Chapped, Dry & Cracked hands/fingers in the winter - What do YOU do about it?

[dmccarty]

I think Egon is on the right track. :sheep: :laughing: We have used a variety of udder creams for years which have had Lanolin as an ingredient. They all seemed to work. Fluid Film is made from Lanolin.

Later,
Dan

 

[IXLR8]

This is what you want: CO Bigelow No 1012 Chapped Hands Remedy Medicated Skin Protectant Lotion

Have you found this available in your local stores or is it online order only? I have only found it online, so far, nothing locally.

 

[moeh1]

put vaseline on your hands and then a set of latex gloves when you go to bed, really helps pretty quickly.

 

[charlz]

Have you found this available in your local stores or is it online order only? I have only found it online, so far, nothing locally.

My wife says she was buying it at Bath and Body Works but is not sure if they carry it anymore. We stocked up so I am set for a while. There was another excellent one I was using "Gardener's Hand Healer" that eventually was discontinued so when I found this new one I stocked up

 

[Egon]

<GET A HAND & NAIL BRUSH! Put one at every hand washing sink. and USE them. I like the natural bristle rectangular wooden handled ones, about 1" x 5".

Fill the sink bowl with very warm water, soap up. Scrub and scrub until there is only tender red skin. Dip into the hot soapy water often to soften the skin. Not even a dark shadow of dirt in the callouses should remain. Clean out those cut and splits too! It will hurt, but it won't hurt you! Hand washing should take as long as it takes to sing a couple stanzas of "Old MacDonald". (To yourself!)

Get that Skin Clean! If you get my point.

Chapped, cracked and broken skin is the product of bacteria that thrives on debris attached to your skin. Putting "healing lotions" on top is like "throwing bra'er rabbit into the briar patch".

I wash my hands just about whenever I complete the task that get's them dirty, even if that is just meal times or at the end of a full day outdoors.

Doctor tested! and it's working for me! One tiny crack on the outside of the right thumb just above the nail, not even open or red. ;-)>

Try a salt based skin defoliant??:thumbsup:

 

[sodamo]

Really can't contribute much to the remedy side, but on the preventative side a suggestion. When I have a particularly dirty job, painting, grease, oil etc that I'm likely not to wear gloves or know I'll be taking them on and off, I lather up with straight dish washing liquid (dawn) then let dry. Almost like a lotion. Makes cleaning up a breeze especially if I do a good job around the finger tips/nails.

David Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Egon]

References to Lanolin. Can't verify accuracy!:thumbsup:



What is lanolin and is it really a wonder moisturiser?
JUNE 3, 2009
tags: cosmetic ingredients, dry skin, lanolin, Lanolips, lip balm, moisturiser, moisturizers, natural cosmetics, sheep, skin care
by RealizeBeautyEd
Lanolin, also known as wool fat is the sheep equivalent of sebum (the stuff that makes our skin and hair greasy). It consists of liquid waxes and is produced by the sheep to give it some protection from the elements. You see, unlike us humans sheep can稚 usually just put on some clothes or pop up and umbrella when it rains therefore their coat has to be able to protect them from a variety of weather conditions. Think about it like this, wool is a great natural fibre and one that us humans have been using for many many years to keep us warm. However, try making a swimsuit out of pure wool and it soon becomes heavy and waterlogged. That is because by the time we get the wool, the lanolin is all gone so the wool fibres have no protective barrier around them and they become soaked. Lanolin acts as a waterproof barrier, allowing sheep to be out in the rain all day without getting weighed down and cold. AMAZING!

So, what good is lanolin to us? Well, anyone who has spent time in a shearing shed will know that the grease that comes off the flease leaves the shearers hands soft and silky (not very macho but hey?). It also ensures that the blades and metal structures in the shed remain shiny and rust free (again, due to its water repellent properties). So lanolin is a great natural moisturiser, lubricant and rust stopper!

Back in the day, sheep farmers would just take it for granted that they would have silky smooth skin after handling the fleeces. References to lanolin can be found in the bible as well as in ancient Greek and Roman records. At some point in lanolinç—´ history the benefits of this wonderful and totally natural fat became known by the general public and it soon became a traded item, valued for its and water proofing and emollient properties.

In the 1960′s concerns over the safety of lanolin arose. It was around this time that farmers had upped their levels of pesticide use to cope with growing demand for produce. Books like é„* Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, 1962 helped bring the issue of pesticides and public health to majority and soon people began questioning the safety of this ingredient. After some investigation lanolin was found to often contain traces of pesticide residue. Some of these were traced back to crop spraying and some from the sheep dip used to prevent things like fly strike. This wasn稚 good news.

As lanolin was a constituent of many baby products, the concerns over its safety were acted upon immediately and work began to find ways of purifying the lanolin. By the mid 1970′s methods were available and a high purity and clean lanolin was taken to market. Unfortunately by this time the bad press had sullied lanolinç—´ name and petroleum based oils and waxes had taken lanolinç—´ place. Terms like é�‘anolin free were seen to be a mark of quality as consumers were worried about the irritation potential that lanolin was seen to have.

Lanolinç—´ negative image remains today although it is beginning to return to fashion as people demand alternatives to petroleum (how the pendulum swings). The lanolin that is produced for todayç—´ personal care products is of the highest and purest quality. It is tested down to very minute levels to ensure that no impurities or potential allergens remain. Indeed just the other week a whole range of lip balms were launched under the trade mark Lanolips this range was developed by Kirsten Carriol here in Australia (Check out our article, Coffee with Kirsten here)

Chemically lanolin is a waxy blend that melts at around 40C. Its waxy nature make it a really good skin moisturizing agent that is capable of penetrating the skins outer layer to nourish it from within. It forms a non-occlusive barrier (it doesn稚 smother the skin) meaning that the skin can still æ¾±reathe through it this is important so that the skin can carry out normal biological functions. Lanolin was linked to many allergic reactions during the 60′s and 70′s but these have lessened now due to the cleaning up of the raw material making lanolin quite a safe material on the whole.

While the collection of lanolin does not harm the animal (it is collected from sheared fleeces) some people are against the use of animal products. If this is the case for you we recommend trying some of the low melting point plant based waxes and butters such as Shea or Coconut as equivalents.



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from → Ingredients
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9 Comments leave one →

Kirsten Carriol PERMALINK
June 5, 2009 6:07 pm
Hello! I have been reading your blog for ages, and I loved your beautiful piece about lanolin. Just a little correction, that the new Australian Lanolips brand is actually my brand (not Miranda Coggins). I think there may be a similarly named brand in Kansas US, that has absolutely nothing to do with mine. LOVE YOUR BLOG! Kirsten Carriol, Lanolips Creator
REPLY

RealizeBeautyEd PERMALINK*
June 5, 2009 6:22 pm
Hi Kristen,
I will get that changed immediately! I was reading about you in the Sunday Magazine last week and was mighty impressed. Developing your own brand is no small task so good on you and thanks for the blog feedback. It is great to know that others share my passion.
REPLY

mindak3 PERMALINK
July 11, 2012 7:40 am
Hello! Thanks for this post! I use lanolin in my brand which is still very brand new. I would be really interested to know what they test for in lanolin to ensure the purity? Are there some lanolin brands that are better than others? Thanks! Colorado Groove Herbs | Keep on Grooving!
REPLY

RealizeBeautyEd PERMALINK*
July 14, 2012 12:42 am
Hi there,
Congratulations on having your own brand, what a challenge! There are tests that you can do for purity on both your finished cosmetics and your ingredients. However, because of the costs involved most smaller brands just go by the product specification, C of A and MSDS. These should give you some re-assurance as to levels of impurities in your materials.
REPLY

Elena PERMALINK
August 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Can I just get the pure lanolin at the store and just put it on my face?
REPLY

Garden Gal PERMALINK
November 9, 2012 3:17 am
Yes. Just remember itç—´ heavy, sticky and somewhat barnyard smelling. But worth it!
REPLY
Trackbacks
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So What痴 Up with Petroleum Jelly? ｫ Realize Beauty
Coffee with Kristen ｫ Realize Beauty
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[wdchyd]

I have the world's worst dry skin and many suggestions brought up here are great.....but the best thing for me is on the prevention side then use the lotions

the best thing for me is to do the dishes by hand every night....it softens up the skin, then I use the pumice stone afterwards

for my feet I soak them in a warm tub of water or if I don't have the time just before I head home after work I pour warm water in my boots, then the pumice stone when home.....for those people like me with cracked heels it's amazing how well it works

as far as after I get cracks in the finger tips, wash, clean hands, then I use super-glue in the cracks..(yes, you read that right SUPER-GLUE).....just a smidge will do.....maybe a very slight second coat if needed......this will at least give you immediate relief to use your hands normally

the other thing I do if the cracks are on your fingers but in the crease of the knuckle, I put on band-aids and keep them wet with water throughout the day......it has the same effect as soaking your hands

 

[turnkey4099]

Dunno how it is on hands. I have a problem in winter with "cracked heel" where a callus will crack open and be very painful to walk on. First time I visited the doc with it, I expected to be sent to the pharmacy with an expensive prescript. Nope. He said to just put vaseline on it. I did and it cures it almost with one dose. I just gob it on and try to work a sock over it without wiping it all off.

Got to apply what will probably be my last dose to my right foot thismorning - that was a bad split in an awkward spot, been dosing it 3 days now.

Nice to have a doc that will use cheap resources. Of course this one is an Indian (from India). From a few things he said he seems to hae started his career as a field medic in their military - I know for a fact he can apply a dressign to an open wound that will stay on without the use of tape.

Currently have on finger split at the corner of a nail - I'll dose it with vaseline as I leave to work on the woodpile.

Harry K

 

[Travelover]

Another vote for super glue. It stops the pain immediately and holds the crack together so it can heal.

 

[JerryK]

I use Gold Bond Ultimate [ tube ] healing Concentrated Therapy, rubbed on to the bad spots just before I go to bed at night. During the day, use Vaseline Intensive Rescue repairing moister lotion [32 oz pump ] after each hand wash... if I remember.. Also, in the winter, after I start having the problem, I use Nitril gloves whenever I work on my vehicles... again, when I remember. You can get boxes of them on sale at Harbor Freight/ etc. once and awhile. They are not indestructable, and you may have to use a coulple pairs to get you thru a bad day... but better than the cut pain... Another thing, when you go in for your udder cream, ask for Vetenary Salve.... a blushing clerk told me they don't call it udder cream anymore.... The Gold Bond works as good or better than the Vet salve and will cure the cuts after a few days if you stay after it. And the Vaseline keeps the cuts from coming back... again, you can't play in the grease and warsh your hands like you did when you were a kid....

 

[JerryK]

I treat those sore spots you get besides your fingernails with Nu Skin [ little bottle ], which is kind of like super glue, but is thicker/not as runny.....

 

[creekbend]

i just got back from Mebane and I just got on TBN. Here is another vote for "Bag Balm". It comes in a green can and the price is usually between 8-12 dollars. I have used it for probably 40+years. I have used it to bring pimples under the skin to aid in coming to a head. I've used it on open cuts, sores, raw skin, and diaper rash when our Children and Grandchildren were afflicted with the rash. When I introduce this salve to my young bride-40 years ago-she read the can and adamantly stated that she wouldn't use it on herself, much less our Children. She is a staunch supporter now. Best wishes regarding your hands and your Children's hands.

 

[ncnurseryman]

Is bay balm the same thing as utter butter?

 

[ncnurseryman]

Sorry, bag balm.

 

[dmccarty]

i just got back from Mebane and I just got on TBN....

Creek,

Did you go stuck up at the big gun store in Mebane? :laughing::laughing::laughing:

To other TBNers, there is huge outdoor/gun store in Mebane just off of I40. They must sell tons and tons of safes because they have a building just for storing safes.

Egon's talk of Lanolin makes we think of the Dirty Jobs episode where Mike is cleaning sheep hides. He was scraping the hides to make into parchment and found a cyst. He could not stop himself and said look its a zit and squeezed the cyst which squirted sheep goo over him and I think the camera. :shocked: :laughing::laughing::laughing: Whenever I hear about Lanolin I think of Mike squeezing sheep zits.

Later,
Dan

 

[Pilot]

Bag Balm. Haven't tried most of the other stuff, but Bag Balm works. My nails crack & split, the skin at the corners of my nails crack, my fingers get dry. It's both a climate and age thing.

BB every night at bed time on all the affected areas, let it soak in for just a minute, then rub it in. When we have really dry weather, I use it in the morning also at a time when I know I won't be washing my hands for a little while.

Look for BB in a green can with old fashioned decoration.

BB works!

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I used to have the same problem, and I used this:

Amazon.com: ShiKai Lotion, Dry Skin Therapy, Borage, 8-Ounces: Beauty

The cold doesn't seem to affect me anymore...

 

[Egon]

( The cold doesn't seem to affect me anymore...)

Oh oh ; does that mean you are below the frost line?

 

[bullbreaker]

My family we are really good at washing our hands. We tend to get REALLY dirty first, and we wash up regularly and often.

So every winter, both my older daughters get REALLY red chapped hands, and my hands, mostly the finger tips, joints, and heel of my hands get VERY rough, and crack. Mostly in the corners of my fingernails and on my finger tips I am getting recurring cracks that bleed and take the dickens to heal.

I wear leather gloves for heavy/dirty work most of the time. I keep my nails fairly short & clean, at "work" I'm a suit, at "home/ranch" I'm not.

My wife discovered some gold bond extreme healing hand cream and it is helping, but for example right now I've got this almost quarter inch long crack on the side of my right pointer finger and it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to get it healed. I've been glueing it shut with liguid bandaid, neosporin and bandaids at night, etc. But I'm right handed, and I NEED my finger tip.
Right now both thumbs and pointer fingers have cracks around the nails, and the right pointer and left middle have cracks on the finger tips. I also have cracks on 2 right knuckles, and right at the base of my right pinky on the heel of my hand.
Part of the porblem is I've been a computer geek type most of my life, and I used to have soft and smooth hands like somebody who did not work for a living, and they are transitioning into farmer/rancher hands.
I could use some good advice on how to manage this transition to worker hands...
And my daughters will benefit from it also.
Thanks in advance,

David

Howdy David !
Just spoke to a Native American friend from one of the bigger tribes. Explained to him your situation. "RED EEL" says what they used and still to this day is a solution made from 1/2 part fox hair and the rest crickets ! RED EEL says only one treatment nesassary one time. Hope it helps Kemo Sabe . :

Boone :fox: :biggrin: