I also keep Jergens in my truck and apply it everytime I get in. I bet I lotion my hands 10 times a day. They are always good now, and I use them a lot. Im never having the hands I had as a kid. Some of that was painful!

    Now I need a cure for the arthritis in my hands!
     
    Aveeno through out the day and O'Keeffe's at night. Been battling the dry/cracked hand for my whole adult life and this seems to keep it a minimum.
     
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    Bag balm and udderly smooth both work. If you are using the super glue gels to seal up splits and cracks it works well. I highly recommend a spray bottle of super glue accelerator. Makes it set up instantly so you aren't stuck for a couple mins trying to hold the splits together and likely gluing your fingers together. I'll see if I can upload a pic of it. Side note, cyanoacrylate (super glue) is neurotoxic. Try not to get it down into the cuts (why the gel is better than the liquid). I have had more than one patient think they were smart and superglue a lost crown back on their tooth and all they end up doing is killing the tooth nerve and needing a root canal afterwords.
    IMG_20211223_074700944_HDR.jpg
     
    Corn Husker is full of alcohol. Nothing dries shit faster than alcohol.

    I've tried everything on this thread and nothing works better for me than this
    cc4f88552aba1220586188375c77c6a8_ra,w380,h380_pa,w380,h380.jpg
     
    I get that exact same thing, I'm like oh crap tomorrow this is going to be split and hurt tomorrow.

    I use a lot of dawn dish soap.

    What did you find that works better?
    Palmolive is not as harsh as Dawn.... But, it is a combination of all of the things I talked about... I like to come out of a shower smelling good... All those "smell good" products contribute to skin issues.
     
    I've been handling a lot of paper this Winter and it's drying me out even more than the usual here in dry Colorado. I have tried a couple products with some good results and found a trick, probably not a new one, that has been extremely helpful. Thought I'd share and hoped you might share your tips and tricks in regards to dry, split fingers and hands.

    This is my dry hand first aid kit. The newest is the Bag Balm and while greasy/oily, it works much better than I expected. The superglue is a life saver. I use it on the splits and cracks and it keeps them from continuing to split and really help with the pain of those splits. Great for paper cuts as well.

    View attachment 7767305
    Bag Balm is great....anything good for a tittie is good for me! haha Actually, if you ever get a bit of road rash, the balm is essential. Keeps from forming thick heavy cracking scab and seems to support quicker healing. Good stuff.

    And I personally use Crazy Glue like crazy in the winter as I get these deep cracks in my fingers at the same frakin place every year. Glue that sucker and all is good.

    Cheer
     
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    View attachment 7767349
    Best stuff for working hands

    I have used Corn Huskers for years. It's about the only thing I have ever found that didn't leave my hands feeling greasy. The company that made it sold out, and it is no longer made. I've been trying some different hand lotions/creams and can't find anything I like.

    Is there any company that makes a very similar product?
     
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