"Help for winter hands?"

"Help for winter hands?"

[Lobby] [Main] [Help] [Search]

This forum is no longer in use -- please join us on the new boards at forum.woolworks.org!

Original Message
Contact other knitters Forum Type: Public Moderator: Emily_Way Time Zone: EST
Printer Friendly Format

"Help for winter hands?" Posted by Susan on Feb-12-04 at 12:48 PM (EST)
I work in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Needless to say, I wash my hands a lot. On my days off, I love to knit. But with the cold winter weather and the amount of times that I wash my hands, I am finding that my fingertips are very dry and scratchy. I find that when working with yarn, it gets picked ( I don't know exactly what word to use) by my dry fingertips. Any thoughts about any types of lotions/creams/ointments to combat this???? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Susan
	[TOP]

Table of Contents

you need lanolin, MaureenM, Feb-12-04, (1)

"you need lanolin", Rhonda, Mar-07-04, (10)

cracked finger tips, Holly Burnham, Feb-14-04, (2)

Rough fingertips, Barbara McCall, Feb-14-04, (3)

Rough hands, SadieKate, Feb-18-04, (4)

Help for winter hands?, Sher, Feb-19-04, (5)

help for winter hands, Susan, Mar-01-04, (6)

Help for winter hands, just passing by, Mar-02-04, (7)

Dry skin, Pogo, Mar-04-04, (8)

Help For Winter Hands, Barbara, Mar-05-04, (9)

Winter Hands, Pogo, Mar-08-04, (11)

Always worse in the winter!, knithappy, Jan-13-05, (12)

moisturizer in lys, Emily, Jan-13-05, (13)

Make your own Body Butter/Loti..., Sharon Nguyen, Jan-14-05, (14)

Rough fingers, Killer, Dec-02-05, (15)

Winter Hands, ald1958, Mar-26-06, (16)

Messages in this discussion

1 . "you need lanolin"
Posted by MaureenM on Feb-12-04 at 01:54 PM (EST)

My grandfather owned a meat market and he had the softest hands. He recommended lanolin to customers who had dry & cracked hands. He would give them the fat from around lamb kidneys and tell them how to put it in a pan and put it in a warm oven to melt the fat and skim off the impurities leaving the white, odorless fat which does not easily become rancid.
Today, you can buy lanolin cream in the drug store or my mail order. It is sold for the nipples of nursing mothers so maybe a lactation specialist at your hospital can direct you to a source.

[REMOVE] [TOP]

10 . ""you need lanolin""
Posted by Rhonda on Mar-07-04 at 10:03 AM (EST)

Just a note that some people are allegic to lanolin. If you are, the cure will aggrevate the condition. I learned the hard way.

[REMOVE] [TOP]

2 . "cracked finger tips"
Posted by Holly Burnham on Feb-14-04 at 01:36 PM (EST)

When my hands are starting to dry I slather them with vasoline, put cotton gloves on before I go to bed. Also, no matter how short of time you are, always apply hand cream in the morning and as often as you can during the day. Perhaps the soap you're using at work is too harsh. Do you have any say in what is ordered?

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

3 . "Rough fingertips"
Posted by Barbara McCall on Feb-14-04 at 03:47 PM (EST)

This may sound a little strange, but.....take a nail file with fine abrasive and sand those fingertips down! I use those thick nail files that were designed for acrylic nail overlays. Some are very fine. Shop around at your local beauty supply store. I use these to rasp off dry skin on my feet and toes. Works great. Painless.
I also recommend using a cream with urea as an ingredient. Look for products intended for diabetic foot care.
Good luck.

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

4 . "Rough hands"
Posted by SadieKate on Feb-18-04 at 06:27 PM (EST)

I also flyfish and mountain bike -- that definitely nukes your hands. Horseman's Dream, a lotion available in tack shops, is a sure thing. I have even converted professional fishing guides to the stuff since it healed the terrible cracks they get. It even survives a handwashing but doesn't feel icky. I keep a tube in my knitting bag, my briefcase. my bike bag, beside my bed, etc. It is amazing stuff.
I file/sand my fingers when I have been a bad girl and forgotten to use this lotion!

