Cracked and Bleeding hands...help?!

rnwannabe77 · Dec 11, 2011

Vaseline! You can thin it out with a bit of water if you feels like it's too thick/greasy, or you can just use it to spot treat. It also works well for dry, chapped lips!

I agree! My hands and lips get dry and cracked every winter. For the past couple of years I have been applying Vaseline to my hands (as well as wearing cotton socks over them) and lips every night. I wake up in the morning and my hands are as soft as a baby's bottom and my lips no longer feel cracked!

Throughout the day I use Earth Therapeutics Gardner's Hand Repair (from Wholefoods) after each and every time I wash my hands. I just started using this recently and it seems to be working.

I would definitely recommend the Vaseline!

StrwbryblndRN · Dec 30, 2011

I use Aloe Vesta, same stuff we put on our pt's skin. We keep it at the nurses station for just in case. Management knows. They would rather us use it then walk around with cracked hands.

katkonk, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2011

Provon lotion is the very best I have found. Makes your hands feel incredible. You have to really look for it though. We order it through the medical supply catalog in the clinic I work at. So, you may have to look at a medical supply place. Be careful using any petroleum based product on your hands while at work and then putting on gloves (like vaseline, etc.) Petroleum can affect the integrity of latex gloves and may put you at risk by compromising your shield from BBP's.

Sehille4774 · Dec 31, 2011

Vasoline seems to heal me up fast too.

Other suggestions: Winter Gloves...if you don't wear them they help alot!

When hand washing...avoid superhot water. It's the rubbing action that kills the germs anyway.

And if you have to clean with chemicals around the house, get some good work gloves.

In some facilities the hand soap was better on my hands but the hand sanitizer was horrible...and Visa Versa...some of those alcahol rubs helped my skin alot versus hand washing...(mostly the common 62% pharmacy kind) but some of the medical ones cause me to crack...so consider changing your handwashing routine and see if that helps.

I carry a little bottle of lotion with me and apply after almost every hand wash (yep. sometimes i need to refill that bottle every day)

And when I am desperate, I use either use a liquid bandage or hydrocolloid or other waterproof bandage esp. overnight on the horrible cracks.

Also drink lots of water..and consider a humidifier for your room...properly humidified room air helps keep your skin intact.

(Source: I have tried it all..so far so good this winter)

lindarn · Dec 31, 2011

A&D ointment has always worked for me. I put it on my hands before I go to bed, and the next morning, the cracks and splits in my hands are healed! Miracle stuff!

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

whereslilly · Dec 31, 2011

Like many other posters I always "embalm" myself with a thick coating of a variety of A&D ointment, Vaseline (name brand), on both my hands and feet every nite. Then wear white cotton socks and white derm gloves. Most importantly, when you get out of the shower when your body is still wet apply a thick coating of Cetaphil cream, not the liquid. Great stuff! I use Cetaphil lotion or Curel if unavailable during the day after every hand wash. Saves my hands.

whereslilly · Dec 31, 2011

Personally, I only use those hand sanitizers when nothing else is available. I detest them. My hands never feel clean; I always go to wash as soon as I can anyway. If you are in the field they are a life saver. Otherwise, i find a sink and some soap. I always have lotion in my bag/pocket.

tntrn, ASN, RN · Dec 31, 2011

Very, very expensive though, and the salespeople are very pushy and insistent. Ask me how I know. The Deep Sea product I am talking about.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2012

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector. It's magic. For the first time during winter my hands are not cracked and bleeding.