Hand washing issue

[Thismummyruns]

I have open splits on my hands where they are literally cracking and bleeding- they've been like this for months. I normally get bad hands in winter but coupled with cleaning, sterilising baby bottles and bathing children etc my hands are in bits. I've recently started wearing gloves for cleaning which has helped but I have 2 pretty deep splits that will not heal, bleed and are constantly throbbing.

So, I'm washing hands as normal albeit painful but increasing washing is going to be rough.

Normal hand cream is not helping. Any helpful ideas on A) Healing B) Hygiene going forward?

I’ve tried everything and this is what works for me. Try putting thin layer of sudocrem over them over the splits. It’s an antiseptic and numbs slightly so will ease the pain plus act as a barrier for further hand washing. Follow up with normal handcream and put a layer on each night before bed so your hands get the benefit. I try to put hand cream on too when I know I won’t be washing hands for a while - eg on backs of hands before I drive anywhere - it all helps

Aldi do a glycerin handcream which is quite thick but good for overnight and cheap too

You probably need to see your GP, but I find Norwegian formula to be really good, and I’ve used a cracked heel cream on occasion too. Sounds horrible for you.

Someone I know with similar issue swears by Flexitol (not sure about spelling...) Balm for cracked heels. Might be worth a try?

Have you tried lansinoh. I’ve used it on my feet when they’ve been knackered. Not my hands but it might work well

I would say that you need to see your GP really, you may need creams that are only available on prescription. It sounds so painful

See your GP. In the meantime buy a tub of aqueous cream and use it to wash your hands instead of soap or hand-wash.

Norwegian formula and also L'occitane mother and baby balm saved my hands when Dts were in nicu and we were sanitising / washing every two minutes

You can also use aqueous cream as a handwash. It’s not great as a handwash but is apparently good as a soap substitute. (Given that you don’t want to risk contaminating the tub you could scoop it with a teaspoon, or try decanting into an empty soap dispenser).

Any chance you have psoriasis ?

Not great as a moisturiser, that should have said! Doh!

Avoid aqueous cream like the plague. Épaderm ointment by night and epaderm cream by day plus steroid from GP.

I asked a midwife at the hospital how they stop their hands from cracking at this time of year. She said they wash their hands with Dermol instead of soap. It is anti-microbial apparently.

Agree, aqueous cream is a rubbish moisturiser but an amazing hand-wash for sore hands.

Two things- wash with dermol or similar.
Immediately coat in a barrier cream like body shop hemp hand cream. When you next wash, you wash the cream off rather than your skin IYSWIM.

Save 'nice' creams for overnight.

Dermol 500 lotion in the big pump dispenser is what you need. My DD has very reactive skin (eczema) and she washes with that instead of using soap.

We also sometimes buy the E45 emollient wash stuff in the pump dispenser, which is maybe easier to get hold of - but it’s thicker and the pump always clogs, so I’d go for the if you can, which really does work properly as an alternative.

Do go to your GP though. You probably need a steroid ointment to heal things up.

And check the creams you are using don't have any nasties in them- some have SLS and similar which irritates as much as it helps.

Use foot cream every time you wash them, and the cracked heal cream twice a day.

If the cracks are deep enough you are reopening them before they get chance to heal put plasters over during the day.

Sorry - that’s meant to say go for the Dermol if you can

Go to the gp, they might be able to give you skin glue as a dressing to help the splits to heal

A gp appt....May be linked to deficiency @Thismummyruns
But in the mean time sudocreme at night, and garner hand intensive 7 days restoring hand creme every hour during the day.
Hand creme after every hand wash.

If they're throbbing you may have an infection.

I could have written your op. I have bleeding cracks all over my hands, the most annoying atm being the tip of my thumb. My hands have always been like this and it only gets worse with winter. I've seen several Dr's and always been told it's eczema and it's just one of those things. I've had the nickname granny hands since I was a wee one because they are so wrinkled and scarred. I have young dc, my hands are always in water and tbh I've just given up looking for the answer. I'm 29 and have had of an 80 Yr old.

My hands are normally like this. I've discovered okeefes working hands and its the best I've ever used. Not a single crsck this winter. I use it every day.

Gloves are the also good, if you can use them every time your in water for even 3 days it'll make a difference.

I get small splits over my hands and of it looks like they’re not going to heal I use hydrocholloid plasters on them, I get them in tescos. They are literally a godsend, even if you only wear them at night. Hope it passes soon 💐

My sons feet got like this. Advice from the nurse was to soak them with soap flakes, then when they are all white and wrinkly to gently rub the spongey skin around the split. That gets rid of the hard dry skin and leaves the soft flexible new skin, so helping the healing.

It really works!