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Serious problem with hands

(28 posts) (11 voices)

Started 1 year ago by Truddles
Latest reply from Lulluh
This topic is A support question

Tags:

Hand washing

Truddles
Member

Hi everyone,

I'm writing this as I don't want you to think that I'm being rude, but.... I've got a problem with my hands at the moment and so finding typing difficult. So replying to your kind PMs is going to take some time

I've got one really bad deep split on one of the joints on my ring finger (I can't bend it ) and this morning had a few other minor splits and cracks on my hands.
I've been out all day at the hospital and so haven't had either the need or the opportunity to wash my hands, I've also been good and put hand cream on regularly throughout the day and worn gloves so why this evening despite still not washing them have they developed multiple splits and cracks to the point where they are so painful and difficult to use If I was washing them I could understand but I wasn't It's so unfair

Any helpful advice as to what to do?

Thanks

Trudy

Tue Feb 23 2010 21:30:42 #
Unregistered

Sounds awful. I wish I knew how to help other than saying put on as much cream as humanly possible. But then you can't touch anything until it soaks in so that doesn't really help. But when you go to bed make sure you absolutely cover your hands and then put the gloves on. You need a really greasy emolient type cream ideally, something that can cover the cracks like a protective layer. If they get really bad you may have to bandage them up even to protect them from infection.

Tue Feb 23 2010 21:48:40 #
mama
Member

I have this problem on a regular basis. I find that milder soaps help...drinking plenty of water, and I've discovered that vaseline is great in a pinch. Its rather messy, but it works. Or 'Bag Balm'...I think it comes out of Virginia and farmers use it on cows' utters..lol...I'm told it works miracles. Also, my favorite hand cream is called 'Renew'...it also works wonders and isnt nearly as yucky. Not sure if they have it in the UK though...
Andrea

Tue Feb 23 2010 22:56:53 #
Rena32
Member

Hi Truddles, is the weather cold there? Sometimes really cold weather makes my hands cracked,red and painful. I have to use lotion everyday on my hands during the winter, because my skin gets so dry. I hope that you feel better soon.

Wed Feb 24 2010 4:45:56 #
Unregistered

Hi Trudy - and everyone else who has the split hands problem. There is a wonderful product which you can buy in Cornwall called Snowfire, it is not expensive but you need to find a chemist which stocks it. It is like a pale green Chapstick and if you cover the cracks and leave it on overnight the splits will heal usually after just one application. But it is green and a bit sticky so not compatible with contamination OCD and clean bedsheets unless you wear gloves in bed.
If gloves in bed are not possible and you need to wash your hands in the night then small strips of fabric plaster cut from the roll and placed directly onto the split will do the same job. These can stay on whilst hand washing until they eventually come loose. Again not a perfect solution becuase they leave sticky bits on the skin which can be painful getting off if your skin is very sore.
Both will heal the splits quickly if you can tolerate stickiness for a short period.
Good news is that now the weather is getting milder the split hands problem will improve.
From a previous long term split hand sufferer.

Wed Feb 24 2010 9:46:28 #
Truddles
Member

Thanks for the advice, I really do think it's not so much the washing as the stress also my other problems. It seems to be when my joints swell making my fingers swell that the skin stretches and then splits And as Joyce says the cold weather doesn't help

It's no wonder I find it difficult working at the computer as the desk, there's no room as it's full of lotions and potions for my poor hands. It looks as if I'm conducting a consumer test for Which the consumer magazine

Roll on the warmer weather then we wont have to wear so many layers and it'll cut down on the laundry

Wed Feb 24 2010 15:26:06 #
Amz
Member

I suffer the same problem, I try to hold off washing for as long as possible to allow the hands a rest. If I feel one hand is dirty I dont use it for a while until both are or I need to use both hands, it does reduce sores tho sometimes not possible to resist washing immediatley. the other day my hands looked like those of an 80 yr old, I had a good long nites sleep that really sorted them out Good Luck hope u feel better soon

Wed Feb 24 2010 16:14:39 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Amz,

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks, mine look like the hands of an eighty year old too - an eighty year old that's tried to scramble out of barbed wire using their bare hands

Wed Feb 24 2010 16:38:19 #
freddy
Member

After my son was born I was constantly washing bottles before sterlizing them so my hands became very red and sore. A friend of mine recommended a cream which was called 'double base' I found this cream worked for me.

Thu Feb 25 2010 16:13:23 #
Unregistered

Double Base- evil, I say, evil! I was prescribed that by my doctor and ended up with my skin coming off in scales. It was awful. It started by making my skin go all crinkly and then it just started shedding. Eugh. Be very careful about using it if you do.

Thu Feb 25 2010 22:08:56 #
Rena32
Member

Truddles, I hope your hands are much better!

Fri Feb 26 2010 3:57:13 #
Truddles
Member

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice. I will take it on board. Even keeping the hand washing to an absolute minimum the split has continued to get deeper If it doesn't improve will have to seek medical advice, though that's what's got me into this mess in the first place.

Fri Feb 26 2010 14:16:46 #
poppyfields
Member

Hi Truddles, as you know i have this problem too. I find snowfire to be good as is any lipsalve just rubbed over the cracks. I also have clean ones by my bed and smother all the cracks and dryness at night and wear a special pair of gloves which i got from my avon lady, along with hand cream. I dread to think what they would be like without all this intervention, so i like to think it all helps. It's a bit like peeing in the wind though and as you say, less washing, less going outside with wet hands cos we're unable to wipe them and less worrying about it all is the biggest way to help ourselves really. Not sure if any help but just wanted to add my penneth..........

Sat Feb 27 2010 10:00:23 #
mama
Member

'Add your penneth'??? That must be your 2 cents...I KNEW you had a term like that! haahaha

Sat Feb 27 2010 10:48:20 #
Truddles
Member

Yes you're right Andrea, but in a global world we also say 'two cents'
It's fascinating, almost like learning another language. There are so many subtle but distinct differences aren't there?

Sat Feb 27 2010 11:00:57 #
Truddles
Member

Gave hands a rest by not doing any laundry yesterday so had a chance to rest my poor little pinkies

I'm now trying to catch up today, but that's OCD for you

Sat Feb 27 2010 15:40:28 #
swan
Member

Hi Trudy,
How are your hands. I use bodyshop body butter usually at night but i do smother my hands in it, prob be good to put on gloves on afterwards. This usually works for me but im aware our ocd is different.
Take care
Teresa

Sat Feb 27 2010 16:22:10 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Teresa,

Thanks hands finally starting to improve Think I've bought most of the creams on the market over the past few months - what I really need is a more robust pair of hands or for the OCD to take a hike

Sun Feb 28 2010 0:32:52 #
Truddles
Member

Hi everyone,

Thought that I'd update this to let you know that my hands are much improved. I now use Aveeno hand cream (it's the one with the oatmeal in it) the difference is remarkable, they no longer look as if I've been playing with barbed wire

Apart from the fact that they're swollen because of the medication that I take for my seizures, for the first time in over eighteen months they really look quite respectable

Sun Jun 6 2010 9:11:07 #
poppyfields
Member

Thanks for the tip Trudy, i will look out for Aveeno when i go on my first shopping trip with a purse in my hand and two feet on the ground wooohoooo Will i find it in Wilkos?

Sun Jun 6 2010 9:23:59 #
Truddles
Member

Unfortunately I've only ever seen it in the chemists, both the chains and some of the independents. Alternatively you can buy it on line.

Sun Jun 6 2010 14:51:35 #
poppyfields
Member

Thanks Trudy, i've found it on ebay !!

Sun Jun 6 2010 18:42:17 #
Truddles
Member

I trust it's not second hand

Sun Jun 6 2010 19:29:16 #
Moocher
Member

I have just the same problem. This is the first time I've had the problem in summer. Sometimes I can't sleep because my hands are so dry and itchy. They're particularly bad around the wrists and between my fingers.
I've heard about a product called Gloves in a Bottle. I haven't actually tried the product myself but perhaps I can use you as a guinea pig and you can see if it's any good. It's £5 for the handbag size and the larger size is £10.20. It's apparently a shielding lotion that you can't wash off. It just wears off in time. You re-apply it every 4 hours. You can also use it on your body and face.
Nearly forgot the link. I hope they allow links on here. http://www.victoriahealth.com/product/Gloves-In-A-Bottle-Handbag-size/6093/0/

In case they remove the link, it's calld Gloves in a Bottle and it's from the Victoria Health website.

Sun Jun 6 2010 23:45:02 #
Truddles
Member

Thanks, I'm just about to try a product called Derma Shield which is a mousse that you rub in and it forms a protective barrier which stays on even if you wash your hands a lot. http://www.dermashield.co.uk/ It was recommended by my CBT therapist and it too lasts about 4 hours and the handbag size is £5:80 I think

Mon Jun 7 2010 10:42:47 #
Truddles
Member

It appears to be working. My hands almost look respectable and it's also helped the last couple of cracks to heal. I even tried some on my face to in an attempt to get rid of the large patch of dermatitis, the skin is no longer so inflamed

Mon Jun 14 2010 18:19:14 #
Truddles
Member

Just an update to let you know that the Derma Shield is definitely working and now the only time that I get splits and cracks is when I forget to use it. It is even helping to improve the appearance of the skin. I now longer feel that I have to hide my hands It also means that they remain flexible and so even when the skin becomes tight and shiny they don't split

Wed Jun 30 2010 20:48:11 #
Lulluh
Member

Hello Truddles,
I have been in the exact same situation, where I could barely use my hands because they were so split and damaged! What I did was to clean the cuts and then put on some Germolene and a plaster to help them heal up. Your GP can prescribe some really good cream, called something like Dermol which is amazing at sorting out dry hands.
Hope this helps in some way,
Lulluh x

Thu Jul 1 2010 20:28:37 #

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