Hand Care

nightmare, RN · Dec 19, 2008

I can't use those alcohol based hand disinfectants as they immediately break my skin down!I like Nutrogena Norwegian formula for really cracked hands.

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2008

Have you tried plain ol' petroleum jelly?

pink85 · Dec 19, 2008

This topic was brought up a few weeks ago. It is due to the low humidity during the cold months and the fact that we are so often washing away the natural oils on our skin. Yesterday on that TV show the Doctors they discussed it also! They said to use oils, especially in the shower and to limit your showering to about 3 minutes (yeah right). However at work we can't use oil based lotions or creams. JCAHO frowns on that. They want water based so when you wash you are washing away all the germs and not having them stick around on oil based products that you can't wash away and transfer them from patient to patient. Petroleum is good like the above said, like Vaseline, and I started taking Vitamin E capsules and using baby oil before I get out of the shower and it has made a big difference.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Dec 19, 2008

ok - here's my trick - i found this out on accident

I had terribly chapped lips one night in bed and had nothing close at hand except for the tube of Lansinoh (yes - the breastfeeding ointment). I applied it and by morning my lips felt great. A few days later, i noticed that my hands were ripped up so I thought why not? I put a nice thin layer of Lansinoh on my hands and covered with a pair of socks (i didn't have cotton gloves handy). By morning, My hands felt great and looked much, much improved. Now - day to day I use a nivea creme, but when i notice that my hands get a little rough looking, i apply the Lansinoh and gloves (or socks :) )and get right back on track

Katnip, RN · Dec 19, 2008

As long as the hand lotions and creams are not petroleum based, they should be ok to use at work. The petroleum causes breakdown in gloves.

Every night, slather your hands in your cream or ointment of choice and put on cotton gloves. Also, if you want to spend a bit more money, Bath and Body Works has gloves that are treated to wear at bedtime. They also have booties and elbow wraps. They work really well.

NursePaula · Dec 21, 2008

i worked at a carpet yarn factory in my previous life and what i found works the best is avon moisture therapy hand cream for extremely dry skin. leave it on the bedside table and slather up real good every night before bed. i never have a problem even since becoming a nurse. my husband works in the woods hauling logs and gets chapped hands from the cold and this also works for him. cheap also:yeah:

paula

Iam46yearsold · Dec 21, 2008

Does anyone have a secret to curing dry, cracked hands? It seems everyone right now has scratchy, red hands, I guess it comes as part of winter, but I haven't found the "magic cure" yet. No matter what kind of lotion I use, it's okay for an hour or two, then all the hand washing and it's back to square one. Has anyone found a great protocol for keeping their hands intact?

My mother had terrible hands also. I do what she does and it works. Though it might seem a little yucky. I wear gloves with lard in them for a couple of hours. And as I jog a minimum of 2 hours every day, that is when I wear my gloves. Then after wards a little soap and water, followed my Noxema. Old fashioned but effective.