What to do about thin skin on hands from washing them too much?

Published

I have been a nurse for 8 years,and with the constant washing and sanitizer use I have the hands of a 50 year old at 30 years of age. You can basically count all the veins showing on the back of my hands.Anyone know of any tips I could use to plump them up or reduce the veins showing? Thanks in advance.Maybe we could ask the mods to open a health and beauty section here. I know this is a nursing website but we also need to take care of ourselves,and it would be a good place to get advice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I use Avon foot cream as a hand cream; works wonders :)

I keep this handy during the day, and I slather it on at night. Much improvement.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

drink plenty of fluids and apply skin barrier, just as you would treat excoriated bottoms

Medline makes a barrier that smells good and is available to purchase online. $8 for large tube.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

somebody sent me, out of the blue, a big jar of "genes vitamin e creme, swiss collagen complex." i have no idea what all that means, but it smells pretty nice and in two days i can definitely see the improvement.

other good things: neutrogena unscented. vaseline intensive care lotion, slather on and wear cotton gloves to bed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I use Avon foot cream as a hand cream; works wonders :)

I keep this handy during the day, and I slather it on at night. Much improvement.

I second the Avon foot cream... this stuff is awesome.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

i'll 3rd that opinion regarding the avon foot cream, my colleagues introduce me to this product and it works! :cool:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

YES, isn't their foot cream GREAT? I love the Pomegranate Chocolate scent, but danged if it isn't discontinued!! So disappointed.

There's other scents in lotions, but I really like the cream, not the lotion, as the lotion is too thin for these chappy hands :) I'll have to either wait out my supply and hope the scent comes back, or go for another....who has recommendations?

(oh, and yes, it IS great for feet :) )

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in None.

Sorry I couldn't put my input on this, I'm not a nurse yet. However, I wanted to let you know they do have a Beauty section. Just go to "Break Room" on the top right and then click "Family" on the left and you'll see the "Beauty/Aging/Healthy Skin" :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in New PACU RN.

Good old vaseline. Make sure your hands are wet/damp so that it can lock in the moisture.

I have severely dry hands (made worse with nursing) and I'm still trying out lotions and so far none of them have yet kept me moisturized longer than 2-3 hours before I need to reapply. I keep lotions everywhere though - bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, purse, work bag, car so that I'm always reapplying which really helps.

I've started to use Lush's massage bars and I find them very moisturizing compared to creams & lotions. Read some of the reviews on the website.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in geriatrics.

I use either Vaseline or Vaseline intensive care lotion. I also apply lotion hourly at work, particularly during the winter months.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Anything with shea butter! If you are an organic person my friend sent me a website that a co-worker of her's has. She is a nurse and has helped formulate all the skin products....I have used her wound salve and her hand cream...they are great also!

organic skin care Meadowlake Farm Beehive Skin Therapies

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.

Mary Kay makes a three step moisturizer/conditioner thing, sorry I don't know the name. I was given it as a gift and I swear my hands looked younger after the first use. I thought I would test it and used the 3 step on one hand, and a generic lotion on the other and asked my husband if he could tell a difference. He did, immediately. Both visually and by softness.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion