Anyone else got damaged hands because of all the hand washing?

So, it started three weeks ago, an itch between two of my fingers, and what looked like tiny blisters... and it spread to the two fingers.

I went to the doctor and as I thought, it's probably a fungus infection from not drying the area enough when I wash my hands... It itches, the skin is all red and it seems to stretch and hurt etc... I have two creams to put on it, but it's hard to keep cream on with two babies, and I still need to wash my hands, and it takes 4 bandages to cover it because of the weird location... and the creams don't seem to help. Then it started on the other hand last night

I don't really know what to do... My other hand is all dried out... I try to use the bathroom when I have to make bottles anyway so I save myself a hand wash, but how do you do it? I used to work in the food industry and it wasn't half as bad... but I have to wash my hands before I make their bottles, their food, after I change their diapers etc...

Has anyone else got the problem? We run a humidifier at night so the house isn't too dry, but it's just so weird that I would have a dried out hand and at the same time a fungus infection due to humidity!

 

Yes! I have the same problem! My toddler twins were sick with a nasty cold when we brought our newborn home a few weeks ago and I was a maniac about washing my hands after every single contact with my twins and now I have some gross rash on two of my knuckles. Hot water hurts it and so do lotions.

 

I am a hand cream fanatic.

• I would suggest getting a really good hand cream - not all of those (IMO crap) lotions that are out there.

I wash my hands a million times a day and always put on cream after doing so. Dry hands drive me crazy.

• Do not use antibacterial soap - get a good plain soap and wash with it. That is a good recommendation.

• Another suggestion I have is to get a big box of disposable gloves that you could use occasionally to cut down on the need to wash.

 

We had the same problem. My babies were born in November, so we were washing hands like crazy all winter, and the humidity here is around 10% in the winter. We still keep a bottle of Cetaphil lotion next to every sink in the house, and I automatically put it on every time I wash my hands. I also use Aquaphor twice a day between my fingers where I tend to get eczema outbreaks when my hands get dry, and that seems to help. When it's really bad, I slather my entire hands in Aquaphor before bed (can't really do that during the day -- too greasy).

 

You can try Cetaphil cream or Aquaphor. The Cetaphil isn't nearly as greasy during the day and it's helped my hands a whole lot. It's really awful right now because our dishwasher broke and we're waiting on the replacement, so I'm having to hand wash each and every dish along with the silverware. I definitely have dish-pan hands! :lol:

 

my hands are super dry, too. i use a moisturizing soap (i really do like the bathandbody works lotiony soaps), and i put vasoline on my hands, cuz lotions don't work. vasoline keeps them greasy lol

 

My hands are just terrible right now....I am debating on seeing a doc. The skin on my thumb and forefinger is cracking on both hands, all along the length of my fingers. Its gross - it catches on stuff and drives me nuts. I am going to try to use gloves for some of the bottle washing...and I never thought to try Aquaphor. I have a huge jug of it! I'm always afraid I will scratch on of the girls with my dry hands! :huh:

 

Yes! I thought I must have just had some really weird reaction to something, but then I noticed it was mostly on my right hand (I'm right handed). My knuckles get all red and cracked looking, and the same thing on my index finger. I started piling the aquaphor on, and its started to clear up, but I've also been using one of bath and body works hand creams (sweet pea) which has shea butter in it, and of all things, that seems to be working better than the aquaphor. I just make sure now that I drown my hands in the stuff 3-4 times a day. So far, so good, but before that it was really painful.

 

I've had this problem since the boys were in the NICU and I've tried dozens of lotions. Today I bought a Lucerian (sp?) healing cream and it says that it lasts through hand washing. I would put it on after hand washing, but there doesn't seem to be a time that it will be more than 10 mins w/out me touching food/diapers/or going to the bathroom myself! Anyway, no help, just wanted to let you know you aren't alone!

 

I dont have any wierd rashes or really bad splitting but my hands have been REALLY dry lately. We just moved to a new house that uses well water, and apparantly well water is HARD water, so my hands are always dry.. and I dont have lotion next to every sink so they usually stay that way all night (after dinner and dishes) and it absolutely drives me crazy. I cant stand how it feels and no matter how many times I think -i need to put lotion on- I forget as soon as the thought leaves my mind.
I also love B&BW lotions. they work really well.. Also a coworker of mine gave me a little jar of Avon lotion that works really well also. I dont know the name of it or the scent (i dont have it right now) but its in a little purple jar.