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

5 . "Help for winter hands?"
Posted by Sher on Feb-19-04 at 01:07 PM (EST)

I feel your pain. I too once was a nurse, had young children with diapers that increased my hand washing and tried to knit too!! My hands were absolutely raw! They are much better now that the children are grown and I am no longer working. When I needed it Aquaphor and 1% hydrocortisone cream (used sparingly - mostly on the fisures) worked pretty well. Now, I use the Wal*mart Equate brand Advanced Healing Lotion works well for me.

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

6 . "help for winter hands"
Posted by Susan on Mar-01-04 at 07:49 AM (EST)

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I will try each one of them, thanks, Susan

[REMOVE] [TOP]

7 . "Help for winter hands"
Posted by just passing by on Mar-02-04 at 04:40 AM (EST)

For a quick fix you can "wash" your hands with a mixture of a small amount of an oil (such as olive oil) and salt. Wipe it off after a few minutes of washing. Spinners use this often to smooth their hands.

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

8 . "Dry skin"
Posted by Pogo on Mar-04-04 at 01:03 PM (EST)

What about Cream C? This was recommended several years ago in a book written by doctors and nurses about their own home remedies -- for dry skin on the hands, they apply a bit of Crisco.
There are a couple of hand creams intended for those who milk cows; I've seen this one for sale at yarn stores and in drugstores: http://www.uddercream.com/products.html
Pogo

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

9 . "Help For Winter Hands"
Posted by Barbara on Mar-05-04 at 00:21 AM (EST)

In his syndicated newspaper column today, Dr. Gott recommended Bag Balm!

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

11 . "Winter Hands"
Posted by Pogo on Mar-08-04 at 11:39 AM (EST)

Bag Balm and Udder Cream -- both intended for cows' udders, but I hear they do great things for human skin.
Pogo

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

12 . "Always worse in the winter!"
Posted by knithappy on Jan-13-05 at 04:23 AM (EST)

Susan;
Try Neutrogena Hand Cream - FANTASTIC stuff. Not greasy at all, plus, one tube last forever bcuz you only use a small amt! They make alot of products - body lotion, foot cream etc - give it a try!
It's the best thing i've ever used.

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

13 . "moisturizer in lys"
Posted by Emily on Jan-13-05 at 12:34 PM (EST)

Hi Susan -
I read the suggestions and they are all great, but I wanted to let you know that I saw a product at my lys for exactly this purpose. I didn't buy it, but I tried a little sample and really liked it. It's called something like rubber gloves. It's lotion/moisturizer that acts like rubber gloves.
Good luck!

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

14 . "Make your own Body Butter/Lotion for your Hands/Body"
Posted by Sharon Nguyen on Jan-14-05 at 02:24 PM (EST)

Hi, Susan!
I'm a teacher (wash hands constantly!), work outside whenever I can, and also get very dry hands during the winter/school time. I make my own soap, shampoo, lip balms/sticks, lotions, and so on. I've finally come up with a body butter that is all natural and fits my family perfectly. I do sell this stuff, but I'll give you my recipe to try for free! I take the glass jar that will house the body butter in and place it in a pan with boiling water after putting in 1/2 cocoa butter solid and 1/2 liquid oils of choice like olive, jojoba, sweet almond, or whatever you like best, and let the oils melt down, stirring frequently. Once the oils have been melted, I give them one final stir, and put the glass jar in the refrigerator to cool down and not get the little dip at the top as it would if you left it ouside to cool down. Once completely cooled, you'll have a nice soft/solid body butter that smells delicious and works like a dream. I make sure to use this whenever I get out of the tub, and whenever else I need it. This can be used on the face, lips, eyes, ect., or anywhere else you have dry skin. I hope this helps!
God's blessings to you and your family!
Sharon

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

15 . "Rough fingers"
Posted by Killer on Dec-02-05 at 00:45 AM (EST)

I work with my hands a lot and year after year they have gotten worse. Mostly the working surfaces of my thumb and index finger as well as the tips on my other fingers. I get those nasty painful little cracks too. I do have a couple things that work. When you get one of those tiny little cracks on the tip use just a little bit of super glue on it. The glue will act like a little hard bandage and allow the crack to heal as well as stops it from hurting because it's so "protected" by the glue. Try it just once you will be surprised. Remember just a tiny bit of glue. Also I've found that two or three band aids with some Neosporin will do wonders for a rough spot if I can manage to leave it on for a day or so.

