my hands!!!

[CuttingBetty]

Anyone have any advice on how to keep hands from drying out and cracking in between the fingers?? Since I started grooming four months ago, with the cold and bathing, my hands are cracked and dry. I put on lotion like five times a day but it isn't really helping. Just curious if anyone has any ideas.

[Fur Elite]

Wear surgical gloves during bathing. It is all the water that is drying them out.

[RevWind]

It might be the type or brand of lotion you're using. I know I've always gotten cracks along my knuckles. Even before I started bathing and grooming. I started out the winter pretty good, keeping up with the lotion. I think it was a false sense of security because of the oddly warm weather we had. Now that it's gotten cold, they're back to drying and cracking. Try a creme instead of a lotion. They're more oil based, but they still soak in. As weird as it sounds, try massage creme.

[KarlaSnyder]

Hand creams are much better than lotions. I use Neutragena Hand Cream, and put it on at night at bedtime. You can also put gloves on over it to help it really penetrate. One of my clients gave me some awesome cream for Christmas-Glycerine Hand Therapy by Camille Beckman. It's made in Idaho, so don't know if it's sold all over. Some shampoos are worse than others on your hands too. Think there was a thread on this on the old board, so maybe more info there.

[minkyboodle]

Try wearing gloves so you aren't having your hands exposed to the water. That's all I can think of. I'm pretty lucky that it doesn't get too cold here so I don't have that problem.

[Helly]

Use vaseline on your hands at night, and wear a pair of cotton gloves to bed. In the morning your hands will be vastly improved. In a few days they'll be as soft as a babies butt.

You can also use barrier cream at work. I don't care for wearing gloves; they tend to get full of water and cause just as much trouble for your skin as no gloves at all. Barrier cream, either with or without gloves, gives you better protection, IMO.

You didn't mention what shampoo you use, but you might want to try a different one.

[Angie]

A friend of mine is a nail tech and she gave me some "Solar Butter" by Creative Inc.
I love this stuff it really helps. You can find it in some salons.

[pekapoosmom]

when i was bartending my hands were a mess the chemicals just ate my skin off. I used to use a product called silicone glove from Avon. wonder if they still make it cause it was the only thing that worked. maybe I should get it again for precautionary reasons.

[PoodlePal]

I have the same problem. My hands are much better when I wear latex gloves during the bathing. I have a bathing system but my hands still get wet.

Every night I use hand lotion and then dip my hands in a parafin wax and leave that one (with a plastic bag wrapped around my hands) for 15 minutes. It really helps the lotion to penetrate and makes a huge difference.

[PetsRus]

Bath and Body Work Lotion works great at night. If they are really cracked it burns but I wake up and they are so much better. I hate wearing gloves when bathing also I always seem to get more water in the gloves somehow.

[Poodlefluff]

I got a product for cow teats called UDDER cream lol works great on hands too.

[doggiestlist]

It may be the type of shampoos and contioners you are using, also some brands will dry your skin more than others do. think of this way if the products are drying out your skin just think whats its doing to the pets coats and skin.majotiry of shampoos contain a mixture of chemicals purfumes and dyes.yes lotions and creams can help releive the symptoms of dryness but they are not curing the cause.personally I have found that natural products tend to condition the skin more so than that of the chemical pharmicudical brands do.my shampoo favorite is natures specialty products.plum silky is the most used on my clientel..however I have seen in some cases of continous use shampoos made with tea tree oil have had a drying effect on the hands of some groomers(coworkers and bathers) with sensative skin. after 15 yrs of daily grooming and bathing my hands still remain soft without the use of lotions or cremes.

[bitty]

I find a difference if you don't use HOT water during bathing. Use lukewarm almost tepid water, hopefully you will notice a difference. Plus it cuts down on the humidity in the bathing area. Good Luck!!

[sheilabgroomer]

What I like even better than vasaline is crisco. Yes, Crisco...lol...Slather it on before bed time and put on cotton gloves and your hands feel great in the a.m. If you can, exfoliate your hands ever so often to get rid of the dead skin. It really helps! Good luck, I hate having dry cracked hands (hurts!!!) and the winter time really does a number on mine!

[pamperedpups]

Edited.