dry, cracked hands

[#1]

Hi - I know similar questions have already been asked, but is there a fix for dry, cracked hands in winter?  I've read the suggestions, but I already do put on moisterizing lotion at least 5 times a day and wear gloves outside - and it's the quality kind, like pond's or olay or nivea.  Help?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Hello simplement, 

I know how you feel about the dry cracked hands. I wash my hands a lot and lots of blood glucose testing on my fingertips leaves them sore and raw sometimes. 

I like to use the Josie Maran Argan Oil on my hands and then follow up with an extra hand cream or a butter that are specifically for the hands for some extra moisture and hydration. I'm a fan of the L'occitane hand creams, Hand Food by Soap & Glory, and the Bliss High Intensity Hand Cream

  

[#3]

C.O. Bigelow Chapped Hands Remedy is a miracle product.  It is medicated and will heal chapped and cracked winter-damaged skin.  Since it is medicated, it doesn't have a pretty scent (it smells medicine-y) but the scent doesn't last long and it literally melts into your skin to heal it.  You will notice a HUGE difference after 1 application.  I don't believe they carry the C.O. Bigelow line at Sephora but they do have it at Bath & Body Works.  

[#4]

Dry cracked hands is no fun!  My dermatologist recommended a high urea hand cream, they aren't available locally, I order mine from Dermal Therapy, just Google their name and got to their website. The cream that is recommended is called Dermal Therapy Heel Care Cream, I only have to use it a couple of times a day and it heals all cracks and prevents new ones from forming. Before going to the dermatologist I tried literally a hundred different hand and skin creams which didn't work or made it worse.

Hope this helps!

[#5]

When my hands get real rough, I will apply a lot of the Mary Kay extra emollient night cream onto my hands, then during the day I use either L'Occitane hand creams or the CLEAN antibacterial hand cream. This has helped a lot. Josie Maran's Argan Oil is great for dry, cracked hands as well.

Hope this helps!

[#6]

I really love Soap & Glory's Hand Food, which possesses a very hydrating formula that's ideal for the winter season. My hands stay moisturized for hours! In fact the only time I usually have to reapply the cream is after I wash my hands. It has sweet notes that are nearly identical to the fragrance Miss Dior. L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream is another highly effective hand cream that is enriched with honey, coconut, and almond oil for an intense blend of moistuization. Both of these formulas are non greasy, so you won't be left with that icky slick hand feeling.

[#7]

Ok, don't use lotion, use cream or butter for dry hands. What I find is that lotions, especially drugstore kinds no matter the quality, are water based so they sinks in fast and provide instant relief but does not moisturize and you are dry after 1hr. You need something that provides long lasting hydration, a cream or butter, or oil. The body/hand cream or butter from Bath and Body Works, or the body butter from Body Shop (Sephora carries it), or argan oil. anything that moisturizes but does not sink in immediately or feel watery.

I apply cream during the day right after washing my hand or as needed, and a generous layer before I go to sleep every night. If you don't have body butter on hand, apply lip balm on the especially dry spot then lightly rub your hand together. If you've got a specific spot (one of my finger is cracked and skin peels in pinky size flakes every winter like clock work), I apply a thick layer of rose salve/balm on it, then cover with band aid.