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Save My Skin!
Recently, I have been afflicted with the most horrific chapped skin ever.
I don't know why it's so horrific this year, but my hands are chapped and dry to the point of bleeding. It's really unattractive. I have tried lotioning frequently, but not to excess. I dry my hands immediately after washing, I never let them air dry in the cold. I do not use hand sanitizers very often, since my skin has shown signs of resentment. I wear (really cute) gloves outside. Please. Save my skin. Give me your secret skin tips. *The chapped broken skin is limited to the tops of my hands **This is in the femme section, not because butches don't have hands or skin but because I am a femme and this is myyyyyyyy thread. Your secret skin tips are welcome, too, gents. |
Check the ingrediants on the lotion. Many lotions have alcohol and can actually be somewhat drying.
Shea butter or mix of almond oil and jojoba does happy things for me.G'Luck. Edited to add: Oh- and Burt's Bees has a product called "Farmer's Friend" that can be quite useful. |
Anytime I've asked the pharmacists (I work at Wal-mart in the HBA section so people come in looking for lotion for dry skin) they recommend Eucerin as they use it for a base for stuff they make. I've recently found hand and cuticle cream (i think it's Eucerin, small tube, blue, like $4.82) that has worked wonders. I use hand sanitizer a lot and wash my hands at work since I'm always touching stuff, and the tops of my hands were chapped and flaky and rugged and gross, but this has helped it (and done wonders for my cuticles!).
I know my father use to use Bag Balm when he worked construction (now called veterinary balm, in a square tin and now in the pet section, around $7-ish). Hope that helps perhaps! |
Have you considered going to a Dermatologist? I used to have a similar condition and the only thing that helped was beef fat - when I made hamburger patties - and that was only temporary. No lotions - and I tried them all - helped. When I worked for a Dermatologist he diagnosed my problem as a form of eczema and the treatment he developed for me helped. You might have that or something different. If you are cracking and bleeding you need to be careful about infections.
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*sidles into Femme zone*
ebay is your body product ingredient friend. Try mixing (food grade) cocoa butter with some shea/almond/avocado/apricot (et al) butter. These items are all available on ebay (uk - and I'm sure on ebay usa) and cheap enough -usually - to try experimenting with the mix of butters that suit you. Or go the oil route and find the mix of oils that work for your skin. There are numerous websites dedicated to making your own skin products. :chaplin: *sidles out again* |
There were a lot of suggestions on the "Nail Me" thread - all about manicures. Some of note were to use polysporin if the skin is actually cracked, and to use the cream meant for cow's udders (which is what desdansmoncoeur was referring to by "bag balm" I think). Your best price for that would be at a feed store. The other thing that Snowy mentioned for nail and cuticle health was to take vitamin E gel caps, open them and spread it over the nails and cuticles. I wonder if that would help boost your skin health? (after the cracks are healed, of course)
My contribution is a hand cream called "Glysomed" - a German product if you can find it. Thick, absorbs well and not greasy. The best hand cream I've ever had. Good luck! Cracked skin is SO uncomfortable! |
you can also try a Paraffin (sp) hand treatment- a type of deep penetrating wax.. usually at a nail salon- not only feels wonderful, but it works really well.
best of luck to you sweetie :rrose: |
Hello Selenay, you have been given a lot of great suggestions for taking care of you chapped hands. Here are a couple from me...
1. Do go and see a dermatologist. 2. Paraffin is wonderful, but some states don't allow this, because it is not able to be sanitized. They do however sell personal Paraffin machines in Wal-mart or any type of drugstore. A trick I learned about paraffin is to slather your hands with a heavy duty lotion before you dip your hands, once your hands have been emerced into the paraffin cover them again (saran wrap) and wrap them and let the paraffin stay on until cold. 3. Try using aqua fore (sp) It feels kinda like Vaseline and a little goes a very long way. Eucerin makes a great cream but it can seem rather heavy at first. 4. Drink more water! Good luck! |
Don't dry off after you bathe or wash your hands. Put lotion on your damp skin and let air dry or pat dry. Also Burt's Bees apricot baby oil works great slathered on damp skin..or really any oil...I just like the apricot smell.
The oil mixes with the water...emulsifying and soaks into your skin better. At night sometimes maybe slather up all over after a bath, put on PJ's (cotton or flannel) cotton socks and cotton (or bamboo) gloves (or more cotton socks on your hands). Works great on my ultra dry skin and is not expensive...but you have to be consistent with it. |
look for 'lanolin creme' --it's what they give breastfeeding mothers in the hospital for their chapped nipples and it works wonders on dry hands.
lanolin is an amazing *glandular secretion* wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanolin |
I know this is going to sound crazy but..apretty made me think of it when she mentioned breastfeeding. When I was breastfeeding, my nipples were SO raw, I could barely feed my daughter. They were cracked and bleeding, and chaffed. SO, someone told me a great trick. I took regular tea bags, soaked them in hot water for a few moments..and layed them on my nipples. NOTHING worked like the tea bags!! I've also used this trick when my skin was cracked and brittle, and it works really well. I usually would do it once a day, sometimes more, depending on how bad they felt. The active ingredient is the tanic acid..it's such a healer!! Try that, then put on some really great cream.
