Dry Dry Dry Hands

My sister has really cracked, dry skin that doesn't seem to respond to anything (doctor prescribed or not, not even Eucerin).  She tries everything, including Vaseline.  Does anyone else have this and what do you do about it?

Skin often reflects general health so a good diet, being a healthy weight and so forth is never a bad start.  Specifically, your sister could try increasing her intake of Vitamin E which is found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.  That's very good for skin.  A medicated bath lotion such as 'Oilatum' is a good way to keep the skin protected and, of course, she should try to keep her skin covered and not exposed to wind and cold the rest of the time.  I'd also suggest, from personal experience, that she should try to keep the salt content of her diet down ....

creamy vaseline( walmart has a generic form), udder cream- which I love as it doesn't have a nasty perfume. (can be purchased at the feed store) the smell is pleasant to me. also palmers cocoa butter with vitamin e.(walmart has this) the palmers would be the first one I would try. I have all on hand and use one or the other often. I also use gloves whenever I wash dishes. getting hands wet real often will exaserbate the problem and also bring it on. my hands are very sensitive. I also can not use the pink antibacterial soap that is found in all rest. shopping malls, groc. stores etc.( this could be what is causing her problem. tell her to  stop using the soap there...  for a good while( I carry my own dishwashing liquid in a small bottle in my purse..... the antibacterial alcohol stuff in a bottle is ok to use occasionally... but is also very drying too if you use it more than say once a day. if her hands are already dry I wouldn't suggest she use the alcohol stuff at all.  this is the reason I have to carry my own soap to wash my hands.  also keep some kind of lotion in her purse to put on through the day.  I seem to keep mine under control but as I get older it seems to get worse.. I am 42.  my grandpa had a terrible time with his. his hands would crack open and somtimes bleed. he was a dairyman and had his hands wet alot and all. I don't know what he ever used. I figure maybe some of the utter cream since he had it one hand, but being a man he probably didn't do anything.  my sister also had this problem. she had her hands in water alot too at most of her jobs.  I think keeping them dry is important ifyou have this problem, and putting the right type of lotion on very often.   the palmers has done wonders for my husbands knee surgery scar( it will help fade them over time)  but it also did wonders on my cracked heels which are completely better now and are nice and pink... hope some of this works for her...

I had a good friend who had this problem, apparently, he had no sweat glands in his hands.  He slathered hand lotion on at every opportunity.

I don't have this problem, but I have found that any lotion with Shea butter (or pure Shea butter can be purchased on-line or at health fairs) is really effective at preventing cracking when I am abusing my hands (or feet) during harvest.  It soaks in well, and doesn't leave a "greasy" feel.  If you are in the states there is a brand called Gold Bond that I like pretty well.

My mother-in-law swears by Udder Cream.  I find it a little greasy, but she slathers it on before bed and puts on a pair of cotton gloves for the night.