Dry Hands

Try Corn Huskers Lotion. It works great and no greasy feeling either. Would work even better if you put it on at nite too and then put some cotton gloves on her.

Aveeno or maybe Aquafor, it is more of an oily substance but works well. Cake it on there and then put mittens or socks on her hands for awhile.

Try using vaseline and covering them when she goes to bed each night. This is what has helped people I know in the past.

Good luck

In a situation like that Aquaphor is best. It carries no dyes or perfumes to cause any sting. It is thick like vasoline but powerful. God Bless~

E.,
You have received a bounty of great suggestions, so I'll just weigh in briefly:
As children, my son an daughter both suffered with extremely dry skin. During one winter, before bed the doctor had me slather my little 2 y.o. daughter's legs with Crisco and then pull white cotton tights over them. It helped some, but thinking back on that ... sheeesh, if only we'd had all the products and options that we have now.
Cornhuskers - great, my son's hands crack and bleed in the winter (He's now 38 y.o.). He uses this along with Cetaphil for cleansing and Cetaphil lotion for moisturizing.

When they were young and living at home, the doctor cautioned me against using water that was more than barely warm when bathing them or washing hands. He said that normally warm or hot water strips the natural skin oils, and that it's especially pronounced on people with dry skin (and most especially children). He told me that once they started taking showers (instead of sitting in the water) their skin would improve. He was right.

Also, he had them take Vitamins A and B. You can Google "Vitamins and dry skin" and get a lot of information.
Best of luck to your sweet little gal.

C. D

eucerin or nivea creme, not lotion. I use both, right now am on the eucerin, I have lots of exema, and this helps. The lac-hydrin the doc wanted me to use, burns. Cream her hands real well at night, and let her wear gloves to bed. Wash her with an allergenic soap only, don't use anything irritating on her hands. Like, carry your own wet wipes with aloe, when you are out. Good luck, it is a constant battle.

Hi, Try using Eucerin or the generic version of this cream/lotion. The best kind comes in a tub. This does NOT sting, even if she complains that it does, it does not. It is creamy and heals even the worst of skin. I have been putting it on my daughter since she was born for severe eczema, cleared all that up and now we use it for chapped lips, cheeks and anywhere else on the body. I use it all the time as well.
Also,I know we are taught to use soap everytime we wash our hands, but have her lay off of that for a while and just rinse her hands in cool water..that could help too.

Hello my name is H. and I have 5 kids and I do know a lotion that will not burn and you will be gald that someone told you about it. It is called Renew but you can not get it in stores if you want to contact me you can and I can tell you how you can get some of it. I am not just pulling your leg either you will be so happy once your little girls hands are not burning and dry any more. My email address is ____@____.com or ____@____.com. Please fill free to contact me if you are truely interested in finding out what this is...

I know how she feels! My hands get that dry in the winter. Any kind of lotion stings too much. What I have to do is put bacitracin/neosporin on my hands at night. It heals them up pretty quickly. When all the chapping and cracking is healed, then I can use lotion- I use Neutrogena hand cream or Eucerin. Good luck!

I would try something like Aveeno that doesn't have any scent to it. It's really thick and made for super dry skin like that. Also, the thick creams are better than the "lotions" because they seem to coat and stay longer.

Ooh, bag balm is a good one, also try:

Skin Food by Weleeda

http://www.amazon.com/Weleda-Skin-Food/dp/B00023AJJM

you'd probably find that at Whole Foods or other health food store. It works well for me & I have the split & bleed kind of hands & feet.

Even just a drugstore lotion (like Eucerine for cracked feet will be the thickest) put on her hands, cover her hands with socks. Do this when she goes to bed at night.

Also,
Is she using Dial soap? That chapped my sons hands til they bled. They used it in his pre school. I bought hand soap for him to use at school & the problem resolved. (soft soap shea butter)

Hello E., I am the mom of a 6 yr old boy who had problems with his hands and face getting very wind chapped in the winter for the last 2 years. My immediate reaction was also to use lotion which also burned his skin as well. My very wise grandmother suggested that I use vassoline. I tried it and it seemed to give him immediate relief and eventually the reddness went away. If you do try this just becareful that she doesn't get it in her mouth or eyes and the good thing is even if she tries to wash it off her hands vassoline repails water and is very hard to just rinse off. If she won't let you put it on her then wait till she is asleep maybe for a nap or whenever you choose and put it on her and you can put socks or large gloves on over it as well if you choose. Well I wish you the best of luck!

I see you've already received a lot of advice, but I thought I'd add one more idea. My hands get so dry in the winter that they do start bleeding. Last year I finally discoved Skin Crack Ointment by Johnson and Johnson; it's in the First Aid section not in the lotion section. It actually heals the small little cracks that form from the dry skin.