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Great tips!
What about a small humidifier to add moisture to the air? I have a pot of water on my steam rads and it is really helping (nasal dryness and itchy skin). |
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sweet almond oil is really good and a lot less expensive than neutrogena [sesame formula].
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skin
Hey go to www.Kellysoaps.com order a jar of the bath salts. It's loaded with all kinds of oils and it smells so good just rub it on while you're in the shower and your skin will be soft and smooth. Also Emu oil is awesome too. But if you want a cheap low cost fix, petroleum jelly, (vaseline) put it on while you're still in the shower with the water running, that works great too.
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I've had this problem, and in Florida, so it very well may not be related to the weather. All the lotions and slathering and dipping and parafin suggestions have been really good. I employ some of those techniques now with varying success.
I've found, in terms of OTC, that Gold Bond Medicated lotion with Aloe and Neutrogena Norwegian Formula lotions work well for me. The NNF tends to feel and look like Vaseline at first. It gets better when you rub it in. Whoever mentioned checking the label is a smart cookie. Alcohol is very drying as are some of the acids commonly listed. Even using lotions and creams, I found that it just wasn't enough. So I went to a dermie and he prescribed Clobetasol Propionate for me. Even when the cracks were really deep and I had layers of them on top of one another (that was NOT fun, I assure you), this stuff worked for me. I haven't really had that issue in WA, which is weird to me (and led to the whole 'weather doesn't matter' line of thinking) because it's very dry up here and cold. Good luck finding something that works for you, Selly. |
Years ago, a dr. recommended Curel (original) and white Dove soap for my dry skin. I haven't had a problem since.
You might also change your soap to something less drying? Some soaps (Dial, for example) are the worst for stripping your skin of natural oils. |
Dermasil....
I have had terribly dry, calloused, cracked feet and dry skin on my feet.
My partner was prescribed Dermasil lotion, which you can get on ebay. Just the regular (not advanced) formula will do. It's also available OTC or you can ask your pharmacist for it. I have tried sweet almond oil, badger balm foot salve treatments, etc. Nothing has worked as well as the Dermasil. You put it on your feet before going to bed and then drape the feet over the side of the bed. You know it's working when it tingles a little. Leave feet over bed for about 20-30 minutes. Probably works on the hands, too! (I'd use it on your feet then rub what's left into your hands and put cotton socks on over your hands at night). Best of luck - I know it's painful!! Dressy |
I love bag balm... but a good idea.. is to put some on before bed and slip on a pair of soft white cotton gloves to sleep occasionally. It does wonders !!
For the restof me, my sister turned me onto LUSH lotion bars... O.M.F.G here's a link-- I get the wiccy :) its good stuff.. even better than that ... decadent would be a good descriptor. f1~ |
Sel,
Get ahold of The Honey Chile.. She made this stuff for me and the Orange One, well not for us only but for her pet as well.. It was heaven, and I was silky as a rose petal.. True story.. I need more |
I do a lot of tile work and the grout dries out my hands so bad that they feel like sand paper, and they crack and bleed around my knuckles. I use Aquafor, and I apply it right after my shower, and then again right before bedtime...and I put socks on my hands. :giggle: Yes, I feel silly doing it, especially when trying to turn off my nightstand light; as I forget to do that prior to putting on the socks. :blink:
Good luck with whatever you end up trying! |
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I've seen Vitamin E oil, could that be applied as opposed to breaking open the gel caps? Just think it would be less messy. Apply to a cotton ball and maybe rub it in? Quote:
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I think you've already gotten some great responses, but I would add that you should make sure that your thyroid levels are in the normal range. Dry skin can be a symptom of hypothyroid. Normally it would be your whole body, not just your hands, but it's worth asking about at your next check up.
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I have not tried the Bag Balm, but I have heard WONDERFUL things about it....right now, Austin is experiencing some of the lowest humidity levels we have ever had! 16% this morning!
I've been using Shea Butter (Bath & Body Works) and it's pretty good for short term. I also got a parafin bath thing at Wal~mart...it's still in the box! lol But parafin feels WONDERFUL, too! |
Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve:)
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Ha! |
In the spring when I am in the throws of gardening, my hands become particularly rough and chapped. Now, salves can be particularly greasy, but vasoline combined with cotton gloves while you sleep, followed by a moisturizing lotion several times during the day, works wonders. Aveda hand relief lotion is a wonderful product. Has a soft, lovely, lemon vanilla fragrance.
