Need serious hand help...

[barkley1]

I wash my hands so much, they are ashy, flaky bc so dry, rough on the outside (my knuckles and cuticles catch on my clothing or other fabrics :( ). Can anyone recommend a hand lotion that REALLY works? Nothing I have tried, including Aquafore and o'Keeffe's Working Hands, works for more than 1/2-1 hour. Even before bed...do I need to lather up and sleep with socks on my hands?? Give me your best tips!

[crl]

I might see a dermatologist to rule out eczema or allergies or something. I wash my hands a ton, but if I remember to put lotion on a few times a day they aren't too bad.

Catherine

[PunkyBoo]

I keep a pumpbottle of lotion next to the sink so I use it everytime I wash my hands. I like Cerave cream (comes in a tub) because its rich but soaks right in. The pump in my kitchen is TJs Midsummer Night Moisturizing Cream. At work I use cream on my hands immediately upon returning to my desk everytime I wash my hands.

[kellij]

Princess Borghese Splendide Mani. You have to order it online or I think Bloomingdale's has it. It is the only thing that helps my hands. I've tried everything else under the sun.

[edurnemk]

When my hands get really bad (I totally understand the catching on fabric), I use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand cream (http://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Norwegian-Formula-Cream-Fragrance-Free/dp/B000052YP6), after every handwashing, and it does wonders.

I totally need to use hand lotion after washing my hands on a regular basis to keep them from drying up that much.

[mikala]

I'd also try a different soap if that is an option. I react to some bath and body works scents and anything with peppermint.

When my hands get chapped I slather them with aquaphor and cover with gloves or socks at night. I also wear gloves outside in the cold and while driving with the heat on. Inside I wear gloves while washing dishes and avoid contact with harsh cleaners.

[fauve01]

i use pure shea butter. it's a solid. i scrape a teeny bit with the side of my nail and rub it around my cuticles and anywhere that is super dry. dh uses it on the spots between his fingers that crack. i put it on liberally before bed (no socks). it is oily til it "sucks in" to the skin, but i just avoid putting it onto the palm side of my hands, and i try to put it on when i can just let it absorb for a couple minutes.

i've used L'Occitane and Mistral brands. i've seen these in small lip balm tin size. i also recently tried Argan balm, and love it too! same feel as the shea.

http://www.amazon.com/Mistral-Shea-Butter-Large-Lavender/dp/B000LJHMII/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1362720993&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=mistral+shea+butter+unscented

http://www.amazon.com/LOccitane-100-Pure-Shea-Butter/dp/B00128CVDI/ref=pd_sim_hpc_9

http://www.amazon.com/Josie-Maran-Argan-Balm-4-6/dp/B006Z76WWC/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1362721326&sr=1-1&keywords=argan+balm

[Tondi G]

Coconut oil!

I also love Alba Natural very Emollient body lotion... I buy the unscented version but I see they make a "maximum" version! http://www.albabotanica.com/body/body-moisturizers.html

[niccig]

Lather's Hand cream..they have several, I like this one http://www.lather.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=327&idCategory=4 and it helps with age spots! I was also told to wear gloves when do the dishes.

I went to a party at their store and was impressed with their products. I've been using a few for the last week and my face looks so much better. I'm going to get DH to get a few other things for me for Mother's Day.

[Globetrotter]

I use Goat Milk Stuff soap instead of the old one, and that helps tremendously!

[MSWR0319]

I have some type of eczema (I don't remember the name) on my hands and the dermatologist has me using Cera Ve moisturizing cleanser to wash follow by using the lotion immediately after. It's helped tremendously!! Your soap may be drying out your hands as well.

[Twoboos]

I like Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand Cream. It works even better if you use some kind of scrub first to remove all the flakey parts.

ETA: I also agree the type of soap you use can make a huge difference. I have switched to mostly Burt's Bees.

[wendibird22]

I'd switch to a non-SLS soap (like Jason) or at least minimally a soap w/out triclosan (such as method). For hand lotion I really like EOS (same brand as those cute round lip balms). I've found it at my local Walmart.

[tabegle]

My daughter has really bad dry hands from washing too.

When they start getting really bad, I sneak into her room at night while she's sleeping and slather them in Vaseline.

One night she was awake and I convinced her to wear gloves to bed over the Vaseline. It works really well.

[marie]

My dermatologist gave me the following advice: Stop washing your hands so much, moisturize every.single.time you wash your hands, and use regular old petroleum jelly when you can.