I also noticed a lot of people recommended Aquafor--I use that on my children's cheeks in the winter when they get red and really dry. I've never used it on their hands though.

Check to see if your lotion contains mineral oil. It's used as a filler and is a by product of petrolum. Try Arbonne's all natural baby care line...especially the oil. It will be absorbed quickly and will not leave her hands greasy. I'll be glad to order it for you or send you some free samples. Just shoot me an email.

That sounds like eczema (sp?). My mom has that and so does one of my nieces. I would try exzema cream, and if that doesn't help, I'd take her to a dermatologist.

E., I have a similar problem with my daughter who just turned six. I recently read that in order to help the skin start to heal, you first should remove the dead skin with a gritty scrub. Rinse with water and then apply lotion. I tried that for a couple of nights. Her hands got even redder at first and she was crying so bad (after the scrub). I put some Arbonne baby lotion on her afterwards. I did this at night - just before bed. It is agonizing, I did not rinse her hands with the scrub tonight. Tonight I just put lotion on before bed. I have also been putting the lotion on in the morning when she wakes up. Her hands do look better. I have wondered if it could be due in part to all the hand sanitizer that they use at school.

try to get her to sleep in gloves or mittens with Aquaphor on them for a few nights!

Try auaphor. It works great for me and doesn't burn.

A.

Try Keri Lotion. It is really greasy and it only takes a little but I have a thyroid problem and suffer from extremely dry skin and it seems to heal better than any and doesn't burn. It is a little expensive but will last a long time. Hope she feels better!

My daughter gets red patches (backs of hands, inner elbow areas) as well and we've found out from the doctor that it's eczema. I'd have a doctor check it out because if it is then she'll need a prescription cream to help.

My 7 year old has the same issue every year. I use a product from the Nature's Remedies store. It is called Natural Antiseptic Healing Cream. It is 100% all natural. It has Lavender oil, Grapefruit oil, Numbing Clove, Tea Tree oil and Soothing Peppermint. Great for all types of skin conditions. My entire family uses it. It is great for bug bites, sunburn or Eczema. I buy it at the store at Northgate Mall in Durham, NC but you can order from them online. The number is ###-###-#### or ###-###-####.

You could try corhusker's lotion, or lanolin. I've heard the best things to try are anything plant/vegetable in origin like cocoa butter oil, apricot oil, avacado oil. Burt's Bee's makes a massage oil that's formulated for babies. I hope it helps.

Use Aquaphor. It's a little sticky, but works wonders - my son had bad eczema and it's the only thing that worked and didn't burn. We put it on twice a day - slathering it on before bed - and when he needed it. Also, stop using any antibacterial soap or Purell, unless it's the only thing available. That stuff sucks the moisture out of your skin.

My dad is a bricklayer and in extreme weather his hands will get the same way (not to mention that after 35 years they are rough enough).
He uses cornhuskers lotion. It is disgusting looking but works wonders. And I believe that it is more petroleum jelly based than anything.

Hope this helps.

We have had similar problems. First of all, I would recommend using Aquaphor healing ointment. It comes in tubes. It's fairly expensive but well worth it. It was recommended to me by our pediatrician. From our experience, we learned it was best to apply it imediately after washing and drying our hands. It's really gunky. Maybe she would let you put gloves on her after applying it to her hands. If not then you could just wipe off all of the excess with a towel and it would still work I'm sure. Put it on every time she washes her hands. This should do the trick.

Get some little cotton gloves for her to sleep in and put neosporin on them for a few nights then lotion them up on a regular basis after that.

I know this sounds a bit odd, but since her hands are so dry, perhaps you should limit her hand washing... ie ONLY after pottying and sneezing/coughing into her hands (or maybe no washing her hands right before breakfast/lunch/dinner, I know it sounds gross, but it sounds extremely severe) . hand washing can dry up hands and I know that the instant hand sanitizer will probably do it as well. or if she continues make sure you use a good lotion on her hands after every wash.
As for what type of lotion... I would either get cocoa butter or a lotion with oatmeal, and i lean more towards the oatmeal.

Instead of a lotion, try a hand cream. They are specially made for hands. There is also a drug store product called bag balm that is great for cracked skin. Don't be put off by the little tin box it comes in -- it's got cows on it and instructions for putting in on cow udders. It helps to use the bag balm before bed then sleep with gloves on to keep it next to your skin.

I have problem hands and have since I was a kid so I can sympathize. Right now I'm using a 3-step hand care kit from Mary Kay that is giving me good results, but I don't know if that's too much for a kid. Good luck.