This method also works well for those "rusty" heels *laffs and obviously you would use cotton sox in place of the gloves. Aveda has a fabulous foot relief lotion as well, with a soft peppermint fragrance. *I just can not stand greezy (yes, greezy) palms |
A couple of things crossed my mind reading though the thread...
If someone has started a low fat diet that is too low in fat ('cause your body needs some to actually function well) it can lead to dry skin and hair not to mention constipation... make sure you are getting enough EFAs (essential fatty acids) in your diet as well as mono-saturated fats like olive oil and avacado oil... stay away from artificial fats like those in margerines and butter substitutes. Eucerin and many other creams are made from differently sourced urine... might want to check the ingredient list. If you are vegetarian or vegan you may be compromising thoe choices as its being absorbed into your body... more than one way to injest something ! "Eucerin dry skin products rely on the main ingredient of urea to fight itchy, scaly skin. Urea is a chemical compound that is produced in the waste stream when metabolizing proteins in mammals. It is manufactured in the liver and is expelled as the chief ingredient in urine." (mammals includes humans). For more info and other options go to... http://www.skinsosilky.com/dryskin/30-eucerindryskin.htm Checking the thyroid hormone levels are also a great idea but do need to be aware of the side effects of levothyroxin and synthroid (2 most common prescribed thyroid hormone replacements) such as heart palpitations, elevated heart rates and heart attack - myocardial infarction is the most common... Applying a light oil such as sweet almond or sesame right after bathing or showering while the skin is still damp works well as do any of the Aveeno products (no urea) and a few million Italian women can't be wrong with centuries of using olive oil for hair, skin and cooking/eating it ! AND Drink water... hydrate and moisturise from the INSIDE out... 2 quarts / liters a day does it and flushes the kidneys! |
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oh god! pee! ...... :| |
Lots of good suggestions here but I would recommend going down the natural route and avoiding all the petroleum based products. Blush mentioned soap and that's one of the biggest problem causers along with wash/shower gels that contain sodium laureth sulphate, a really strong detergent. Look out of cleansers that do not contain this and I think coupled with the use of natural oils and butters, you'll see a remarkable difference in no time.
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So many great suggestions!
I so agree with all the oil ideas...and cocoa/shea butters. I've been using >>Alba<< cocoa butter body lotion for about 2 weeks now and I *love* it. I've tried lots of cocoa butter lotions and this one has been the best so far. I also smells devine. My hands get really dry at work for some reason, so I use >>Bath & Body Works<< hand creme. It also smells yum. But really, it is just so moisturizing without being greasy. Best of luck! |
I have been using Miracle of Aloe Miracle Foot Repair Cream.
It is not just for feet. It works realy well and when that is not enough I grab some aloe off my porch and go the route. The miracle cream is made in the USA and is evironmentally friendly and not tested on animals. |
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I know someone else that uses foot repair cream on her hands. She started using it on cracked and dry heels and decided to try it on chapped hands. It worked so well, she bought more cream for future use. |
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If that might be the case for you, the answer might be to wear gloves when washing dishes. Also, a liberal application of Vaseline covered by thick white socks (or gloves) while you sleep will heal some really badly chapped skin pretty fast, sometimes in a day or two. (Generic brands don't seem to work as well as Vaseline, dunno why.) Whatever the case may be, Selly, I hope your hands feel better soon! |
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[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]My hands are prematurely aged from gardening without gloves for years. Plus, I wash my hands about 30 times a day.
I swear by Curel Lotion. http://www.curel.com/moisture.asp I use dish soap that has lotion or hand protector built into it. When it's really bad, Mary Kay has a collection called "Satin Hands" that will make your hands look great in minutes. http://www.marykay.com/spabody/bodyc...2/default.aspx Oh, and I can't forget another great one. Hemp hand lotion. It has a bit of a weedy smell but it penetrates and makes dry skin really soft. http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/hemp/prod5950023 :nerd: |
Burts bees works great.
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Topical ointments and lotions are very usefuk and needed for sure.
But if this is really bad it sounds like it needs to be addressed inwardly as well Most definately by drinking water..alot...And laying off any caffine and carbonated producks for a few days. Also, Green Tea is very food at bring elasticity back into the skin from the inside out. Also very good for complection. Just a thought. Also by taking vit E...It also helps to regenerate the skin from inside out. |
Lots of comments about hand care here. I use Obagi skin products (yes even some Butches/TGs want nice skin). It's mostly focused on facial skin. Been using them for around 5 years now. ;) |
Old butch hear...I have the same prob when I work as a chef as I wash my hands many times a day..The thing I use is called udder butter,works great and has no alcohol in it or anything to dry ut skin.It comes in a round or sometinmes squre jar with a cow on the front.I swear its the best I ever used.
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