I am also dealing with psoriasis or eczema (she wasn't sure which) on my hands. Honestly, the topical steroid she prescribed was a godsend and my hands were great until a stomach virus hit and I went back to scrubbing my hands constantly.

The derm also said that I could substitute alcohol-based hand sanitizers for washing my hands some of the time. I guess the alcohol evaporates faster than water and doesn't dry your hands out as much as a result.

[gatorsmom]

My dermatologist gave me the following advice: Stop washing your hands so much, moisturize every.single.time you wash your hands, and use regular old petroleum jelly when you can.

I am also dealing with psoriasis or eczema (she wasn't sure which) on my hands. Honestly, the topical steroid she prescribed was a godsend and my hands were great until a stomach virus hit and I went back to scrubbing my hands constantly.

The derm also said that I could substitute alcohol-based hand sanitizers for washing my hands some of the time. I guess the alcohol evaporates faster than water and doesn't dry your hands out as much as a result.

I agree with all of this. Vaseline on your hands before bed each night. Socks on your hands for the first couple of nights. On the nights you wear the socks on your hands, leave the vaseline really greasy. It will be soaked in by morning. I bet in about 3 nights of this and your hands will be much better. I do this on my feet and Cha Cha 's feet. Hs feet are so dry they are cracked even in the summer. Now that I've convinced him to wear socks and vaseline each night, his feet are back to normal.

[hellokitty]

If it is really bad, I'd try coconut oil, so easy and natural too. For maintenance, I have to religiously use avon's intensive care hand lotion. It is the one with the blue cap. It is the only thing that keeps my hands from getting eczema and bleeding in the cold months. I use it at bedtime and it, "dries" after a minute or two and doesn't feel goopy. DH loves it too. It's the one avon product that I am totally sold on and keep going back for more. I'm a RN, so I've tried a ton of different hand lotions and this is the only one that works for me and I remember originally getting the recommendation here at BBB. If you have an eczema spot, I recommend you use some hydrocortisone on that spot to get it under control and then maintain a lotion routine to keep it away. That is what I have had to do in the past to help the really bad spots to heal up.

[cckwmh]

cerave has a new hand cream that contains a previously only available by prescription barrier cream, Tetrix. I wash my hands at least 30 times a day and use hand sanitizer more then I wash my hands, and it doesn't wash off. The drug rep says it lasts 8 hours, but I usually reapply it 3 times a day at work. On days I am not working, I only use it in the morning. My fingertips crack in the winter and the cerave hand cream has saved me.

[Twoboos]

Is Cerave available at the drugstore/Target/etc.? Or is it a special order item?

[infomama]

Don't underestimate the power of eating good (non processed) food and staying hydrated. Since I began eating a plant strong diet I have noticed a change in my hands (especially my one thumb that was consistently more dry than the other). I still wash dishes with gloves and use a variety of hand lotions.

[MSWR0319]

Is Cerave available at the drugstore/Target/etc.? Or is it a special order item?

You can get it at a drugstore and I"m guessing Target carries it as well. I try to stock up when drugstore.com has it on sale since we use it so much. I'm not sure about the new hand cream. I need to check that out too!

[newg]

I will put neosporin on the sections that are really bad, then rub lotion over all of my hands.
I love Gardner's Hand Therapy by Crabtree. They have a hand soap too. Like PP mentioned; I will load lotion on my hands at bedtime, or when the girls are sleeping and I'll be watching a show (or reading) for an hour.

[daisymommy]

I have figured out that anything with alcohol or antibacterial soap destroys my hands.
I switched to Burt's Bees Shea butter hand soap, and Dawn with Oil of Olay dish soap. Within 2 days my hands improved, even without using any lotion.


Sent from my iPad

[barkley1]

Thank you all for the great suggestions! I am definitely changing soaps, and most of the lotions mentioned are new to me, so that's a great place to start!

[kellij]

Yes. Target carries it.

[MommyAllison]

Agreeing with the PPs that antibacterial soap does that to my hands, even if I only use it once. We use castille soap in foamer bottles at home.

[DietCokeLover]

When my hands get really bad (I totally understand the catching on fabric), I use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand cream (http://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Norwegian-Formula-Cream-Fragrance-Free/dp/B000052YP6), after every handwashing, and it does wonders.

I totally need to use hand lotion after washing my hands on a regular basis to keep them from drying up that much.

This is what I use too when my hands are extremely dry.