Hands literally falling off-anyone else have this probs?

[mummyvontummy]

I wash my hands, a lot! It's not OCD or anything, I just wash them when I've brushed my teeth, then help dd with her teeth so have to wash them again, then when I go to the loo, then again when I help dd go to the loo, then when I've put the liquid in the washing machine when I've spilt it on my hands-you're all parents, you get the picture. Anyway-every winter my hands literally fall apart-great splits appear all over them and the splits turn into massive v-shapes that are too deep to heal, to the point where my hands are so sore that I can't bend my hands or fingers in any way and blood runs down my hands and I don't notice, which can be a bit embarrassing in public-it's a bit like chillblanes I suppose. The doctor prescribed something a while back but I'm meant to put it on 20 times a day and at £10 a tub that's no joke so gave up on it-what does anyone on here use?

Why do you wash your hands when you've brushed your teeth?

I always find bar soap much less drying than liquid soap. I find applying nivea or boots cucumber lotion moisturiser(both pretty cheap)after each handwash helpful - it absorbs quickly so it is practical to put it on that often.

epiderm

my charge is prescribed this for eczma.

Its SOOOOO thick and it really really moisturises... you can even use it as a soap

you need to wash your hands less

cut the washing after teeth,washing powder and other unnecessary.

sounds awful

Coz I'm messy and drip toothpaste on them-I still haven't got the hang of an electric toothbrush! ! Thanks Chaos xx

Would it help to slather your hands with heavy-duty moisturisers and wear cotton gloves at night to allow your skin to rehydrate?

start using washing up clothes for all washing up/putting detergent in machine etc

Oooooh think I've heard of that stuff-dd's cousin has the sorest skin imaginable and think his mum uses that-would I use it instead of soap then? xx

I have the same problem. I keep fish, ds2 is notoriously bad at toileting accidents... it gets to time of the month and it feels like I'm washing my hands ALL THE TIME.

In the winter especially, my hands look like I'm wearing red flakey gloves - you can see a definite line by my wrists, it's horrid.

What I've found helps is the hemp hand cream from Body Shop. Whenever I start getting slightly sore I slather it on (I mean really - a good inch worth of cream on each hand), pop on cotton gloves (can also get from Body Shop) and leave for a couple of hours (or overnight). A couple of nights in a row usually heal it up well enough for a couple of weeks and then I repeat. A huge improvement from when my hands would get so bad they'd be bleeding.

Yes. Marigolds too for water-based jobs. Sounds obvious but you'll notice the difference soon enough.

Oh ... and always always ALWAYS use rubber gloves for washing up - bizarrely washing up liquid REALLY dries my hands out, much more than soap.

Am starting to think maybe I do wash my hands a bit more than most now . Have visions of my with my hands hovering above the covers with gloves on at night with cucumbers on my eyes! He he xx

Ask the doc for some diprobase ointment - it acts as barrier so will protect from the elements. Also stop washing your hands so much and make sure you dry them thoroughly afterwards.

second the help cream from body shop. i have alot of childminder friends who swear by it and they have to wash their hands ALL the time!!!!

if you just drip toothpaste on you, just fetch it off with a damp cloth/baby wipe, so that your whole hand doesn't get washed.

Oh wow duck-you've made me feel so much better! I get the line too-my mum always asks how my "mittens" are when we go up to see her because they look like red gloves! I wash up three times a day at least so that could be another cause-he he, we'd have had none of this in the middle ages would we! Am doing some serious glove shopping tomorrow! xx

i agree with the moisturiser with gloves on idea - need to get some gloves myself my hands are starting to crack - well seen the winter has arrived.

My hands get like this and i am always either washing my hands or doing something in water at home and at work .I do care work so have to be religious with handwashing for obvious reasons.
My hands also crack and bleed so you have my sympathy.
No advice though sorry.

Lots of sympathy, I suffer with this, though not so bad as yours sounds, 'cos I don't do much cleaning. Mine were getting really bad before Christmas, and two things have improved them. First was changing from Fairy Liquid Lemon washing up to Ecover. The next was some ACE handcream my sister gave me for Christmas, Elle Macpherson (I think from Boots). I now have hands like Elle, (but not the figure or face

Lots of sympathy, I suffer with this, though not so bad as yours sounds, 'cos I don't do much cleaning. Mine were getting really bad before Christmas, and two things have improved them. First was changing from Fairy Liquid Lemon washing up to Ecover. The next was some ACE handcream my sister gave me for Christmas, Elle Macpherson (I think from Boots). I now have hands like Elle, (but not the figure or face

aahh diprobase - thats what i wanted - i had it last year and it was great couldnt mind the name of it. need to get some from the doc.

My DH gets this and uses hydrocortisone to heal then uses loads of Diprobase to moisturise. It's really painful.

My DH gets this and uses hydrocortisone to heal then uses loads of Diprobase to moisturise. It's really painful.

Sorry everything I do gets posted twice.

I know someone that changed to Ecover for exzema-didn't even think to do that. Stupid hands-why do we need them so much! xx