 

I have the same problem too!

 

Mine haven't gotten to that point yet, but they do get so dry that they crack [and it burns!!]. I often put lotion on them, but make sure I wash them whenever I do anything with their bottles or toys.

 

thats something that happens to me all the time, even before the babies. aquafor works wonders, its really nice if you put it on before bed and then put some gloves on so it really soaks in. i really need to get some myself before the dry skin cracks and bleeds.

 

My hands were finally getting better and they are starting to get dry again. For a while after Tyler was born I was taking really hot baths b/c I missed it from when I was pg and oh boy did it hurt my hands. There were times to that I would not get a chance to wash with soap and water and had to use sanitizer OUCH!!! Ther finally got better I guess they just got used to being washed a million times a day!

I did stop at bath and body works today and got a HUGE bottle of lotion and even after only using it once my hands feel super soft still.

 

My hands are super dry too. I've tried just about everything but this is the first winter I've had this problem so I think it's the heat of the house and the cold. I cannot wait for winter to be over!

 

My husband had this so bad a couple of weeks ago and this is what we did. We bought this lotion it really really works there is one just for the hands but at $14 for 2 oz that can get expensive. We also used glycerin soap as an alternative to regular soap (it was 99 cents at our local supermarket) and so far his hands have improved so much and he only uses the lotion at night I can't imagine if he used it all day!!!!! They also make a hand wash in that same brand but again it is $12 for it when the glycerin soap seems to work well!

Oh and I learned alot of from this site all about dry chapped hands

 

Mine were getting desperate so I just bought some cotton gloves from CVS (two pairs in a box for $4) and have started to wear them at night over a newly applied hand lotion/olive oil mixture. I also just got some rubber gloves for washing bottles/dishes/cleaning etc. It all really seems to be helping!

 

Yup, my hands get destroyed every winter. Between the girls and the fact that I'm an RN, I'm constantly washing my hands.

Love the bath and body works body butter. Really soaks in and doesn't really leave your hands greasy.

And if you do decide to get the disposable gloves, try to avoid any that are powdered inside (tend to be the latex ones). I can use regular latex gloves, I try not to, but if I use powdered latex gloves, it sucks even more moisture out of the skin. I end up with hands so red and dry you can see the line where the gloves end! <_<

I can't remember off the top of my head (I think I've tried every type of lotion out there at one point or another!) There are some water resistant ones that also help a little. Your hands don't get as stripped everytime you wash them. The Body Shop used to have one, but not sure if they still do or not. I think Avon did too.

GL, it's really just key to keep up with the lotion. Oh, and make sure you're staying hydrated, that will help your skin from the inside out

 

My friend had the same problem, red raw and peeling hands. She went to a skin doctor. The doctor told her you have "mommy hands". LOL
She had to wear rubber gloves while her hands were in water. The doctor prescribed a cream to wear at night with cotton gloves.

 

QUOTE(Chillers @ Feb 7 2009, 09:48 PM) [snapback]1181127[/snapback]
Yup, my hands get destroyed every winter. Between the girls and the fact that I'm an RN, I'm constantly washing my hands.

Love the bath and body works body butter. Really soaks in and doesn't really leave your hands greasy.

And if you do decide to get the disposable gloves, try to avoid any that are powdered inside (tend to be the latex ones). I can use regular latex gloves, I try not to, but if I use powdered latex gloves, it sucks even more moisture out of the skin. I end up with hands so red and dry you can see the line where the gloves end! <_<

I can't remember off the top of my head (I think I've tried every type of lotion out there at one point or another!) There are some water resistant ones that also help a little. Your hands don't get as stripped everytime you wash them. The Body Shop used to have one, but not sure if they still do or not. I think Avon did too.
GL, it's really just key to keep up with the lotion. Oh, and make sure you're staying hydrated, that will help your skin from the inside out


Avon makes a cream/lotion called Silicone Glove - I think that is what you are thinking of. It creates a barrier on your skin even after getting wet. It's awesome and reasonably priced!

I am an Avon Rep so if you are interested PM me!
:ibiggrin: