Painful Dry Weather Finger Splits

[Chuckanut]

I put a small gob of petroleum jelly on the those cuts, and then cover it with a waterproof band-aid. Usually after a few days it heals. Then it comes back again after a few weeks.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I took a quick glance on AMZN and it has really good reviews; 87% of 50,000+ reviews at 5 stars. Might have to give this a try...thanks for the info!

It’s great to have around. I hope it works.

 

[Marita40]

Looks like I'm not alone in this issue. It is surprising how such small cuts can hurt. Last night it was positively throbbing. I'm writing down all these suggestions. So far I've ordered the Aquaphor and finger cots. The superglue is definitely intriguing. As mentioned the NuSkin didn't work for me, which was disappointing, since it is also supposed to seal over the wound like superglue would. Superglue is one of those things I never seem to handy in the house...

 

[Helen]

I use Trader Joe's Head to Toe Balm on my feet every morning and before I go to bed. It keeps me from getting blisters between my toes when I go on long hikes, it also keeps my feet dry. It keeps my heels from cracking.

I don't have problems with my fingers cracking, but I've read reviews that say applying it to the cracked skin works wonders.

It comes in a tin and it is a hard balm so it takes some work to get out of a newly used tin. It's seasonal so I stock up and buy a year's supply at a time so that I don't run out.

Trader Joe's Head to Toe Moisturizing Balm

 

[Lewis Clark]

Sounds like the eczema I used to suffer from. I recommend seeing a dermatologist when you have an outbreak.

 

[MC Rider]

I got up and when for some lotion when I saw the thread title.
Dry skin issues here sometimes too, but if I remember to moisturize enough it keeps the cracking away.


Keri lotion for me.

 

[Time2]

Working Hands.

https://okeeffescompany.com/products/working-hands

As for keeping the lotion on, they sell things call finger cots (like a small condom for your finger) or you could just wear a full latex/nitrile glove for a few days.

You beat me to it!

I have also cut the fingers out of a latex or nitrile glove and used those to keep a finger dry or to keep a lotion on.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Cream and sleep in soft gloves or socks over your hands. Agree urea is good. Gold bond is good.

 

[gamboolman]

I don't have any suggestions of products that would help.

I had an absolutely TERRIBLE time with the insanely dry air in southwestern states where I lived. Not only did my skin split like that, but I always had blood all over my face from the dry air. Such a lovely look, right? I spent a small fortune on various products, and generally used huge amounts of Chapstick but it hardly helped at all.

Louisiana, on the other hand, has some of the most humid air in the country! My skin absolutely loves the climate here. I use no lotions or other products and don't even own a Chapstick. My skin looks and feels great!!!. For me, our humidity is one of the big "plusses" of living here and retirement in Louisiana solved the problem.

I try to keep my mouth shut when people online badmouth the high humidity in my state.

What W2R said, I can't be in the desert, e.g. Las Vegas for more than a few days and I dry out like a scab I go to scratching and itching bad. Went to the Dermatologist and he said there was nothing to be done about it.

Living along the Gulf Coast and Sub Saraha Africa for over 60 years - we are Hot & Humid climate acclimated.

Hell - when the temp gets in the 50 degree Fahrenheit and lower we are miserable - ha !

Corn Huskers Lotion and as others have said - put Vaseline on bad cracks with a band aid seems to help pretty good.

 

[Dtail]

I don't have any suggestions of products that would help.

I had an absolutely TERRIBLE time with the insanely dry air in southwestern states where I lived. Not only did my skin split like that, but I always had blood all over my face from the dry air. Such a lovely look, right? I spent a small fortune on various products, and generally used huge amounts of Chapstick but it hardly helped at all.

Louisiana, on the other hand, has some of the most humid air in the country! My skin absolutely loves the climate here. I use no lotions or other products and don't even own a Chapstick. My skin looks and feels great!!!. For me, our humidity is one of the big "plusses" of living here and retirement in Louisiana solved the problem.

I try to keep my mouth shut when people online badmouth the high humidity in my state.

+1 but in Florida. Used to have winter dry hand problems up North, but no issues since moving down here.

 

[sdtech]

My problem has been spits on the heels and big toes of my feet. Finally found Cerave lotion for rough and bumpy skin - not their other brands.


Like a miracle cure. Still once in a while have a spit and then superglue to the rescue.

 

[folivier]

Having lived my entire life in the Deep South I spend at least half of the year in cool dry climates. I'll gladly deal with split fingers and bloody noses to get out of the humidity along with the mold, mildew, and pollen and accompanying sinus issues. To each his own.
To keep in line with this thread I use hand lotion when needed especially after using a hand cleaner which strips the oils. I also use a q-tip with vaseline for my dry nasal passages.