It is excema. My own hands do that. I had to get a perscription medicine. I definately know how this hurts!!!! I would talk to your pediatrician. I tried so many things to help before I went to the doctor. I will tell you from experience that it can be very painful to try to many things. Good luck and I hope you find something that works for your child. T.

Aquaphor! It's a little greasy, but it won't sting and will really help her dry skin. I made a wonderful discovery that you can get more for your money if you buy the aquaphor in the baby aisle as opposed to the lotion aisle.
Also, make sure your daughter is drying her hands after washing. My daughter would always skip that step when handwashing--which does make it worse.
I'm sensitive to almost every lotion/cream out there, however another option I love is Cetaphil (not the lotion).
Hope this helps,
S.

Hello,
My son had a steriod shot for an illness and his hands dried out severely(they ac
tually cracked & started to bleed)anyhow we used vasoline all over his hands with a pair of gloves on over them at night when he went to sleep.It doesnt burn and after a couple of nights his hands looked and felt so much better.His hands absorbed most of the vasoline so there was no mess after taking the gloves off the next morning.Good luck & God bless!

Hi, Two of my four boys have eczema. It sounds like what you are talking about. Even with Rx creams you really can't put it on hands though if they go into the mouth. We have tried everything over the counter. The one and only thing that has not stung either of them is Aquafor. Our pediatrician recommended it too. Especially during the winter they put it on after showering. Before school in the morning I'll rub some on their hands b/c they do get so dry from the hand washing.

i have a 6-year-old son who is a obsessive about washing his hands, so in the winter they do get very red, dry and cracked. we had the same problem with lotions, that is, the burning and stinging. something with petroleum jelly will be much more soothing. every night after he is in bed, i coat his hands with aquaphor. it is a little greasy, but it works wonders. you can also put her hands in soft gloves afterwards to keep them extra-moisturized and keep the aquaphor from getting on bedding. i get a little tired of doing it every night from november through march, but it keeps his hands from being too irritated.

Have you tried Eucerin cream? It's sort of expensive, but it worked great on my daughter's eczema.

My 6 year old has a similar problem and our dermatologist recommended Amlactin. It is over the counter and seems to be helping a lot. Good luck.

Hi! I know you've had a lot of responses, but I figured I'd add my two cents worth! lol!

Anyway, I wanted to mention that your daughter's problem sounds like it could be a form of contact dermitis. If you haven't had her checked out for allergies to certain things that she touches or holds on a regular basis, you may want to talk to your doctor about it. My cousin suffered the same problems as you described, and her problem was she was allergic to a lot of the things she held in her hands on and off. Her biggest contributor was metals, and we found out that she couldn't come into contact with change! You know, pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters...she loved to count her money she had in her piggy bank and that was what was making her hands so red and to the point of bleeding at times.

Also, I want to second the post about the renew lotion. I shop and work from home for the same place, and that lotion has been a tremendous help to my family. My kids & I all have had severe eczema, to the point where it was interfering with our daily lives, nothing worked, not the prescription creams, over the counter stuff, old-timey remedies, nothing. Then we came across this lotion. You can't even tell that my kids ever suffered from exzema now.

Hope you get the problem figured out and that you find something that helps!

I use vaseline and socks at night for my son's hands...

You have had several good suggestions, but I wanted to add one step to them. Before you put any kind of moisturizer on her hands, first wet them and have her shake them off well. If her hands are a bit damp before you put the moisturizer on, then the moisturizer will lock in that extra moisture, too. Also, I would look into buying her some kind of wool mittens, that way she can have the treatment on her hands and still run around the house and do things. I hope this helps! Let us know what happens.

I would agree that it sounds like a bit more than dry skin and you might want to take her to the doctor. Sounds like a skin condition and/or allergy to me.

My son also has very dry skin to the point of cracking. We use Cetaphil and although it may sting during bad cracking. If I am faithful to putting it on him in the morning and at night, it really controls it and eventually does not sting at all. I have tried many lotions and also prescription lotions. Cetaphil has worked the best for him. Walgreen and Walmart sell the copy of it. It will say "compare to cetaphil" on the label. We also cut down on baths in the winter. This seems to help also.

I suspect that the dryness may be a response to laundry and/or bath products. Many children, as well as adults, develop serious skin reactions to products that are not ph balanced or contain certain harmful chemicals. I have a friend whose 2-year-old suffered from severe exzema until she replaced her laundry products with ones that were safe and natural.

Her hands are probably going to hurt a little anyway if they are so red they are chapped and bleeding, but I think it's mostly the fragrances and alcohols in these products that make them hurt and burn as badly as they do.

