Dealing with excessively dry hands.

lnewman128 · Dec 3, 2008

I don't know why, but in the last year or so my hands have gotten a lot dryer than usual. Normally, dry rough hands wouldn't bother me, except it has gotten to bad that around three square inches on my right hand (and just my right hand) around the thumb is so dry it is literally cracked open and almost constantly bleeding.
For obvious reasons, this is a concern in patient care.
Do any of you all have this problem, and how do you correct it?
ETA: I tried putting Vitamin E oil on the area, was this a bad call? I am finding that it is like pure grease.

Hi-

I have the same problem with my elbows and the skin around my thumbs. After trying EVERYTHING!!! on the market from paraffin wax dips to Mary Kay something or other (Satin Hands?), the only tried/true product I found was Eucerin Aquafor. It HAS TO BE THE AQUAFOR product (Eucerin has several products). It is quite 'greasy' feeling; however, it works within the first few applications, but don't stop using even after healing has occurred. A second runner up to this fine product is 'Miracle Hand Repair' (yes - a 'as seen on TV' product). Good Luck! Happy healing hands with the Aquafor.

Jaybird310 · Dec 3, 2008

I've always had naturally dry skin, and the constant wearing and changing of gloves tends to suck all the moisture out of my hands. I've found that Aveeno lotions work the best. If my hands get horribly dry to the point of cracking (which sometimes happens especially during the winter) I'll use their hand relief cream, but for the most part the regular tan and green daily use bottle of Aveeno lotion works awesome. It's also unscented and non greasy which as a guy are two great selling points for me.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Dec 3, 2008

Well, if you're not too squeamish about repairing your skin in a 'girly' fashion, I suggest buying a pair of cotton gloves and some good cream like Aquaphor, Cetaphil or Eucerin. Slather the cream on at bedtime, put the gloves on, and go to sleep---your hands will thank you in the morning. (Feet like this treatment too, only I use Bag Balm on them and then sleep in a thick pair of cotton socks that I don't mind ruining.)

Good luck with this......dry hands plague all of us at one time or another, and you certainly don't want MRSA or any other nasty bug getting into the cracked skin!

THAT Nurse., MSN, RN, APRN · Dec 3, 2008

Viva, MRSA was the second concern I had. HIV going in was the first, we have had a rash of both kinds of patients on my floor recently.

That said, I am unconcerned with anybody calling it a girly method. I just want that patch of skin repaired so I don't have to worry about getting some fun diseases.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2008

I had horrible dry/cracked/dermatitis hands in my first year in hospital nursing. A dermatologist told me to wash my hands with cold water and moisturize after every single time I wash my hands. The repeated moisturizing took some getting used to but I never had a problem after that.

queenjean · Dec 3, 2008

Viva's got it right. I slather my feet in Eucerin and wear cotton socks before sleeping several times a week year round, and during the winter I slather my hands in it, too, and then wear cotton socks on my hands. It *really* helps; but you should do it nearly every time you sleep, at the very minimum before and after every shift. It might not fix the problem in a night, but after a week your hands should be healed and they should stay healed if you do this regularly. If they *don't* heal, I would suspect an allergy to a cleaning agent (soap, hand sanitizer, etc).

missjennmb · Dec 3, 2008

I agree with not getting the water too hot. Between hot water and hospital antiseptic soaps the protective oils are so stripped from your skin.

I just got a pair of gloves from Walmart for $1.40 that look and feel JUST like a pair of socks that I think will be perfect for night time lotioning (very thin/cotton/breathable) I have done the lotion on my feet w/ socks thing for YEARS too.

A lotion I recently found that I really like it the antibacterial "cotton" lotion from bath and body. It smells great, has that antibacterial extra that makes me feel good carrying it in my pocket, and is not *too* overly greasy. If I need a REAL remoisturizing (the kind you couldn't use on the job or during active hours because its too greasy) I really like the thick glycerine kinds. I have one that I got from the giftshop at the hospital, but the label's ripped off so I cant tell what brand it was.

L&DWannabe · Dec 3, 2008

Vaseline...it's better than any lotion! For the cracks, use Bacitricin (a little tube of medicine...it's found by the neosprorin in the pharmacy section) My husband's hands dry out so bad they bleed all the time. Rubbing vaseline on them completely takes away the problem- plus it lasts longer too.

pink85 · Dec 3, 2008

Vaseline. petroleum based ointment, gloves at night. They all work very well. However, be careful using petroluem or oil based lotions at work, they cause you to carry bacteria. Only used water based lotions. I have a severe problem with dry hands that crack and bleed and in addition to all the lotions and cotton gloves I take oral vitamin E twice a day. It has really helped!

rentalnurse, RN · Dec 3, 2008

has anyone tried Kerodex (for wet conditions) pink stuff that you put on and then run hands under cold H2O and it fills in cracks and all, isnt oily.. we used to use it in the nsg home on behinds yrs ago ( and before the days of wearing gloves) and my hands were never chapped. over the counter but pharmacy may have to order it..

Bocephus71RN-BSN, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2008

natural UNREFINED shea butter from Africa. Check Ebay. Works like nothing I have tried including Eucerin.