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Painful, cracked hands

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
For about 3 weeks now my hands have been incredibly dry, cracked, peeling, and sore. I have never experienced this before. I keep applying E45 cream but it doesn't seem to be making any difference. They feel hot and stinging as well, and they look horrible.

As I work part time in a bar, it is not great for customers, I have to avoid them seeing my hands!

Does anyone know why I might have had this happen all of a sudden, and any good remedies (other than E45)?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    could it be somthing you use in work thats bothering your skin?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my mum had a very similar thing with her hands. it came on suddenly in her early twenties, and then got so bad when she was pregnant with me that she had to wear these white cotton gloves all the time.

    it still flares up again from time to time. i don't think the doctors ever told her definitely what it was, but they did prescribe her some cream that seemed to help.

    she also uses hydrocortisone cream on it, but i'd probably check with a doctor to see what they think before you use anything like that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i get that.
    smother your hands in vaseline intensive care dermacare cream before you go to bed so it can sink in without getting messy, and only use sensitive handwashes not soap.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My mum gets that and she uses atrixo or something like that. She says that it really helps.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hiya, my friend used to get this from lots of outdoor type work with horses. She used Aquaeous (sp?) cream which you can buy from the chemist, the best thing is that it is dirt cheap, and really effective...I use it on my son when he gets ezcema. Hope this helps
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Try cocoa butter?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    -Melt paraffin wax in the microwave (find it at supermarkets and hardware stores). Use one bar per treatment. then dip your hand in and let it harden. Remove and rinse. Do this once a week and you'll see a great improvement in your hands texture. It's a spa secret I picked up thats a cinch to replicate at home. :yes:


    OR-


    -Combine one teaspoon of glycerin (available at drugstores) with one cup of warm mashed potates. Dip your hand in it and relax it there for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off and then dry your hands. Finish it off by massaging a rich moisturizer or petroleum jelly into your hands.

    OR-

    Combine one teaspoon olive oil with contents of one vitamin E capsule (1,000 units) and one teaspoon powdered milk. then you massage it into your hands and slip on a pair of cotton gloves. Wear them overnight and you'll have smooth and silky hands by morning.

    OR-

    Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water, then use a coarse washcloth to rub briskly. While your skin is still slightly damp, apply a mixture of one teaspoon honey and one teaspoon olive oil. Put your hands in small plastic bags and then a pair of cotton gloves for thirty minutes. the heat helps the treatment penetrate.


    Hope it helps!! :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And just in case none of that works... Body Shop Hemp hand cream is very lovely.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And don't use e45!! You're much better with something like vaseline - petroleum jelly type stuff. Really you should see the doctor about it and get something prescription.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sudacream?

    It's made for babies' cracked skin on their wee bums..it might be delicate enough for your hands?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Neutrogena hand cream is excellent.

    I used to get quite chapped hands when I had a job which involved a lot of hand washing and found it really good. It's the best hand cream I've tried, feels more like vaseline tho than say a moisturiser. It's really thick.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by kaffrin


    she also uses hydrocortisone cream on it, but i'd probably check with a doctor to see what they think before you use anything like that.

    My ex used to work behind the bar and he had a similar problem just flare up, we went and spoke to a pharmacist who suggested hydrocotisine cream and that cleared it up in no time. I suggest you speak to a pharmacist and see what they say.

    Susie :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for all the advice.

    I'm going to go to the pharmacy later and hopefully get it sorted.
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