Try a layer of petroleum jelly right before bed, then cover her hands with gloves. (They sell thin cotton gloves at spas and stuff for this purpose, but any gloves will do. You can even use large cotton athletic socks.) That will allow the petroleum jelly all night to penetrate the skin as well as preventing it from making a mess.

Also, you might want to take your daughter to a doctor. Skin that raw and chapped in a 5 year might not be normal and might be a sign of a serious skin condition.

I suggest that you use hydrocortisone cream, you can have it prescribed or buy it over the counter. My daughter has struggled with eczeme her whole life and at one point we had to put her on Eladel (do not know if I spelled it right). I would ask her pediatritian if the hydrocortisone does not help.

Vaseline, petroleum jelly works well. Do not use one that is scented just plain. The generic or store brand will work just as well without the added cost. I would also recommend putting it on at night with some white cotton gloves or socks over it. It will help to keep the skin moist and heal up quicker. Good Luck

E.,
My son went through something similar. Our doctor prescribed a steroidal ointment for his problem. Regular lotions have scents and other 'extras' that may irritate sensitive skin further. We had to wash his hands, place them in cool water for about 2 minutes, dry his hands well, then I could apply the ointment to the affected area. This could be done 2x a day until his hands healed. You should talk to your pediatrician right away and STOP using scented lotions. You can use vaseline and cover her hands with cotton gloves or what I used--socks! That should hold you until the doctor visit. God bless!

Bag Balm is a great product if you can find it. I got a hand creme, not lotion by Burt's Bees that is fantastic. Its very thick and stays on your hands for several hours. It doesn't have fragrance or alcohol which is what causes the burn. Good luck.

Hello E., Renew works wonders on this problem! Renew has been clinically proven to work better than Eucerin. However, for personal experience I can tell you about my cousin. She had eczema so bad that her hands actually bled. She used the Renew and they competely healed. I use it on both my kids who have sensitive skin too. It is a truly awesome product. You can get this lotion through an on-line health and wellness company that I shop with that is environmentally green - everything that they manufacture is safer for your home, your family, and the enviroment.

If you are interested just let me know. I hope she feels better soon!

D..
www.BizForMomsOnline.com

plain old vaseline will not hurt, but is it messy. I have that problem too and vaseline does not hurt. I use it at bedtime.

Have you tried vaseline?

My daughter has eczema ( think I spelled that wrong) and I use Aquaphor all over her body. It is great for just dry skin too. Our pediatrician said that he uses that every night on his hands from overwashing them after every patient, they get very irriated too. It is alot like vasaline (sticky) but once you rub it in, it isn't so bad. I would try that on her hands before bed and see if that helps. Good luck. Hope this helps.

When my mom's hands would get dry and crack, at night she would slather them with Vaseline and (I don't know if a 5-year old would do this) put cotton gloves on them to sleep. That held the moisture from the Vaseline in for the night.
If that doesn't work, I know that baby oil or baby lotion doesn't burn. I use that after I shave my legs!
Good luck!!!

Vaseline and socks. Good luck!

VASELINE!!! I can't say it enough. Its incredible how it works overnite. My son is 9 and his hands get dry and cracked too. At night I put a glob of vaseline on his hands and put socks on his hands for the night and in the morning its almost gone! Its incredible how well it works. I keep vaseline by his bedside and we put it on his lips and cheeks almost everynight during this cold, dry season.

And because it doesn't have any perfumes in it, it never burns when putting on.......

Hi E. I sell Mary Kay Cosmetics and the best thing that has worked for my dry skin and my daughters is the night extra emoillent cream!! It is thick and moisturizes the skin so good and it does not sting at all!!! It is also good for stretch marks too:)

you can get tight-fitting gloves at a health food store for her to wear to bed and before you put them on, lather on a bunch of Eucerin lotion (recommended for exceyma) it doesn't have any perfumes, so it doesn't burn. I do this for my hands a lot, put the Eucerin on really thick, then slide the gloves on over top, my hands are never dry anymore and the skin gloves will last for years :) good luck.

Neosporin Cream with pain relief. My hands get like your daughter's hands in the winter and it doesn't burn.

Dear E.
I too was born March 9, 1952

I believe there is an lotion out there called Corn husk.
Another one is a lotion that was used for the Cows to soften
their milk bags.
I do not know if they have it on the market for humans or not.
But I have heard about it. And it is suppose to be good.
Find out from your pharmicy.

Have a good day today
Vicki W.

Hi E.,
My middle daughter gets that way as well. My ped. said to buy the Eucerin calming cream it helps. But, if they are that bad you should take her to the ped and see if it's not something else. You might need something to get it back to normal and then keep the calming cream on it. Also, we have stopped having her use hand sanitizer at school and home. This also contributed to the dry hands. Hope this helps.

