Help! I have dry hands. My hands are so dry that they make me look much older than my 25 years, ahem...well, then....
O.k. so I'm not 25 but my hands really are extremely dry. I have tried all different types of lotions, creams and potions and haven't found anything that works. Since Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer was doing a backwards Works For Me Wednesday I thought I would ask the Internet if you had any suggestions.
So, do you? What works for you?
29 comments:
To get your dry hands under control, cover your hands with vaseline. Then wear vinyl gloves (not latex). Wear them to bed (or as long as possible). Do this every night.
For maintenance, use a hand cream with dimethicone in it like Neutrogena Norwegian formula hand cream. Apply many times a day, especially after washing your hands.
For the cracks in your skin, buy a new tube of super glue. Apply the glue to the cracks. This will keep the irritants out. As your skin heals it will push the glue out. Do not use this tube for anything else.
I hope this helps.
I get really dry skin and I have learned that perfumes in lotion don't help they hurt so when my hands are really dry I use Cetaphil®. I buy the version in a tub and I really like it.
Smiles!
Ok ... I was going to tell you the vaseline tip but I see someone already has ! I do this on my feet when they get really dry ... and occasionally on my hands. I just wear socks ... on my hands too ! Sleep in them and your hands will be so much softer in the morning ...
I stopped by to visit from the link on Mari's blog. Love your blog. I'll be back.
The post about your little girls hair ... that had me rolling ! Sooo funny !! I have a 4 year old daughter and I so get what you are talking about !! Would your little girl sleep with her hair braided ? Might stop the tangles every morning ...
I third the Vaseline. :) And the gloves at night. It's the only thing that works for me. Also, check the hand soap you're using. I switched hand soaps to one with shea butter and it's made a huge difference in how dry my hands are.
I fourth the vaseline!! Also try to stay away from lotions were the first ingredient is water.
My husband has the same problem. His fingertips split and it is so painful. We have several products that work well for us. One is the generic version of Eucerin cream (in a jar) and we buy that at WalMart. It's about $9 less than the name brand.
Instead of Vaseline, I like Mary Kay's Extra Emollient Night Cream. I'll put that on my hands and cover them with an old pair of cotton socks and go to bed. I also use that on my elbows and chapped lips.
Once the dry skin is under control, I love Shaklee's Enfuselle Hand and Body Lotion.
www.shaklee.net/wjgraves
Wow, thrills seems to have covered all the basis. The glue thing...I had no idea!
Off topic a little - is your humidifier working properly?
Heidi
There's a new lotion out called Gloves in a Bottle. I'm actually reviewing it for a blog post right now and love it. It really moisturizes your skin making you feel like you were always wearing gloves. You can buy it online at www.glovesinabottle.com or at specialty sewing/knitting/crafting stores. It's made for people with especially dry skin.
I wish I could help but nothing works me for. My hands are like dust they are so dry! First visit to your blog but I'll be back.
My hubby uses Vitamin E Skin Care Cream by Fruit of the Earth (found at Wal-Mart) and I use Shea Body Butter - Brazilian Nut by Tree Hut (found at Wal-Mart). I have extremely dry hands and for me the body butter has helped my hands.
The biggest problem I have with my dry hands is maitenance...keeping up with the lotions etc. But, here are things that have worked well...if I would just stay on top of them:
1. Wearing rubber gloves while doing dishes
2. Using Palmolive dish soap
3. Using MaryKay night cream at night....or during the day with a band-aid over top until the cracked part heals
4. CeraVe hand cream (less greasy for day use)
5. Using lotion OFTEN during the day (in morning, after shower, after dishes, after washing hands, before supper, before bed)
Good luck!
Mary Kay's Extra Emollient Night Cream.... dampen your hands, then apply the night cream, then cover with gloves (if going to bed) or plastic baggies (if lounging for while). The baggies help your body heat stay close so your skin can absorb more of the good moisture.
Yep. The vaseline and gloves works well. I just need to find mine, since my knuckles are currenty cracked & bleeding...
Oh HONEY! Get thee to Bath and Body works and buy some TRUE BLUE SPA - LOOK MA, NEW HANDS! (yes it really is called that).
My most handsome other half has dry skin so bad it cracks and bleeds in the winter, this is the ONLY stuff that helps him.
ps: for a great foot treatment buy their foot lotion, rub it on, put on some heavy socks and sleep in them. Next morning, VOILA...new feet!
I read the vaseline tips, will have to try that.
Also meant to warn you, that stuff is about $12.00 for a 2.5 oz bottle.
I love, love, love Neutrogena Norweigian Formula!
I've also heard that people love Aquaphor.
Ok, I'm from Texas and this may sound odd but for super dry skin like on my elbows I use Udder Butter. It what they use on cow teats when they crack from too much milking. They sell it at Walmart with the human lotions though too so I promise I'm not a complete freak. I swear this stuff is magical. You can buy it here at drugstore.com http://www.drugstore.com/templates/brand/default.asp?brand=27890&aid=336064&aparam=udderly_smooth . And it lasts forever.
Drink more water. Hydrate from the inside out. Take a vitamin. Take an E supplement.
Wear lotion (I don't do petroleum based skin products if I can help it) to bed with cotton gloves every night until they're better. Try coconut oil (straight up - way cheaper, too, than lotion) or olive oil. Remember that your skin is an organ just like your stomach, so if you wouldn't put it in your stomach, don't put it on your skin.
I think petroleum products, while they do work in the short term, do more harm in the long term. I wouldn't eat it, I don't put it on my body or on my kids.
I like Mary Kay's Night Emollient cream too but I like to use it with the whole Satin Hands set. The night stuff does work great on hands or anywhere that is extra dry.. I've even used it on my face before...not cover my face, but spot it where I have dry spots!
I love the Mary Kay Satin Hands set but lately my hands have been so dry that nothing was helping. I finally asked my doctor and he said Eucerin cream in the tub was the best thing I could use - he told me to use it every time I wash my hands. I have been doing that for a week & no more cracks - my hands look much better!
Once you find a solution - let me know too! Thanks - Kellan
My WW post today might help:
http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/01/09/works-for-me-wednesday-shortenings-not-just-for-cooking/
Of course, I didn't read directions and posted a solution, not an answer, but come on over - Mama's little baby loves shortenin', shortenin'.... :-)
Good luck!!
Pssst, you can buy it at your local grocery store, if it has a decent amount of natural/organic products! Check the baking aisle or the oils section. If you have a grocery store like Fred Meyer, where I shop all the time, they have a separate section for organic/natural products, and that's where they have it. Let me tell you, it's WAY cheaper than buying a similar sized tub of Eucerin or Aquafor or a similar product, and without the parabens and other unhealthy things. I agree with the commenter above who won't put it on her skin unless it's practically edible! It all ends up in the same place, anyway - our skin is incredibly porous. :-)
Mary Kay's Satin Hands.
Camille Beckman's hand therapy. It smells wonderful and stays put for a long time. I use it year round, but especially in winter.
I have very dry hands too; especially when the kids were babies and I was washing ALL the time (diaper changes etc). I use Glycosemed and I always try to wear gloves when I'm doing the dishes.
I try the glove/sock thing at night (my heels are horrible too) but it disturbs my sleep. What a princess, I know :)
Emollient Cream by Mary Kay I think its only $11 and it is wonderful for dry anything, fever blisters....it is awesome.....if you dont want to fork that much out anything with Shea Butter in it....Bath and Body Works has some and you can even buy it at Walmart....good luck...also I put Vaseline on my feet with footies on at night...its pretty good.
Have you tried any Aveeno products? My co-worker let me try her Aveeno hand lotion (it's odorless...can't remember the exact name but the top is sort of a magenta color.) It's awesome!
One other person mentioned Palmolive dishwashing liquid. I second this. I use the formula for dry skin and it helps. I also use Store brand Aveeno products. Finally, I exfoliate my hands about 2 - 3 times a month.
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