Cracked hands

NorthernVA · Mar 15, 2017

I don't know if anyone else ever has this problem but because of the wind and cold weather lately my hands are severely chapped and have split open. I have tried O'keefes, Eucerin and udder cream but nothing is helping. It's getting so bad I am having a hard time holding the mail. I have tried the rubber gloves but when I wear them I can't feel the mail and I either drop it or I can't pick it up. I know this is a silly topic but, not to be whiny, it really hurts! By the time I got done today my hands hurt so bad I could barely drive home. Can anyone suggest something that has worked for them or that is worth a try?

Deer Smearer · Mar 15, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">NorthernVA said 
I don't know if anyone else ever has this problem but because of the wind and cold weather lately my hands are severely chapped and have split open. I have tried O'keefes, Eucerin and udder cream but nothing is helping. It's getting so bad I am having a hard time holding the mail. I have tried the rubber gloves but when I wear them I can't feel the mail and I either drop it or I can't pick it up. I know this is a silly topic but, not to be whiny, it really hurts! By the time I got done today my hands hurt so bad I could barely drive home. Can anyone suggest something that has worked for them or that is worth a try? </blockquote>
Not a silly topic at all. I have similar issues and would love to hear a cure.

I have used chap stick around the cuticle areas of my fingers and it has helped just a little.

FrozenToes · Mar 15, 2017

I used to have this problem as well. At night I would glob this, <a href="http://mcnessstore.com/krestol-salve">McNess-Krestol-Salve</a>, on the cracks . Then cover with gauze. Use medical tape to hold gauze on. The cracks would be better by morning. If the hands were getting really dry I would use <a href="http://www.warmskin.com/">Warm Skin</a> .

My problem has been better the last couple of years. I really make sure I hydrate, even while out on route on the coldest days.

I make sure my core is warm as well as my legs/feet. I hate wearing gloves, like you. If it gets unbearable I'll wear gloves.

I wear running gloves I bought from Costco for $10 . One pair has lasted two years. I used to use the wool gloves sold in the Women's department at Walmart. Those sold for $1. They would last a month. Just have to get used to gloves for the bad days.

Nebcarrier · Mar 15, 2017

Duluth Trading Company's No Crack Hand cream works good too. Slather moisturizer and put socks or gloves on your hands when you go to bed and sleep with them on. Keeps the lotion from leaving your dry spots. Hydrate also.

HardearnedTan · Mar 15, 2017

shea butter just before leaving the house in the AM has helped me to keep from getting to the point of cracks in my skin--keeps the cuticle area from getting so dry and hard too. Plus the nice benefit of these 'butters' usually have pleasant scents, like cocoa or the like. Once you get the damage under better control, the daily moment to rub on a little shea butter gives a lot of good for just a tiny effort.

dhoward541 · Mar 15, 2017

the doctor told me to push a crack together and put a drop of crazy glue on it.

before you get to that point; try different brands of gloves, only thing that really helps stop it before it gets bad.

North · Mar 15, 2017

I've used some thin gloves from a Harbor Freight that works well, raised blue dots on cotton that actually grip, brand Hardy. Surprisingly cheap too

http://www.harborfreight.com/pvc-dot-gloves-3-pair-95639.html

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I also agree with using whatever cream/ lotion multiple times when handling mail, it strips the oil from hands, esp when cold it seems.

Cliff Clavin · Mar 15, 2017

I have the same problem and it hurts badly and have tried most everything but will try some of suggestions above.

Thanks <a class="spLink spProfilePage" style="color: #000000" title="" href="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/forum/profile/4207/">NorthernVA</a> for this post.

btdtret · Mar 15, 2017

NorthernVA et al -- Combining some of the above postings, carriers at my old office put on hand lotion / moisturizer then put on thin ( latex ) gloves before heading out to the route in the fall and winter.