If you have not done so yet, I would take her to the pediatrician to make sure she is not having an allergic reaction to something. My sister in law is allergic to most dishwashing soaps and didn't know what was wrong for years. Her hands did crack and bleed and it was all because of an ingredient in the soaps.

Looks like 'Aquafor' (made by Eucerin) is the hands-down overall winner if you go by sheer volume of recommendations, eh? LOL I don't know about it (never used it). Our grandson has eczema, though, (all 3 grandkids take really dry skin after both parents) and a doctor prescribed a liquid product called 'Derma-Smoothe/FS' which helped tremendously, even in tiny amounts. You put it on after washing while the skin is still damp. Our daughter also uses Eucerin cream in the tub (or the generic equivalent) on her kids (ages 1-6).

My husband's fingers crack around the corners of the nails most winters, and he found out that 'Badger Balm' helps with that. It's in a 'tin' kind of like shoe polish with a wax base.

Then, of course there are the other 'old standby's, Vaseline (petroleum jelly), Corn Huskers' lotion, Bag Balm, Vaseline Intensive Care, Keri Lotion, etc. that others have suggested.

I know when my hands get really chapped, rough and dry it seems that anything with much fragrance/scent to it will really burn.

Would be interested to know what your final assessment is of what works!

God bless.

The things that come to mind for me are:

1) Use humidifiers in your house, dry air from the heat dries out the skin
2) Use moisturizing liquid soap for washing her hands, hopefully one free of scents and dyes to avoid any possible allergens
3) Make sure she isn't using hand sanitizers at school or home, they stay on the skin and cause allergic reactions
4) Make sure she is drinking plenty of water
5) Use aloe vera free of scents and dies at night and put thin gloves on her hands for her to sleep in and help the aloe vera to really sink in and heal

Good luck and I feel for you both.

try vaseline and perhaps even some neosporin, just for the healing aspect, if she'll sleep with gloves over her hands at night it may help.

good luck

Coming from Idaho I know your hands can get really chapped in the winter. My husband's hands would get so chapped they would slit and bleed. We used Udder Butter - it is in a black and white tub like cow spots. You can find it at most pharmacy's or feed stores. Since it usually does not contain pretty smells it does not sting. It takes a while to rub it in but it usually lasts a long time. Good Luck! B. E.

Hi E.
If your daughter will let you do this, try vaseline jelly, rub on her hands and have her wear cotton gloves to bed. If she is retaliant then try to make a game out of it. She can pretend like she's a princess and she gets to wear gloves...or something like that. The vaseline should not burn at all. Good luck!
P.

My son has very dry skin and I didn't want to use petroleum jelly (petrol can't be good for skin), so my pediatrician recommended Coconut Oil (get organic, unrefined coconut oil). It works fantastic and it's not a problem if your child eats some of it. :) Plus they smell like little beach coconut babies which I love. It comes solid at room temp so it's easy to scoop up with your hands and grease up your little one before bed. Definitely try to put mittens or socks on her hands at night over the lotion or oil. (If you use a lotion, it needs to be really greasy otherwise it actually drys out the skin more instead of making it better.)

If this doesn't clear up, take her to the doctor. I get dry, bloody knuckles often in the winter and have had cases that I couldn't cure on my own. My doc has given me an ointment for severe dry skin in the past and it doesn't burn at all.

My son gets the same way and has for years I use Aquaphor by Eucerin. It works wonders. It doesn't burn like lotion. Just rub a little in. Apply at night before bed. It's also great for cheeks and feet. I hope it works.

Try Vaseline or Aquaphor on the irritated skin, then have her put cotton socks over her hands to keep the moisture in (and the mess off her sheets!). It works, I promise! My daughter has the exact same problem - and so did I as a little girl.

Good Morning~
Someone already mentioned this, but Vaseline is a great product for hands and feet. I wear Sandals year round, so Vaseling at night on my feet with socks on activates and I have soft skin in the morning. My mom taught me that. I also have Excema, and it helps on my hands. Its worth a try. There is no chemicals that have scents, so it doesn't hurt on chapped, cut hands. Good luck, I know how hard it is to see a child in pain. If you want to with the hands, go to WalMart and buy a cheap pair of cotton gloves so at least you daughter can move her fingers instead of a sock..my preference!

I agree with all of the others who recommend Vaseline (petroleum jelly) at night under gloves.
I also agree that she needs to stay away from lotions and hand sanitizers until this is resolved.

If possible, take a picture before you start treating her hands.

Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) is an "anti-inflammatory medication". So, in addition to treating her pain or fever, it might also help to fight the skin's inflammation from the dryness. Therefore, it will fight redness and swelling.

