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Herbal Wisdom:  Help! My fingers are splitting!  |
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cmandle
True Blue Farmgirl
846 Posts
Catherine
Minneapolis
MN
846 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 7:05:26 PM
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Do any of you Farmgirls have this problem? This winter, my skin is so dry that my fingers are splitting. The tips, right at the corners of my fingernails. One finger at a time - just when I get one healed up, another splits.
I use Neutrogena hand moisturizer (the super concentrated kind) a couple of times a day AND I apply Burt's Bees lemon-butter cuticle cream all around my fingertips each night.
I have dry skin on my hands every winter, but have never had the splits before. My mom informed me tonight that my feet used to do this when I was little and they had to use a medicated cream on them. My dad has this problem too...oh Farmgirls, I don't want my hands to look like my dad's! His are ugly!
I keep my nails short and wash my hands a million times a day (diapers), but I thought that the moisturizing would counteract the dryness. It's not ezcema because they don't itch.
Any tips for healing and preventing this ugly condition? They're pretty painful right when they split too...ouch!
Thanks in advance!
Catherine
http://yogurtandgranola.blogspot.com |
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Tracey
True Blue Farmgirl
766 Posts
Tracey
State of Confusion
USA
766 Posts |
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Luzy
True Blue Farmgirl
922 Posts
Luanne
Pueblo
Colorado
USA
922 Posts |
Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 7:22:26 PM
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Hi Catherine, There's a thread on this very topic that was started recently under the 'Here's to Your Health" heading. I think it's called Cracked Hands? There's some helpful hints there. I've struggled with this for years. It was really bad when I was a floral designer and my hands were always in water. Anyhoo...hop on over to the other thread and I hope you get some relief. Let me know if you find something that works for you! Hugs, Lu
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May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am. |
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cmandle
True Blue Farmgirl
846 Posts
Catherine
Minneapolis
MN
846 Posts |
Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 7:32:21 PM
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Tracey thanks so much for offering to send some shea butter! I have seen that on the shelves of my Co-op, so I'll pick some up tomorrow.
Luzy, thanks a ton for pointing me over to the other topic. There were some good tips there too and I'm off to try the honey, since I have that in the house tonight!
I asked this over there and I'll ask it again here just to cover my bases: while these tips can help to heal the cracks, is there anything that can help PREVENT them?
Thanks so much Farmgirls!
Catherine
http://yogurtandgranola.blogspot.com |
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brightmeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
2045 Posts
Brenda
Lucas
Ohio
USA
2045 Posts |
Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 8:47:44 PM
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There is a non-prescription medication available at your drugstore I think it is called Zim's crack creme - it is not terribly expensive. It contains arnica, I think. It helped me when my hands were very cracked from handling a lot of papers.
I also use Red Clover salve from Watkins regularly as kind of a preventive measure.
You might also try knitting with wools that contain natural lanolin from the sheep? And I saw a sock yarn (was it in the Mary Maxim catalog?) that had aloe and something else, jojoba oil maybe? right in the yarn..Oh here is the catalog, right here. It is Mary Maxim and the yarn is Austermann Step sock yarn. Kinda pricey but then you wouldn't have to buy all those lotions... and it only takes one ball for a pair of socks. Looking at the photo, I'll bet they knit two socks at once from the same ball using both ends of the yarn, the colors are reversed from one sock to the other. If you would rewind half the ball you could have matching socks.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
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Aunt George
True Blue Farmgirl
1476 Posts
Georgann
Midlothian
VA
1476 Posts |
Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 8:56:03 PM
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Hi again, I posted this on the other thread too. See if you can find the lotion: Triple Lanolin and Aloe Vera by Vienna Pharmaceuticals. It is the best on the market and not expensive at all. I always recommend it to nurses with problem hands and also to my patients who have cracked skin. It has worked for me for a long time. The main thing is to avoid...like the plague...any hand lotion or cream with glycerin. You might have a glycerin sensitivity and it is also a drying agent.
Good Luck!
G
http://auntgeorgeshouse.blogspot.com/index.html
Thanks for checking out my apron and sewing musings! |
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faithymom
True Blue Farmgirl
360 Posts
Faith
Sandpoint
ID
USA
360 Posts |
Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 10:23:52 PM
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Catherine...I have the same problem...
Mine doesn't really happen only in the winter, though.