 

[Pellice]

I love high humidity! Great for skin, breathe more easily, move more easily. It is hard indoors in the north, but I have a humidifier, dry most of my clothes on racks in the bedroom, drink lots of water and moisturize constantly.

One thing that won't work for fingers or face, but will stave off dry skin nearly everywhere else, is to apply petroleum jelly with wet hands after showering and before towelling off, after every shower. Then towel off gently. This seems to apply a thin layer that lasts til the next shower.

I don't have any suggestions of products that would help.

I had an absolutely TERRIBLE time with the insanely dry air in southwestern states where I lived. Not only did my skin split like that, but I always had blood all over my face from the dry air. Such a lovely look, right? I spent a small fortune on various products, and generally used huge amounts of Chapstick but it hardly helped at all.

Louisiana, on the other hand, has some of the most humid air in the country! My skin absolutely loves the climate here. I use no lotions or other products and don't even own a Chapstick. My skin looks and feels great!!!. For me, our humidity is one of the big "plusses" of living here and retirement in Louisiana solved the problem.

I try to keep my mouth shut when people online badmouth the high humidity in my state.

 

[frayne]

My problem has been spits on the heels and big toes of my feet. Finally found Cerave lotion for rough and bumpy skin - not their other brands.


Like a miracle cure. Still once in a while have a spit and then superglue to the rescue.

About every other night I rub my feet down with petroleum jelly before bed. This helps keep the feet nice moist and soft.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I occasionally get splits on my fingers as well. Using nitrile gloves for cooking and cleaning works for me for prevention. When there is a split, petroleum jelly or Aquaphor or antibiotic ointment and covering speeds the healing.

Sometimes the edges of the split are thick and calloused. I find that if I trim the thick calloused edges a bit, they heal faster. The callous seems to pull the edges apart.

 

[street]

Yep, northern winter months brings dry skin issues. I don't have an issue with splitting open but I will get itchy on my ribs and stomach area. It just something that happens every year. I use lotion of any kind to take care of it.

Glycerin is an over-the-counter medicine that is a miracle lotion for dry cracked skin. You won't find a better product for dry cracked skin.

 

[ER2B]

Petroleum jelly. Cheap and effective. Put on nitrile gloves after application. You'll have baby skin when you wake up.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

That’s the beauty of aquaphor. It has petroleum and glycerin along with mineral oil.
It really does work better than just plain petroleum jelly.

 

[tmm99]

Marita,

I don't have any suggestions, but I do get finger splits, but only if I use hand sanitizers a couple of days in a row. I wash them off as soon as I get home, but my fingers still split. Maybe that's part of your problem? When my hands get like that, I wear disposable gloves when I have to cook/clean and need to wash my hands frequently.

 

[Hyper]

Live in extreme cold northern climate and my fingers/hands have always split very badly. Always outside.
I take a razor blade and cut the sides down close to the split as it's always where you hit the high spots that hurt so much and keeps opening it up.
I then use super glue as others have stated. I also started using heal/foot cream for my hands as it's very thick. Nothing else has ever worked.

 

[target2019]

I'm using Vaseline intensive care soothing hydration. Has glycerin and aloe, and seems to work better than others for me.

 

[Calico]

When I was still working I got cracked skin on all my fingers every winter. The office was incredibly dry, and even using a small personal humidifier did not seem to help.

Once I started working from home (March 2020-December 2020) and then retired (end of December 2020) I was able to control the humidity easily in my own home, and the problem almost went away.

However, after all the hand-washing due to the pandemic, the cracks and splits began to resurface.

When they happen, I apply lots of lotion with shea butter to my hands at night, then I sleep with these gloves on. By the morning my hands are baby soft again!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HGY74VP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[CRLLS]

In the colder weather, I get cracks between the base of my forefinger and my thumb, and on the knuckle too. When it gets too bad, I use either Aquaphor or Vaseline, put a Band-Aid on it and keep it there for a few days. Often put the Band-Aid under water to keep it moist. Usually, it clears up. When the skin gets to be hard like a callous, I will use sandpaper to wear it away before applying the Vaseline/Aquaphor.

I just have started to try O'Keefs.

 

[jabbahop]

We spend the winters in South west Utah and between it being winter and the desert, I have skin cracking on my hands and feet.

I think someone on this forum recommended Surgeon's Skin Secret Beeswax Moisturizer which I now use @ night. Seems to help as long as I do it nightly.

 

[connor77]

Some great suggestions already: CeraVe, Aquaphor, & Working Hands. Maybe also consider a good quality humidifier and also make sure to drink lots of water! Don't think that staying properly hydrated has been mentioned. I live in the cold northeast and we heat our house with a wood stove (think dry). Without a humidifier and staying hydrated my fingers will split. For me, the first sign of not drinking enough water is dry or chapped lips.