Having said this, if the vaseline and ibuprofen don't work after a few days, I would make sure to have a pediatrician or dermatologist see her.
Take the pre-treatment photo with you so you have a baseline to show the doctor.

Hi E.,

My 5 yo had this problem last year. It was because of all the anti-bacterial soap they were using at her school. Her skin became so sensitive and raw by using it. The only lotion that wouldn't make her scream in pain was Aveeno. I also purchased a non-alcoholic anti-bacterial soap that she took to school for her use and told the teachers that she is allergic to all hand sanitizers and wipes. This fixed the problem! I buy my non-alcoholic sanitizer from Babies R Us - they come in a small pack of 3 bottles. I can't remember the name - they're at school ;)

Hope this helps!
R.

Try using Eucerin. It's awesome for everything from dry, chapped hands to sunburns and diaper rash. Good luck!

I noticed this was mentioned once before. However I had an experience with lotion and diaper creme burning my child also when i would put it on his but. However, during that time i had found a new store online i could shop at and it helped me see that alot of things i buy at regular stores have some very harmful chemicals in them. I did not know this, anyway after learning this I looked at my lotion and diaper creme and i could not believe it had a chemical called Quaternium 15 which is formaldehyde releaser, that really scared me. Anyway to make a long story short, I decided to try some lotion from this new store, it is called Renew and when i put it on him he started calming down, I was so excited. This stuff is really good and I am not trying to sell you anything just share my experience with you. If you would like to hear more about this store you can email me at ____@____.com. Anyway I really hope you find something that works and doesn't hurt her because I have four boys and i know from experience it is so hard when our little ones are sick and hurting and i hate to feel useless. Let us know how she is doing.

E., I use A&D Ointment. It is greasy/oilly, so I put it on me or my kids just before going to bed. We use Nivea lotion during the day. They also need to increase their water intake. Keeping the heater on in the house dries your skin and hair. Turn your heater down to about 68-70 degrees at night and dress warmer to go to bed. I read an interesting medical article that says sleeping in cooler temperature helps you to sleep better; your core body temperature needs to drop to help your body to release chemicals in your brain that help you sleep. Good luck, S.

I actually had this problem when I was about 10 years old, and they actually did bleed when they cracked...ouch! My mom would put Corn Huskers hand lotion on. It's a clear, gooey lotion, but it works GREAT! At bedtime, she'd load my hands up with the lotion then have me put cotton gloves on (tube socks would work, too). Each morning my hands were better and better, and soon, they were not cracking anymore! Burt's Bees also makes a hand salve that's thick and works well. Vaseline would work, too. Don't use scented, water based lotions, though. That does burn and they just don't do the trick!

Have you tried Aquaphor? It's like Vaseline so it's greasy but really works. Great to put on at bedtime just rub in really well and also great for those really chapped red all the way around the lips clown look. My son even had a prescription for chapped lips and nothing worked like Aquaphor. We now have one everywhere in our house, car, backpacks, etc...Another thing is the brown paper towels they use in public bathrooms (like in her school)dries, chaps, and gives my 8 year old daughter a rash liked chapped hands so we avoid those.

I go through the chapped/bleeding hands every winter as soon as the weather gets cold. I just scrolled through all of the previous responses and didn't see any recommendations for Neutrogena Hand Cream, but that's what has worked the best for me. Just a tiny dab at bedtime (and in the morning if necessary) rubbed into the hands well works wonders in 24-48 hours. I start using it every night as soon as my hands start to get sore in the winter and use it regularly until it warms up in the spring and I don't have to worry about chapped/sore/bleeding hands.

Is it all over the hands or specific areas? Both of my boys have eczema and will get dry, bright red and the skin really itches and will break open from the scratching. Although it's messy, vaseline will work. You may have to wait until she falls asleep and then coat them with vaseline or Aquaphor then cover with cotton socks.

My hands get dry like this in the winter also. I love to use Avon's Moisture Therapy Intensive Hand Cream. It is hypoallergenic and good for sensitive skin. I discovered it because I recently started selling Avon. You can check it out on my website at www.youravon.com/rringer It is very reasonably priced at $3.99 and usually on sale for even less! My hands feel like silk after the cream is absorbed.
Otherwise, if you just want to stick with the basics, I would recommend putting vaseline on her hands at night and then have her wear gloves to bed. They should be improved in the morning! Try using moisturizing hand soap instead of antibacterial if you aren't already. Hope she feels better soon!

Have you tried using a small amount of Vaseline? If that didn't work I believe I would talk to the doctor about the problem.

