Severely Dry Hands that are bleeding. Help!?

Question

My hands have recently been so dry that the skin is cracking and bleeding. They hurt really bad. What can I do for this?

Answer 1

For starters, you need to properly dry your hands after washing them. When you permit water to stay on your hands for long periods of time, your skin becomes a perfect habitat for bacterial growth. Also, stop using so much soap when you wash your hands. Soap kills bacteria and washes off the dirt, but it's still a chemical compound that wears your skin down.

Here's what you do. Boil some water in a pot. Allow it to cool down just a bit. Poor that hot water into a basin or your sink. The water should be hot, but not so hot as to scald you. Dunk your hands in and start rubbing that dead skin away (it's probably packed with dirty and bacteria although you cant see it). Keep massaging your hands until your skin is tender. Apply Vaseline to the affected areas. Be sure to put on plenty of it. Don't try to rub it all out so that your hands are dry. Put on some latex gloves or any gloves with smooth texture (nothing made of cloth). If necessary wrap your wrists and forearms with plastic wrap (doesn't have to be tight, loose is better). As uncomfortable as it may feel you need to have the gloves on for the rest of the day and when you sleep.

Repeat the procedure for 2-3 days and your hands should be looking perfectly normal again.

Remember, always always dry your hands properly with a towel so that no water remains. And stay out of extremely cold weather directly after washing your hands.

Answer 2

Get some over the counter hydrocortisone cream and then purchase some Eucerin cream in the jar. Rub the hydrocortisone cream in the real sore, bleeding areas well and then cover your entire hand in the Eucerin cream and put on gloves or white socks over your hands. Do this prior to going to bed each night for a few nights and I think you will notice a big difference. If you can't find Eucerin try Neutrogenas Norwegian Formula hand cream. Its really thick and works well also.

Answer 3

There is this hand cream called "Glysomed" and it comes in a green tube. You can buy either a very small travel size tube (25mL), small tube (50mL), medium or large bottles. They moisturize extremely well, the cream may feel a little thick at first but it gets thinner and easier to rub in after a couple seconds. It does not have a medicated or sour smell like some extreme moisturizing creams would, but it has a nice, light scent. It should be availible in most drugstores or even some supermarkets.
Hope this helps!

Answer 4

DO NOT use any lotion or cream with a fragarence!!! Fresh aloe is the best till there are no open sores! Or mix petroulem jelly w/ a drop of bacitration ointment. When your hands are ALL better use a strong cream like Pretty Hands and Feet also get a pair of cotton or terry gloves to wear at night!! Good luck!!!

Answer 5

The best thing for your hands is Bag Balm, farmers use it on cow udders when they are cracked and bleeding. It has a small amount of antibotic in the ointment to heal your hands. I wear it with gloves on to bed at night. Drug stores have it.

Answer 6

I had the same thing. Try not to use soap when u wash ur hands or get one that is VERY sensitive. Also, you should go see ur doctor..he will give you medicated ointment thats going to help a lot faster then any lotion. If seeing a doctor is not an option then use a very hydrating lotion VERY often (every half hour)

Answer 7

Vaseline is an inexpensive way to heal. Particularly at night, slap some onto your hands and wear a cotton glove overnight. Crabtree & Evelyn has a hand lotion called Gardener's hand which is quite good too, but expensive.

Answer 8

Vaseline is perfect for dehydrated skin. Calamine lotion is also great. Have you come into contact with a chemical that might have caused this? Either this is just a temporary thing caused by a reaction with a substance or over cleaning or it's a skin condition that may need treatment.

Answer 9

GET THIS:

http://www.marshu.com/articles/images-website/articles/bag-balm/bag-balm.jpg

GO HERE FOR PURCHASE INFO:

http://www.bagbalm.com/

Answer 10

Melaleuca makes a wonderful hand lotion - the tea tree oil (melaleuca oil) helps heal as well as moisturize.
I love it. It cleared up my excema.
You can contact me at [e-mail] for info on how to order it.