Dry hands with splits - any advice?

[jamiesam]

Hallo.

I've suffered intermittently with this for several years now. Only advice / treatment from pharmacy is 'regular use of handcream' or fucibet cream from doctor when splits on knuckles become infected (ugh).

Anyone else discovered a great cream that lasts without being too greasy, is antiseptic, anaesthetic/painkilling and works quickly. Thing is, my hands can look passable one day, and then have half a dozen splits on finger ends and knuckles the next day, which will then take up to a week to heal.

I just know that someone out there know the answer...

I had this after the birth of both dds - as others have commented, through excessive handwashing.

Went to GP about something totally unrelated, and she noticed them. She gave me two creams, one was quite oily (may well have been diprobase, sorry I can't remember but you GP will know) which I put on at night and then put PVC gloves on top. The second one was a lighter version of the night-time one, for use during the day.

They cleared up quite quickly then. BTW, nothing I tried that was commercially available worked, so don't waste too much time trying them out if there doesn't seem to be much of an improvement. Good luck!

jamiesam - I have similar problem with my very unattractive "granny's hands". what worked really well for me recently was to coat my hands, especially the splits, with a foot cream called CCS Foot Cream (granny's feet too - gross !) then put on plastic gloves (I used ones from a hair dye kit). I did this when I went to bed, 2 nights running and the improvement was amazing - splits practically gone. I used the foot cream as it is very heavy duty and contains urea which is excellent moisturiser. HTH

Yes, Green People are on-line, or you can buy in Waitrose. Sadly it doesn't come in a pump so I decant ours into an old one. It's not cheap though.

Fabulous thread for all those with cracked hands!

I wash my hands with an emollient called DoubleBase (available in a pump dispenser) and moisturise all the time but still have dry skin. Dashed to the body shop after reading this thread last night and bought the Hemp hand cream and the Rescue Cream. The Hemp feels amazing already. Will probably do the Rescue cream and cotton gloves tonight - husband permitting.

Yes, this is one of many invaluable threads I've found on Mumsnet! Bought some Aveena today as the Neutrogena isn't doing much. The doc has also given me Betnovate for the fissures/splits in my thumb, as they are v. painful. Thanks for all the tips!

Double base is excellent and comes in a big pump bottle.

dd gets it on prescription and cos i get it on my hands to put on her face my hands are lovely and smooth now.

Another one that i use on dd's face (and then on my hands) is Dermol.

Both available over the counter but I get them in Boots

avoid any handwash with sodium laureth sulphate in it (most of them!!) Try green people wash.

Flexitol footcream has 25% urea - try it for one week - apply at night cos it is vvv greasy.

Use neutrogena extra handcream during the day.

Diprobase also good for daytime use.

Hemp hand cream from the body shop is great.

Someone recommended Snowfire Healing Tablet to me recently. It pongs but it seems to help my poor hands. The blurb says:- "A solid emollient ointment for chapped hands and chilblains. Directions:- Wash the affected hands or feet in warm water then gently rub in some of the ointment as often as necessary. Alternatively, some of the ointment may be spread on a bandage or lint and applied to the affected areas. Active ingredients:- Benzoin, Citronella, Thyme Oil 1949, Lemon Thymen Oil, Clove Oil, Cade Oil. Other ingredients:- Yellow Soft Paraffin BP, Hard Paraffin BP, Chlorophyll, Snowfire Perfume." It costs around £1.90 from chemists.

I'v just discovered a cream from Boots called Euciderm or Euclerin, or something like that. It's on the same shelf as the E45 and has been brilliant.
It has a high urea content and leaves my hands soft and smooth. I love it!
It costs about £8 a tube but you only need a tiny amount at a time.

LOL Ionesmum at Lady Macbeth. It has dawned on me that I may have been a major handwashing slattern pre-children, the problems I have with my hands now (although reading this thread makes me aware I maybe don't have so much to whinge about...)
If people want a good quality maintenance handcream and don't have sensitivity issues I can also really recommend L'Occitane's cream, and also the Clarins "Youthful Hands" (once memorably mislabelled in a duty-free shop as "Jeunesse des Nains" - or Youthful Dwarves). OK, they are expensive, but you do get what you pay for.
Will check out Green People, thanks for the tip. Was appalled when the pricey Ecover handwash took the skin off my hands in moments, but I think it has SLS in it.

Bottersnike, it is Eucerin

I had this badly when ds was newborn and it recurs every so often now - I use Kamillosan (which I was using elsewhere (!) while breastfeeding) on them and it really helps. Used it in desperation the first time but now I buy it specifically for my hands and feet. Takes a while to be absorbed but it's great overnight and it doesn't wash/rub straight off.

a body shop party i went to said the hemp hand cream was their best selling item.

try eumobase, from chemists, i get it for dd2 poor sore face and its the only thing that works on both her and me

this sounds similar to me - my hands over the last year have got worse. havent been to dr about cos mum had same. but have always badly reacted to many different hand creams so have to be extra careful what i put on them. but my hand/fingers have been terribly itchy around knuckles and at base of fingers on palm side. itch so much they go dry and crack. has gradually spread down whole fingers to knuckle area. i've always washed my hands very well after any kind of cleaning, changing ds, cooking etc. use antibacterial handwashes. however, hands been so bad recently i discovered surcare's bought out new handwash. seems to be good but not antibacterial i dont think. first week i used it - great but came back with vengeance if i use sny other handwash. interesting ideas for suggested handcreams though - will try some after dd is born.

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have done a google Look for handwashes with ammonium lauryl sulphate instead of sodium laureth sulphate as the main surfactant. It is a lot less irritating. Holland & Barrett & other health shops should stock these types of handwashes.

Dh used to get hacks when he worked offshore. Udder cream(!) solved the problem for him. You can buy it at a vet's or a chemist that does vet stuff. It's cheap, too. Emulsifying ointment is good for washing hands, it moisturises at the same time.

Not the nicest smelling stuff but neat Olive Oil at night with the gloves over the top helps me. Plus I also rub Blistex lip salve into the actual cracks. Blistex does definitely seem to help them heal quicker.

what a great thread. I have had some success using unguentum muerck cream which my husband was given for cracked feet and which you can buy over the counter

I am also trying to wear rubber gloves for as many houshold tasks as possible such as peeling potatoes, so as to avoid hand washing or wet hands

can i recommend either diprobase plus washing your hands with aqeous cream

I have a great cream called 'Dream Cream' from LUSH.... i think you can buy it online. It has loads of calming oils in it!

The Body Shop Hemp hand cream has worked wonders for the day and I use the Recue Cream at night. Many thanks to those who recommended it!!!

Hi Jamiesmum - went to see doctor only 2 weeks ago re thumbs splitting open. Recommended i take multi vits and put on lots of e45 oh.. and try and lay off washing up and cleaning prodcuts without wearing gloves. hth