I am not sure if someone has suggested this, but Aquaphor is the best product for this problem. I use it all the time on myself (chapped lips and hands) and on my 7 month old (chapped face)

There is this great stuff called Corn Huskers Lotion. It is rather cheap compared to some of the other lotions. It is clear and feels kinda slimey. It is very soothing and helps heal things quick. I use it for my cracked fingers and it works great.

I learned from my cousin who worked construction, and whose hands chapped terribly, this secret. There is a product called "Bag Balm" that's basically a petroleum-jelly based salve that they use for cow udders to prevent chapping. It comes in a green square tin that I think I picked up at Walgreens. If you spread this all over her hands at bedtime, and put loosely closed plastic baggies (like mittens)over them, they will be much better in the morning. I'm not sure if you'd be comfortable with the baggies, but this worked for my son when he was 5.

Also, my mother-in-law swears by an Elizabeth Arden product called 8-hour cream. It's much more expensive, but has always worked for her 8 grandkids. Also, having her drink lots of water will help with the prevention end!

After suffering with this problem myself since a child, I can tell you when it is to this point what I do for me. That is take a bath right before bed time. Then I use everyday vaseline and apply it to my hands and feet. Put socks over them for the night to keep it on myself and not the covers. And give the vaseline a chance to soak in. That will take care of the chapped hands then during every day use a good hand lotion. That Jergens cocoa butter is great. Also Avon has some very good lotions for severe dry skin.

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Vaseline has worked well for us. My son has such dry skin on his legs in the winter that I've resorted to coating them with Vaseline after his bath. He has the same complaints when I put lotion on his legs. When they aren't dry and irritated, Cetaphil seems to work well for us, but he still complains that it burns if he has any dry places. If you can convince her to put the Vaseline on her hands after washing them and then wearing gloves while she sleeps to keep it from getting grease stains on the sheets and her pajamas, you hopefully would see some improvement rather quickly. Just be diligent...good luck!

Vaseline and Aquaphor are generally mild on cracked skin. When my skin gets very dry, I hate to put lotion on it, because it burns like fire with lots of little pin-pricks all over my hands. Have her drink more water, to make sure her skin is hydrated from within; and check her activities to see if she is doing things that make her hands dry out or something. I know that when I peel an orange in winter (not usually in the summer -- maybe because it's so humid then) my hands get really dry and sting when lotion is put on them; also cleaning products and things like that can bother skin. Make sure she puts Vaseline, Aquaphor or whatever else on several times a day for a while, to help heal her hands.

1st, don't be sure it doesn't burn. Perhaps she is having some type of reaction to a lotion you are using.

An old home remedy is to put vaseline on her hands and then put on white cotton gloves to keep the vaseline on. I know finding white cotton gloves could be challenging, but it does help. My daughter also has very dry skin, and I cover her in Eucerin lotion (the kind in the jar, not in the bottle). She gets the head to toe cover after bathing, and she knows to put it on after she washes her hands.

Hi E..
My daughters and I share eczema, and especially bad during winter. I use Melaleuca Renew Intensive Skin Therapy. The site is www.melaleuca.com. I have used Eucerin sensitive and Nivea, but not much difference. I only buy onces that do not have any fragarance as the alcohol and fragrance burn so badly. I try to find the most gentle, although it is so difficult and they are so expensive.
I hope this helps.
W. from Indiana

Eucerin makes an ointment called Aquaphor. Coat her hands liberally with it before bed and put either gloves or clean socks on her hands. Aquaphor won't burn. It comes in a tube.

Once her hands heal a little, or at least aren't burning, you can try Gold Bond lotions. The medicated one burns open skin, so wait until her hands aren't chapped. You also can buy Gold Bond Ultimate Healing (comes in a pump), it doesn't really burn and isn't greasy, so it's good for daily use. It's a thick cream but absorbs quickly. Have her use a lotion everytime she washes her hands.

AT school they use a lot of the hand sanitzers, which is mostly alcohol. Alchohol dries out the skin, so this contributes to winter skin woes.

Also, buy a humidifier and run it when you're home. It will help put moisture back in the air that is lost when you run your heat. In a pinch, you can put a big pan of water on the stove and let it boil - the steam does the same thing as a humidifier - just keep an eye on it so it doesnt go dry (and set your house on fire).

Make sure you are lotioning her hands (and feet!) after a bath, and dont let her sit in a hot bath very long. It seems counter-productive, but a hot bath will actually sap the skin of moisture.

I have these same issues with my own skin and my son's skin, and the stuff I mentioned seems to help us both survive the dry skin season a bit more comfortably.

