Help me save my scaly hands

[Helpmyskin]

The skin on my hands is all scaly and falling off and none of the creams I have tried have helped, I am desperate!

I stupidly used one of those Italian scrubby cloths on them one day when I got ink all over my fingers and had a customer meeting the next day. I scrubbed and scrubbed to get the ink off.

Unfortunately this was MONTHS ago and it hasn't gotten better since. I'm guessing winter isn't helping but also perhaps I scrubbed more than just the top layer and that's what's not repairing?

When I put cream on it stings in places, like I have some micro cuts all over.

I am so stupid, please help!

Oh, that looks sore.

Have you tried something like Epaderm? I've used it before when my hands have been very bad.

Do you think your skin might be infected or something? It just seems to have been like that for a long time.

What ones have you tried?

Have you tried just putting Vaseline and gloves on overnight?

Have you tried the Aveeno for extremely dry hands? My hands looked similar and also felt like they must have had lots of tiny cuts on them, and I'd given up on creams as none of them ever seemed to make much difference.
My son's were also getting dry in the cold weather so I bought a large dispenser of the Aveeno last week and it's cleared us both up really well. It's the Skin Relief one with the navy blue lid / writing.

Hydromol ointment (Amazon has it)
You can wash with it or apply it as a cream and I promise it won't sting
It's greasy as fuck though so I put socks on my hands at night!

For when I felt my hands needed a "proper" wash I actually used sanex shower gel
I did also use hydrocortisone

My hands have been awful and they've healed now

If you’re not allergic to it, it may be worth trying lanolin nipple cream - the very thick stuff. If you keep it in the airing cupboard it can be easier to squeeze from the tube and spread across your skin.

OKeefe's Working Hands. It has a weird after feeling on your hands, but it's healed mine up, it's brilliant stuff!

Yes this ! It’s magic stuff.

Ooo I'm going to try these suggestions!

I did try plain vaseline and it's what seemed to be making the most difference at first but then it just seemed to make the skin very stiff and dry in a weird way, it didn't feel supple at all.

I can see all the little cuts on the side so I'm sure it's from using that scrubbing cloth - doh! And as I'm constantly washing my hands or out in the cold it's just not getting a chance to heal.

I'll order a couple of the options, how long do I need to stick with them before I see a difference do you think?

I'd try flexitol.

It looks like atopic dermatitis. You need to moisturise your hands every time you wash them. Wear gloves when out in the cold. Put lots of moisturiser and cotton gloves on top at bedtime to help it heal while you sleep.

Balmonds skin salvation. It is like magic and completely natural. I would look in to whether it’s psoriasis or eczema however the cream
will work super well

I got what my mum would call “hacks” on my fingertips - where the skin had actually split. Two things I found that really helped were the O’Keefe’s balm in a little pot rather than the cream, and Nutrogena intense cream in the tube (I can’t remember the name but it’s a bigger tube than the usual ones). Both are really greasy and don’t need much.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Hand Cream is amazing stuff.

It might also be worth trying a barrier cream to protect your skin if you wash your hands a lot.

Liz Earle hand cream is really good and a cheaper option than Elizabeth Arden.

Hydrocortisone ointment or cream allow it to soak in for 10 mins then a barrier cream over the top. Whichever one does not make your skin itchy. We are all different. I like Vaseline hand cream or Aveeno.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume hand cream
www.laroche-posay.co.uk/en_GB/cicaplast-baume-hand-cream/LRP_036.html

Another vote for Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream .Was great on my psoriasis

Udder cream

My husbands hands are in a dreadful state - they haven't recovered from Covid and all the hand gels. You may need a steroid cream like Eumovate - this seems to be the best thing for getting them under control.

The two creams he has had success with are O'Keefes hand cream and Norwegian Formula unscented. You need something more of a ointment, though it does mean your hands feel tacky. Anything that absorbs quickly isn't going to moisturise enough. Also you need to be really, really consistent and frequent with the use of the products.

Definitely this one. My DH who’s a plumber uses this too and it really works

Mine get like this in winter. I use oilatum junior and O'Keefes working hands.

Thank you! I have ordered the O Keefe's one to start with as it got the most votes (and the online reviews have me expect an actual miracle so we'll see!). Good to know there is still lots more to try too if it fails.

I am definitely not diligent enough with regularly applying cream so I'll have to work on this too!

Mine get cracked with the cold weather sometimes and a thick layer of sudocrem helps

Lush Helping hands, and I also agree with lanolin. Lanolips do a good hand cream amd it is enriched with lanolin (as opposed to petro chemicals and silicones).
Moo Goo full cream moisturiser will be good for this, also maybe the udder cream that they do.

Another recommendation for Working Hands. I’ve had eczema on my hands (blisters, intense itchiness to the point of scratching the skin off) for years. Now it’s ok most of the year, but in winter, going from centrally heated environments into the cold and back, I start desiccating. Working Hands really does help to stop the scaliness for me before it gets any worse.