Sore, cracked skin. Any advice?

For several months now I have been really suffering from cracked skin on my thumbs and fingers. The cracks appear at the top corner of my nail and are so painful that I can hardly bear to touch anything with them. Last week both hands were so bad that I had trouble driving as I couldn't turn my ignition key. Pushing a supermarket trolley was excruciating and washing the pots doesn't bear thinking about. It is hard to believe that such small cuts/cracks could be so painful. At the moment I have two cracks on my right thumb, one at either side and one crack on my index finger, same hand. My fingers are also very swollen in the mornings but that does wear of as the day passes.

I have used E45 cream, Epaderm and, at the moment, I am using a steroid cream, Eumavate, which is from the doctor. None of these have done a blind bit of good and I am so sick to death of my hands hurting. Anyone any suggestions as to what is causing it or what I could use to help it? I am also type 2 Diabetic but don't know if this is related to it. Are there any other Diabetics out there that have the same probelm, if so what was your solution? Anyone in the medical profession that can throw some light on it? Thanks, from a miserable sore handed Dogseyite!!!

I'd imagine that the diabetes and the cracked skin are related.

Try and keep your skin as moisturised as you can. Maybe wearing cotton gloves at night with a load of moituriser applied might help. Also keep your skin as dry as you can.

I hope it heals soon xx

You could try wet wrapping your hands as excema sufferers do at night time, i will try a find a link.

there is also this product which is invaluable if you get sore skin through washing your hands a lot. It builds up a moisturising layer which stays inbetween washes. I discovered it when Fudge was a tiny puppy and I was forever washing my hands after taking her out to toilet. My skin got so sore it split and bled on my hands,this little bottle was a life saver.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/product.aspx/!8944

There are some tips on here for dealing with hand skin conditions too.

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/a.../t-123679.html

dog grooming suppliers do some great hand creams as groomers constantly have there hands in strong suds then under hot air so our hands can suffer, I think dezynadog or hub international stock them, i would recommend doing as fudgely says and wrapping/dressing them at night so you have a solid 7-8 hours or more with the cream in action. Also could you get hold of some barrier cream/mousse? I had some from my dads work (heavy duty )and put it on at the start of the day, it acts as a barirer to stop your hands losing moisture and generally protect them throughout the day, it wont wash away easliy either so no need to keep topping up on applications.

I have eczema and the best moisturiser I have found is Ultrabase. Ask your doctor if he will prescribe it for you.

My O/H had really bad hands for a while all cracked and scaly. he tried all the creams going and even steroid cream from the docs. The only thing that cleared his hands was running them under warm water, patting them dry and then using normal nivea cream on them little and often. This was the only thing that healed them up.

Hope you are feeling better soon x

Poor you novavizz.
My suggestion would be using Vasaline on the sore bits at nigh and wearing cotton gloves in bed.
I swear by Vasaline for everything, but it is very greasy and so you would need to cover it. If used over night it gives it time to soak in.
Really hope it's better soon.

You mentioned washing the pots, very often its detergent as it robs the skin of natural protection and it can become sensatised to the point that even getting the smallest amount near your skin sets it off, that combined with dry cold winter conditions all compounds it.

As a mechanic I see various avoidable problems, once your skin reacts, you have a real problem, it could be anything causing it, even your dog!!

1) Buy a dishwasher

2) Get some disposable latex gloves without the talc and use them for household chores and dog grooming and gardening EVEn if you are wearing gloves. Be aware some people are allergic to Latex!

3)*** Buy some invisible glove barrier cream, its expensive but don't short cut with the cheap stuff as I have known people who are allergic to that! ****

This is the type of gear I mean,
http://www.skin-protection.com/

But google around with 'invisible glove barrier cream' and you should be able to find some in the UK, such as
http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/880/mia/pid/3454627

I had some a few years ago that was called Dermashield by Benchmark, its used sparingly per instructions an aerosol foam one should have about 500 applications in it.

It can work absolute miracles! Seen peeps with acute skin conditions healing up in weeks! Its so good you could put acid in the palm of you hand and it won't touch it.

I am no doctor btw, but bin the steriod cream, its a road to problems, GET THE DERMASHIELD
http://www.dermashield.co.uk/basic.htm

Also make sure you are drinking enough fluids as this can cause the skin to be cracked.
Becky

You know I forgot how good that stuff was, just watched the video of it in action.

http://www.dermashield.co.uk/movie/derma_med.wmv

Ordered some up as my skin is a bit raw from split gloves and leaks with brake fluid and the like.