Get a tube of the pink Mary Kay Night Cream. Help your daughter wash her hands in a mild cleansing cream or mild liquid soap, then after rinsing thoroughly while still wet, put the nite cream on her little hands. The cream will be sticky at first. If you do this at night, get some white cotten mittens or gloves or white cotten socks to put on while she sleeps. This allows them to heal and you can put the cream on thicker. The night cream doesn't have anything that would make her sick if she sticks her hands in her mouth. I swear by this stuff. One of my daughters had eczema and it certainly helped her and stopped the itchy rough skin and the bleeding when she would scratch. It helps heal diaper rash; helps scars heal better. I used it for lots of stuff while my kids were growing up....besides on the face. Good luck

Hi E.,
First let me say I feelk for you and your daughter. I have had a spot on my palm that was the same way for years. It only recently went completely away after my being in a cast for a broken elbow. I keep hoping it won't come back.
Now all of my children have had dry sensitive skin. I was given several different suggestions by friends, family and doctors. One of the fastest ways to heal dry hands is to out a coating of Vaseline at bedtime and try and get her to wear gloves to bed. You can use winter tyope or medical. Medical are more fun cause she can decorate them. If you prefer clothe then let her pick out her own. Medical will help give her hands a more moisture rich environment thru the nite.

I hope this helps!

S. J
__________Fight Lyme Disease
www.ShazzArtisticVisions.com

slather her hands with vaseline at night and put gloves on her while she sleeps, 7 then use aveno lotion during the day...it's free of dies & scents so it shouldnt sting, and use moiturizing soap to wash with.

She may have excema. You need to take her to a doctor and get prescription lotion to help.

Hey E.! I had the same problem with my 2 boys. Aquaphor is the best thing I've found. I use it for everything from dry cracked skin, lip balm, diaper rash prevention. My pediatrician recommended it years ago and I've used it since!

My daughter has the same exact problem! It is just on her hands and it started about 5 years old too! EVERYTHING over the counter bothered her and she would cry and scream. Even if it said hypoallergenic, it didn't work, she still screamed. Vaseline didn't even work. I took her to the pediatrician and he told me to order Aquanil HC from the pharmacist. He also gave me a sample to try first. It worked! That is ONLY lotion that my daughter can use during the winter months. Her hands just turn dry and red. It is a bit pricey so be prepared when you order it, but go to your pharmacy and ask them to order it for you and then you pick it up when it comes in. It costs about $40 for 2 4 oz. bottles, but my daughter has about half a bottle each left over from last year. I buy two so she can keep one where she wants and I keep one in my bathroom so she always knows where it is. I really hope this works for your daughter because I know it worked for mine!

Dont use nasty commercial products on her, go to the health food store, the one on bardstown road called Amazing Grace has some jojoba oil, they MAY have some kind of shea butter product, but if its been refined you dont want to waste your money, get the jojoba instead if you cant get an UNREFINED shea butter product. This will clear up her hands quick. I am a soapmaker, and I make bath and body products with natural ingredients. Unrefined shea butter would clear her hands up in a day or two but jojoba oil is supposed to work good too. I keep shea here for my soapmaking and thats what I use on the kids, and its a miracle worker I can say that much. I wish you could buy tubs of it in stores but I have yet to find any. I buy mine in bulk online for my soapmaking, and it runs about 8 to 12 dollars a pound, but man its good stuff....
Good luck with her poor little hands!

Hi E.,

My son had this problem also. My doctor told me to use Aquaphor healing ointment. It is a petrolatum based product that works wonders. I applied it to my sons hands several times daily, especially after he washed and dried. It works by placing a protective layer on the skin while healing the skin beneath at the same time. I also use this Aquaphor for any chafed or chapped skin anywhere on the body and it works wonders. Another doctor of mine recommended it after I had surgery to prevent chafing. It works very well.

It does leave the hands a little sticky feeling for a while until the ointment is totally absorbed but it is worth the stickiness for the results of healing . Hope this helps.

Blessings,
N.

Does she have to use Germ-X at school? My sons hands were chapped and bleeding in kindergarten and we realized that every 10 minutes they were washing their hands with the Germ-X. It is mostly alcohol and really dries out the hands. Have her wash her hands with soap and water. Maybe buy a soft soap for the classroom. At night put vaseline on her hands and buy her some cute mittens that she'll wear for the nighttime.

Try Cornhuskers lotion. My dad uses it and he swears by it. I'm pretty sure it's a mild lotion too but very moisturizing. Clear bottle with yellow label I believe.

We have good success with both aquaphor and aveeno lotion (the kind for kids with eczema). My son has eczema and dry skin is a constant problem. Neither of those should burn...

Whatever you use, put it on at night then put cotton gloves on over it. That will help it absorb. Good luck!