I have the hands of an 80 year old from washing them so much. They are so sore

[SMJYellow]

My hands are so so so sore.

I continue to work. I work in a private capacity like a nanny. I wash my hands when I leave my house. I wash my hands when I enter their house. I wash my hands after the toilet. I wash my hands before preparing food. I wash my hands after handing raw meat. With all this virus, I'm super aware. If I cough or sneeze (hay-fever sufferer here), I wash my hands. I wash my hands before clean jobs. I wash my hands after dirty jobs like after loading the dishwasher, or like after loading the washing machine.


I feel like the family are not respecting me or the work that I do and I feel like they are taking advantage of me. Like one parent is working from home and seems to be incapable of picking up after himself. I would consider that as a possible infection transmission route (just in case he has the infection and he doesnt know it yet). Is he leaving it there for me to pick up and go off and wash my hands again before I deal with his children (2 of them vulnerable).

That's just one example. Or I could be loading up the dishwasher and one or the other of them might ask for something like a drink and will refuse to wait a few minutes for me to finish the task I'm doing.
So it means that I need to stop what I do, wash my hands after the 'dirty task' before I work at a 'clean task'. But the load on the worktop is still there greeting me in my face. So it means that I will have to go back to it and then wash my hands again after completing it. It's completely needless when they could easi3let me finish one task before moving onto another.

My hands are wrecked. I must be washing them at least 8 times an hour.

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Try lansinoh, the nipple cream. It's pure medical grade lanolin. Dh started having stinging, cracked hands and was over the moon with it. Ds too. It eased the stinging within a few mins and left on over night restored the skin barrier.

Down side is it's 10 quid but a tiny amount goes a long way. I'd been using up left overs from bfeeding and found it to be the best thing for chapped lips.

It's actually something you can get on prescription as obviously prescribed for new mums. No idea if you could for this though!

[Darcydashwood]

I switched to Dove Cream Bars last week and have noticed a massive difference to my poor hands!

[notacooldad]

I e gone back to using Body shop's hemp hand cream. A little goes a long way and it has been fantastic.

[chocolatespiders]

Try and soap with SLS.

I work in NHS and have been using Aveeno hand cream called Skin relief which helps also a thin layer of sudocream helps sore bits.

[PumpkinP]

I had to stop using hand wash as it was making my hands raw. I now just use washing up liquid and they are not sore at all anymore

[blackcat86]

Olive oil is a life saver.when my hands have been really dry and sore I've popped some on before bed and let it soak in overnight. It works really well. Take some hand cream with you and apply during the day if you can.

[Handbag101]

Same here OP. My hands were bleeding St one point hut a couple of uses of the Neutrogena hand cream and my hands have cleared up. Loads of good recommendations on here. Hope they feel better soon...

[Goatymcgoaty]

Lansinoh (and as soon as the world settles a bit, find a nicer employer). Demanding a drink and not letting your staff finish their current task is wankerish.

[Deelish75]

Ex nanny here.
I'm confused, who is not letting you finish one task before moving to next? If it's the children then make them wait, they need to learn to wait. If it's the parents then why aren't they doing it themselves? As we are in this pandemic have they risk assessed your working environment? I don't think you are being unreasonable about not wanting to pick up anything they have handled in case of transmission. It might be worth asking for a work meeting to talk through some of the issues.
You may want to post on the nanny boards (I've been out of nannying now for a few years so there may be someone with more recent experience who could advice you)
But no way should you be picking up after a parent.

[Inkpaperstars]

The people you work for sound very unreasonable. I agree about having a discussion around Covid precautions and your work.

They should be supplying you with disposable gloves to reduce the need for handwashing. Also a gentle handwash, SLS free, and not antibacterial, or a bar soap for your sole use. The gentlest soap is enough, and lukewarm or cool water is enough too, hot is more drying. Avoid too much cleaning of the back or your hands and knuckles, they are often the least dirty part but get easily dried out. Apply a regular hand cream. Have a lighter hand lotion available for after every wash.

Main thing is also to reduce handwashing. Gloves, and expect to get through a lot. You could have some rubber gloves you can wash to reduce waste. If they are aware of the risks then let them take them, eg. If you are clearing up and they won't wait for a drink, get it without washing your hands. Provided you don't touch your face the risks don't affect you.

The people in the household are already sharing their germs in large part, and if they are happy for you to come in and do everything without adjustments they don't seem worried about being exposed to any of yours. Protect yourself.

[Inkpaperstars]

Actually, just seen vulnerable children form part of household. That does make it harder. I still think you need to lay down some ground rules and adjustments to normal practice.

[StartingGrid]

O'Keefes working hands cream is excellent.