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Tiny cracks/cuts on my fingers! Dry Hands! Too much handwashing ! OOooww! Help !




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Dec 01, 2003 08:17 AM

Tiny cracks/cuts on my fingers! Dry Hands! Too much handwashing ! OOooww! Help !


My hands are absolutely SORE ! I was showing a co-worker my hands and asked her , "What do you think is causing these little tiny cuts on my fingers? and Hands??"

She said it is because my hands are so dry. The soap dispenser at work is very harsh.

Anyone carrying around a soap squirter from Home?
I must wash my hands 40 times in 8 hours...maybe more.

What kind of hand cream are you all using?
Anyone else got this problem?

My hands hurt/sting/burn////

I think I might start wearing gloves 4-5 hours out of eight.

I see lots of nurses who walk into EVERY patients room putting on a pair of gloves. They never take them off.

Until they leave the room. And they do not wash their hands.
They return to the desk or med room and do whatever chore it is they were doing and put on another pair of gloves when in the pts. room the next time.

Maybe this is best. Especially for me. Handwashing would be a hard habit to break. But I know I am at risk with all these broken area s on my hands.

What do you all do?

And which lotion/cream is best to buy?


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Members left 22 comments...

No. 1
from CraftyLPN
Old Dec 01, 2003, 08:29 AM

Personally, I use Vitamin E lotion...seems to help..have also tried St.Ive's Intense healing...hope you find something that helps!
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No. 2
from Rapheal
Old Dec 01, 2003, 08:30 AM

Default dry hands....
I use Neutrogena hand cream. Seems to speed the healing process for me. I also put super glue on the tiny cuts I get around my cuticles before I go into work. Stings pretty bad- but one less path for pathogens to enter. We have alot of Hep-C patients and I tend to be very vilgilant about protecting my skin.
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No. 3
from AmyLiz
Old Dec 01, 2003, 08:47 AM

Best/fastest way to heal & moisturize dry hands in my experience has been to slather on a lot of good lotion (especially with Vitamin E in it) at night & wear a pair of socks on your hands while you sleep. There are "moisturizer gloves" that some places sell that you can wear instead, but they feel kinda weird to me.
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No. 4
Old Dec 01, 2003, 09:04 AM

The CDC claims that nothing takes the place of handwashing, although gloves are a necessity lots of the time. I take 400 i.u. of Vitamin E PO qd, use medicated lotion at work. When I sleep I put on vaseline then socks over my hands (well, I have not done this in a long time. Maybe the Vit. E is working!)
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No. 5
Old Dec 01, 2003, 10:02 AM

Dry hands always seem to be worse in the winter months for me. My wife is constantly offering lotion for my "crocodile hands."
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No. 6
from colleen10
Old Dec 01, 2003, 10:10 AM

Since your hands are allready cracked and bleeding I would suggest that you go to your local drug store and purchase "Eucerin Cream". It is a bit expensive but it is a very good moistureizer and is medicated to help treat cuts. There are a number of Eucerin Products but what would work best for you is the hand cream that comes in a little tub. Also, purchase some cotton gloves, slather the Eucerin cream all over your hands and put on the gloves at night while you sleep or if you are ever just sitting around the house reading a book or watching TV.

If you are unable to find gloves, socks on your hands will work in a pinch.

I had very bad dry skin on my hands and cracks and bleeding cuts at my knuckles from working outside during the winter time. My doctor recommended this product and within a day the superficial cuts were pretty much healed up. A day or two later they were completely healed.
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No. 7
from lanilpn
Old Dec 01, 2003, 10:25 AM

i also use Eucerine cream for my hands. the best stuff ever. i have to use it for my daughters eczema-it works great i use the hand cream during the day- it almost seems pointless since i wash then apply and next thing you know i'm washing again and over and over the process goes, but my hands don't crack. i then use the thick cream in the jar at home- feels a little greasy at first but only for a few min.
i hope that you figure something out that helps you- when i worked in texas as a CNA- they gave me a spray that i applied over my hands and let dry on. it would be good for about ten hand washes, unfortunantly i can't remeber the name. the hospital supplies it. take care
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No. 8
Old Dec 01, 2003, 10:46 AM

Seconding (tripling?) the Eucerin. I bought the Walgreens knock-off brand and found it works just as well. I put some on before starting and again about halfway throught the shift. I'm happy to share but keep it in my locker and use a plastic utensil to dispense it (it's in a tub, not a squirt bottle).

I have more problems in the winter, and can tell if my skin stings afer washing that I need to reapply.
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No. 9
Old Dec 01, 2003, 10:51 AM

neutrogena has an awesome very thick formula that lasts and lasts, too.

if this does not clear up, see a doctor.

and NO i would never recommend wearing gloves in place of washing hands. i do not think that is sufficient and IMAGINE how the patient feels if you wear gloves during your entire contact w/her/him. I do not think that is the answer.
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