Shafted · Mar 15, 2017

You will get used to the latex or nitrile gloves. Just make sure you buy the correct size, not too big. After a few days you will adapt. I swore I could never use any gloves, but after they were split open what felt like to the bone I went with the layer of working hands under the blue nitrile gloves. And if it was so cold out you needed warmth, I bought dollar store stretchy black gloves with just the very tips cut off on top. Even tossing them in the wash every week they last a month with unraveling and retrimming. I would just cut the very tip off, as they will fray and unravel bit by bit. I am in upstate NY. Winters and road salt covered boxes are even more brutal than paper on your hands. Another thing. The shorter your nails are trimmed, the more you get cracks on the edges, and sides. Keep nails just a bit longer in winter.

btdtret · Mar 15, 2017

Shafted -- " I am in upstate NY. "

-- Hopefully not near the Tug Hill Plateau region where they recently got 6+ ft of snow in 4 days!

Uvahdez88 · Mar 15, 2017

My GFs hands get very dry and cracked in the winter too she puts coconut oil and then puts on latex gloves to sleep

NorthernVA · Mar 16, 2017

I tried putting a lot of Neosporin all over my hands before bed and sleeping with mittens on and I think it helped a little. I did notice that they didn't hurt so bad this morning, however I woke up during the night and went to rub my eye and pretty much punched myself in the eye with a mitten...so be careful of that! Thanks for the suggestions, I am going to order some stuff today and see how it works for me. Hopefully winter is almost over!

Cliff Clavin · Mar 16, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">Uvahdez88 said 
My GFs hands get very dry and cracked in the winter too she puts coconut oil and then puts on latex gloves to sleep </blockquote>
We have someone in our office that does the same exact thing.

boxstuffer · Mar 16, 2017

I used to have this problem. Especially at the ends of my fingers the skin at the nail corners would split open. Hated it.

I tried may things (Lubriderm, Eucerin, Bag Balm, Coconut Oil, Etc.) and finally this past year had great success with O'keeffe's Working Hands Cream.

The trick to it is it needs to be applied 3x a day after washing hands.

I do it first when I get to office before I handle mail.

Second when I am just about to leave for the route

And third after I clean up at end of route before I leave for home.

Wash your hands and dry off like normal then apply a generous amount (I use a glop about 1/2 the size of a dime). It will feel slimy for a few seconds but will dry to a waxy (not greasy) feeling. The waxy feeling helps finger the mail as well.

It takes about a week and the splits will go away.

I prefer the tub of it not the squeeze tube.

It costs about $6.49 a tub here but I found a double size tub at Wal-Mart last month for 2x that price.

A single tub lasts me about two months.

Of all the things I have tried this has worked great for me this whole past year.

And I hate to wear gloves if I don't have too, so my hands get cold/wet a lot.

Good Luck,

BS

oi veh. · Mar 16, 2017

I've always put on Vaseline and gloves overnight.

Pretty cheap fix to try first.

IndyRR · Mar 17, 2017

I agree with Shafted....... When it's about 30 degrees or colder, I wear a blue nitrite glove on my right hand, and a regular mail glove on the left (fingertips cut out). This has worked incredibly well. Yeah, it feels gross for about a minute, but your fingers will NEVER CRACK. I usually take 2 per day, because they can rip. The gloves have to fit, and you adjust pretty quickly. It's the only way to deliver in my opinion.

heyman1104 · Mar 17, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">Oi veh. said 
I've always put on Vaseline and gloves overnight.
Pretty cheap fix to try first.

</blockquote>
Hadn't tried this but vaseline is pretty awesome for this kind of use, so I might try it soon. Aside from that, I occasionally use the Udder cream. I glob it on really heavily and really work it in for a while after my shower. Then I go to bed. haven't had the need to do this for a while though.

Guin · Mar 28, 2017

I used to have the same problem, something that has worked for me is to use latex or vinyl gloves that you can get in the cleaning aisle (like the gloves that doctors wear). Believe it or not they keep your hands relatively warm and the moisture inside which keeps my hands from cracking. On days that it gets really cold I'll put a pair of fingerless cotton gloves (the cheap $2ones) you can get at Walmart. It's a pain in the butt trying to deliver the first day or two but after that you almost can't deliver mail without wearing them, it helps keep a lot of the dirt and grime you get from mail off your hands too.