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

16 . "Winter Hands"
Posted by ald1958 on Mar-26-06 at 02:43 PM (EST)

Susan,
I highly recommend "Gloves In A Bottle". I have yet to find any hand moisturizer that works like this product.It is not a moisturizer in an actual sense but a sealer, if you will., that seals in natural oils and is very waterproof. It comes off as the skin defoilates! Their website is www.glovesinabottle.com. I have just joined this site mainly because I'm in search of Caron Dazzleaire yarn (60% creslan/ 40% nylon)in white. I do not knit but use this material for fishing lures and can not find it frequently in white. If you should run across the above please let me know!! THANKS, Tony

[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

1 . "you need lanolin" Posted by MaureenM on Feb-12-04 at 01:54 PM (EST)
My grandfather owned a meat market and he had the softest hands. He recommended lanolin to customers who had dry & cracked hands. He would give them the fat from around lamb kidneys and tell them how to put it in a pan and put it in a warm oven to melt the fat and skim off the impurities leaving the white, odorless fat which does not easily become rancid. Today, you can buy lanolin cream in the drug store or my mail order. It is sold for the nipples of nursing mothers so maybe a lactation specialist at your hospital can direct you to a source.
	[REMOVE] [TOP]

10 . ""you need lanolin"" Posted by Rhonda on Mar-07-04 at 10:03 AM (EST)
Just a note that some people are allegic to lanolin. If you are, the cure will aggrevate the condition. I learned the hard way.
	[REMOVE] [TOP]

2 . "cracked finger tips" Posted by Holly Burnham on Feb-14-04 at 01:36 PM (EST)
When my hands are starting to dry I slather them with vasoline, put cotton gloves on before I go to bed. Also, no matter how short of time you are, always apply hand cream in the morning and as often as you can during the day. Perhaps the soap you're using at work is too harsh. Do you have any say in what is ordered?
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

3 . "Rough fingertips" Posted by Barbara McCall on Feb-14-04 at 03:47 PM (EST)
This may sound a little strange, but.....take a nail file with fine abrasive and sand those fingertips down! I use those thick nail files that were designed for acrylic nail overlays. Some are very fine. Shop around at your local beauty supply store. I use these to rasp off dry skin on my feet and toes. Works great. Painless. I also recommend using a cream with urea as an ingredient. Look for products intended for diabetic foot care. Good luck.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

4 . "Rough hands" Posted by SadieKate on Feb-18-04 at 06:27 PM (EST)
I also flyfish and mountain bike -- that definitely nukes your hands. Horseman's Dream, a lotion available in tack shops, is a sure thing. I have even converted professional fishing guides to the stuff since it healed the terrible cracks they get. It even survives a handwashing but doesn't feel icky. I keep a tube in my knitting bag, my briefcase. my bike bag, beside my bed, etc. It is amazing stuff. I file/sand my fingers when I have been a bad girl and forgotten to use this lotion!
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

5 . "Help for winter hands?" Posted by Sher on Feb-19-04 at 01:07 PM (EST)
I feel your pain. I too once was a nurse, had young children with diapers that increased my hand washing and tried to knit too!! My hands were absolutely raw! They are much better now that the children are grown and I am no longer working. When I needed it Aquaphor and 1% hydrocortisone cream (used sparingly - mostly on the fisures) worked pretty well. Now, I use the Wal*mart Equate brand Advanced Healing Lotion works well for me.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

6 . "help for winter hands" Posted by Susan on Mar-01-04 at 07:49 AM (EST)
Thanks for all of the suggestions, I will try each one of them, thanks, Susan
	[REMOVE] [TOP]

7 . "Help for winter hands" Posted by just passing by on Mar-02-04 at 04:40 AM (EST)
For a quick fix you can "wash" your hands with a mixture of a small amount of an oil (such as olive oil) and salt. Wipe it off after a few minutes of washing. Spinners use this often to smooth their hands.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

