Dry hands and covid

[Ritascornershop]

Because of where I work (School) I am washing my hands umpteen times a day. Due to my age my hands have been getting very dry in the winter and papery and now with all the added hand-washing my skin is cracking and the cracks are really painful when they get wet. So at home washing my hair for example really hurts. Rubbing santiser all over them is not going to be an improvement so that’s not a solution.

Anyone else have this (health care workers?) and have found a way to keep your skin from cracking and bleeding?

Moisturise frequently, after every handwash, neutrogena and aveeno hand creams are good. The best thing for the cracks is nipple cream! After all it works for cracked nipples. Put gloves on after hand cream to let it sink in. Moisturising before a bath or shower can help but it’s probably not great before washing your hair.

Wear hand cream and sleep with cotton gloves on to help heal when you're asleep. Wear gloves also when you're out in the wind.

Another vote for that lanolin cream you use for sore nipples when breastfeeding. You only need a tiny bit and it's amazing stuff.

Mine are badly cracked. I am going to put sudo cream on them over night.
Aveeno skin relief hand cream is good as is cetraben cream

Try gloves in a bottle hand cream- available on amazon. Gives a protective layer that lasts through washing. Use before work, then at lunchtime. Miracle worker

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LYTBM7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vhGLFbPQN9N9E?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Bring your own soap! Dove Beauty Bar and E45 cream are the only things that work for me.

Where possible (eg chores at home) wear gloves and remove them properly (using edge to turn inside out) to avoid having to wash your hands.

When you do have to wash them don't use too much soap, and use the gentlest possible. Almost all handwashes you can buy in supermarkets are incredibly harsh, SLS free ones are better or bar soaps eg dove.

Don't use very hot water ( unless you have those horrible taps at work that only run hot!), cool or warm is much less drying and will do the job.

Don't focus too much on soaping or rinsing the back of your hands, they are often the least dirty part and they dry out quickest, but some people seem to focus just on them.

Moisturise after washing when practical, and always use a rich hand cream at night. Flexitol, neutrogena, aveeno etc.

Lanolin (like you'd use when breastfeeding, comes in a purple tube from the chemist) on them going to bed. Feels like vaseline but it works wonders for those painful cracks on knuckles.

Bodyshop hemp hand cream is amazing.

Thanks all! Lots of great ideas, I’ll see what’s available at the chemist on my lunch break tomorrow.