Good handcream for sore hands

[peachylovesherpoochy]

Not sure if I am in the right place, my hands are in a terrible state with the cold weather and washing them too much (have a baby and a dog, so between the 2 of them I am constantly washing my hands!) I have tried all the usual stuff, vaseline intensive care, that norwegian fishermans stuff, the garnier intensive dry hand cream, the simple intensive dry handcream and am now at a loss. It is pretty bad, I have cracks on all my knuckles and my hands look more like a 50 year old's than a 30 year old - any suggestions?

I have been really pleasantly surprised by Avon's Planet Spa African Shea Butter hand & cuticle cream. My hands are senstive as well as old, wrinkly and dry, and it's worked wonders!

I've had real problems with dry hands this winter and found something called Cereben at the chemist. It's brilliant, I apply a big dollop every night and as required throughout day and has fixed it. Saw it in Sainsbos this week so think will be widely available and only few quid.

go see GP and get some steroid cream on prescription

I have Eczema and my hands also suffer. When they are bad I find the only thing to heal the cracks are a steroid cream from the Dr.
But I have just recently started to use an Aveeno handcream which claims to last through handwashing and which seems to be working at preventing my hands becoming dry in the first place. It is also on special offer in Sainsbury's at the moment (1/3 off I think) so it might be worth a try.

How about Boots No 7 aqueous cream ? I know it is a good all rounder. Have you tried getting a pair of white cotton gloves, really slavering the cream over your hands and put the gloves on over the top to keep the cream from messing up the sheets, and go to sleep in them.

That should give a good 8 hours for them to soak up the moisture.

Also try drinking more water, the wind can just dry your whole body out. Just had a thought, what about putting a sachet of Dialrite ? (not sure of the spelling, it is the stuff you take when you get the squits) in the glass. That stuff is meant to re-hydrate you quite quickly. I wouldn't use more than one a day though.

Hope you find a cure soon, nothing worse than bad hands.

Love Jo

Sorry just realised cream I meant is Cetraben and it's meant for eczema.

nipple cream is brilliant...like 8hour cream but much cheaper

good old E45 is a life saver, I work in oil and grease and daub it on before and after to stop cracking and dry skin.

Please, please, please try weleda skin food, it's amazing. I recommend it to everyone and no one has been disappointed.

weleda skin food

Aveeno, I have tried them all and this is by far the best,
as well as Crabtree & Elewyn(sp) gardners hand therapy but its more expensive

Aveeno is on offer in Tesco at the min

Aveeno is also on prescription my dd2 was prescribeed it after trying steriod creams etc

The aveeno cleared her excema

I use neutrogena or Kiehls intensive handcream but what really works is putting cotton gloves on once handcream is applied! I do it at bedtime - v.strange look I know but then I take them off sometime during the night in my sleep but it gets the handcream working well. My fingers are cracking at the moment so I'm wearing gloves to bed tonight!!!

lemony flutter cuticle butter is just great for before bed, but quite greasy for daytime.

Dr Organics manuka honey hand and nail cream is really good- I have mild eczema/very dry skin and have found all the manuka honey creams brilliant.

I second the cotton gloves overnight idea too, and steroid cream does work if it is eczema, but ought to be a last resort really- especially long term.(Not doubting other posters need for it btw)

Thank you a million times for all your suggestions - I have been in Brighton this weekend and it was FREEZING so my poor hands are now bleeding everywhere (despite wearing gloves). Am off to the chemist now to see what they have in stock and to buy a pair of gloves to sleep in (DH will think I have lost my mind!)