8 . "Dry skin" Posted by Pogo on Mar-04-04 at 01:03 PM (EST)
What about Cream C? This was recommended several years ago in a book written by doctors and nurses about their own home remedies -- for dry skin on the hands, they apply a bit of Crisco. There are a couple of hand creams intended for those who milk cows; I've seen this one for sale at yarn stores and in drugstores: http://www.uddercream.com/products.html Pogo
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

9 . "Help For Winter Hands" Posted by Barbara on Mar-05-04 at 00:21 AM (EST)
In his syndicated newspaper column today, Dr. Gott recommended Bag Balm!
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

11 . "Winter Hands" Posted by Pogo on Mar-08-04 at 11:39 AM (EST)
Bag Balm and Udder Cream -- both intended for cows' udders, but I hear they do great things for human skin. Pogo
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

12 . "Always worse in the winter!" Posted by knithappy on Jan-13-05 at 04:23 AM (EST)
Susan; Try Neutrogena Hand Cream - FANTASTIC stuff. Not greasy at all, plus, one tube last forever bcuz you only use a small amt! They make alot of products - body lotion, foot cream etc - give it a try! It's the best thing i've ever used.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

13 . "moisturizer in lys" Posted by Emily on Jan-13-05 at 12:34 PM (EST)
Hi Susan - I read the suggestions and they are all great, but I wanted to let you know that I saw a product at my lys for exactly this purpose. I didn't buy it, but I tried a little sample and really liked it. It's called something like rubber gloves. It's lotion/moisturizer that acts like rubber gloves. Good luck!
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

14 . "Make your own Body Butter/Lotion for your Hands/Body" Posted by Sharon Nguyen on Jan-14-05 at 02:24 PM (EST)
Hi, Susan! I'm a teacher (wash hands constantly!), work outside whenever I can, and also get very dry hands during the winter/school time. I make my own soap, shampoo, lip balms/sticks, lotions, and so on. I've finally come up with a body butter that is all natural and fits my family perfectly. I do sell this stuff, but I'll give you my recipe to try for free! I take the glass jar that will house the body butter in and place it in a pan with boiling water after putting in 1/2 cocoa butter solid and 1/2 liquid oils of choice like olive, jojoba, sweet almond, or whatever you like best, and let the oils melt down, stirring frequently. Once the oils have been melted, I give them one final stir, and put the glass jar in the refrigerator to cool down and not get the little dip at the top as it would if you left it ouside to cool down. Once completely cooled, you'll have a nice soft/solid body butter that smells delicious and works like a dream. I make sure to use this whenever I get out of the tub, and whenever else I need it. This can be used on the face, lips, eyes, ect., or anywhere else you have dry skin. I hope this helps! God's blessings to you and your family! Sharon
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

15 . "Rough fingers" Posted by Killer on Dec-02-05 at 00:45 AM (EST)
I work with my hands a lot and year after year they have gotten worse. Mostly the working surfaces of my thumb and index finger as well as the tips on my other fingers. I get those nasty painful little cracks too. I do have a couple things that work. When you get one of those tiny little cracks on the tip use just a little bit of super glue on it. The glue will act like a little hard bandage and allow the crack to heal as well as stops it from hurting because it's so "protected" by the glue. Try it just once you will be surprised. Remember just a tiny bit of glue. Also I've found that two or three band aids with some Neosporin will do wonders for a rough spot if I can manage to leave it on for a day or so.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

16 . "Winter Hands" Posted by ald1958 on Mar-26-06 at 02:43 PM (EST)
Susan, I highly recommend "Gloves In A Bottle". I have yet to find any hand moisturizer that works like this product.It is not a moisturizer in an actual sense but a sealer, if you will., that seals in natural oils and is very waterproof. It comes off as the skin defoilates! Their website is www.glovesinabottle.com. I have just joined this site mainly because I'm in search of Caron Dazzleaire yarn (60% creslan/ 40% nylon)in white. I do not knit but use this material for fishing lures and can not find it frequently in white. If you should run across the above please let me know!! THANKS, Tony
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

Questions or problems regarding this bulletin board should be directed to Webmaster �1997-1999 by DCScripts. All rights reserved.

Questions or problems regarding this bulletin board should be directed to Webmaster
�1997-1999 by DCScripts. All rights reserved.