The best thing I have found to prevent it is Evening Primrose Oil capsules.
I have also been told to try supplementing zinc, but I haven't done it.
The EPO really does work, but you have to take it regularly...I notice if I skip a week, they'll start splitting again.
Have you found any good lotions to help AFTER?
I keep trying new ones and I haven't found any that do any good...
and most of the ones for 'severely dry, cracked skin' are so full of perfumes and crap that it's more like dipping my hands in lemon juice.
I think this must be someone's cruel joke...
One other thing that seems to work well at least for speeding up the healing is to use those cotton gloves at night... slather your hands with lotion or oil or vaseline and put the gloves on before you go to sleep. It helps soften up the skin so it doesn't pull at the edges of the split so much.
Let me know if the EPO helps.
Faith
"All television is educational television. The only question is, what is it teaching?"-Fmr. FCC Commissioner Nicholas Johnson |
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peapodjane
True Blue Farmgirl
127 Posts
127 Posts |
Posted - Jan 24 2007 : 04:59:56 AM
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Oh, I can relate to this. However, I used to get the cracking more than one at a time! I would have maybe 2 on one fingernail area and several others scattered amongst fingers. What I think has happened that has help prevent this is a) I do not constantly handle paper anymore b) I drink a lot of water c) I have increased the olive oil in my diet and d) I moisturize my hands more often and use a natural dish soap that has calendula or aloe vera,which I tolerate well.
Oh, Bag Balm or Udder Cream, many people swear by these!
I know the cracks really hurt, and the only way I could get mine to heal more quickly once they occured was to sort of glue the cracks shut I know that there are products made specifically for this i.e. types of liquid bandaid etc.).
Also, as strange as it sounds I have tried something I read about where you use olive oil mixed with salt to a paste and you scrub your hands with this if they are winter dry and itchy, and it really seemed to help with getting everything moisturized. May not work for all, but it has helped me.
Good Luck!
Drink Your Water!
peapodjane 
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Edited by - peapodjane on Jan 24 2007 05:03:21 AM |
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faithymom
True Blue Farmgirl
360 Posts
Faith
Sandpoint
ID
USA
360 Posts |
Posted - Jan 24 2007 : 09:20:24 AM
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Oh yeah...when it's really bad, I have maybe 2 fingers that DON'T have splits.
It seems to get really bad when I'm in the middle of a big sewing project. The fabric sucks all the moisture out of my hands.
Good thing I'm not a seamstress or anything...ha!
"All television is educational television. The only question is, what is it teaching?"-Fmr. FCC Commissioner Nicholas Johnson |
Edited by - faithymom on Jan 24 2007 09:20:53 AM |
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katiedid
True Blue Farmgirl
601 Posts
Kate
West Jordan
Utah
USA
601 Posts |
Posted - Jan 24 2007 : 09:40:12 AM
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C-My hands are really dry and cracky too, and I have been using coconut oil. It works really well. After I wash and dry my hands I just rub some oil on, it is only greasy for a minute then it soaks in without feeling filmy.
Give it a try...it works well for babe's bottoms and chapped cheeks too.
K
my new blog http/www.theknifemakerswife.wordpress.com |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 24 2007 : 6:29:57 PM
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In the winter the skin on my index fingers always split. This year I started using the hand salve that Missy developed and no dry cuticles or splits! It has calendula in it which is very healing along with lots of great oils! I use it at night before I go to bed. During the day I use my lotion bars with shea butter.
The Rustic Cottage Etsy Shop http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
Picture A Day Blog http://rcpicaday.blogspot.com |
Edited by - therusticcottage on Jan 24 2007 6:34:55 PM |
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TNfarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
30 Posts
Joni
Sparta
TN
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2007 : 06:26:24 AM
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I have the same problem going on right now. My father had it too. A friend of mine thought I cut myself with a knife. It is awful and I feel for anyone how has it. I am going to try some of the idea you gals have offered. I have suffered with this for years. I think the water helps. I use gloves when ever I can on the farm when outside working and I have started using gloves to wash the dishes. Olive oil is a great healing medium. I just never thought to use it on my hands like that. I will give it a try.
joni
TN farm girl
Painted Springs Farm
"Bought the Farm"
Living the good life in TN.
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Herbal Wisdom: Help! My fingers are splitting! |
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Help! My fingers are splitting!
