Do you suffer from winter dry skin?

[Miss Mary]

Hey all....just have to share that my daughter Laura and I have finally found our winter hand cream. Aveeno has come out with a new tube of "Intense Relief Hand Cream", made with Colloidal oatmeal. It lasts thru hand washing, moisterizes for 24 hours, has no odor and is non-greasy. We have each struggled with dry-dry hands, cracks that don't heal without bandaids and polysporin-type ointments, etc. Laura loves to play piano and that's torture sometimes, with red, rough, irritated hands. We ran out of Aquaphour ointment so when I was picking up a new tube, nearby was this new Aveeno product. I didn't know Aveeno made hand creams, I only knew about the soothing oatmeal bath packets for poison ivy or when your kids have chicken pox. I tossed it on Laura's bed, suggested she skip her Rx cortisone cream (that wasn't doing much anyway, after 5 days), and go to Aveeno. She said her hands feel almost normal. I had tried it a few times, and noticed a big difference but gave the tube to her. You know, that Mother thing....LOL Now we've both decided this is our winter hand cream of choice. I will warn you it's somewhat pricey - about $5.50 for a 3.5 oz tube. But it might be cheaper at Wal-Mart or Sam's.

Just a FYI type post from me to you! We haven't liked a cream like this in years, and I mean years. I've struggled with eczema and dry hands for about 30 years now. I'm sold so much on this product I'm going to write to them! Maybe they'll send me a few coupons!!!!

Mary

[streetsoldier]

I only suffer dryness on my nose in winter...but I do have some sort of rash on my ankles, and so far nothing has worked to relieve it.

"Aveeno", you say? Have to try it.

[Stormsfury]

does "dandruff" count on a bald head?

SF

[Skywatch_NC]

Mary,

I use "Udderly Smooth" udder creme...Yes, one time I believe Tracy (TLC) mentioned it somewhere and said that she and other farmers do actually use it on their cow udders to keep them from getting chafed and cracked. GREAT for human skin, too!

Eric

[Skywatch_NC]

does "dandruff" count on a bald head?

SF

Eric

[stormraiser]

Don't know SF, but for not quite bald head, I use jojoba oil. Just massage it into my scalp a few minutes before I shower. Then after shampooing, I massage a smaller amount into my scalp. It has helped me immensely and gives my hair more body, to hide the thinning areas

[Miss Mary]

Bill - found it online, more expensive this way than what my grocery store charges, but at least now you can see what it looks like:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp80253_33318 ... _cream.htm

Eric!!! Cracking up here but maybe you're on to something!

Mary

[streetsoldier]

When I get "that" bald, I'l use Turtle Wax.

[DaylilyDawn]

My dry skin is a side affect from having my thyroid gland removed when I had thyroid cancer in 1999. I have to keep a lotion type mositurizer on my dresser when I get dressed in the AMs I squirt a little in my hands and rub it in on hands and arms. Other wise I will look like I have ashy powder on my kin if I don't . It is only the worst on my hands and arms. I like the Pure Silk lotion from Bath and Body works. It is a little expensive, but since I am the only one using it, I think I am worth the price.

[azskyman]

Here in Arizona where other than this weekend (with clouds and rain persisting), the afternoon humidities are often in the 6-10% range, I have had some cracked skin recently on my fingertips...along the nail lines. Ouch! I usually use Aquaphor to help and it does.

[breeze]

Thanks, Miss Mary! I'll go scouting for some of that!

The antibacterial soap that is used at the office
is a KILLER on hands, especially in the Winter.
Doing tests with my hands, using fine motor skills,
I can't keep lotion on my hands, during the day -
I'll drop my electrodes, etc., so, I am always
looking for something SUPER-strong to put on my
hands, at night. I'll give it a try!

And, hey - Aveeno should use you and Laura in
their commercials!

Thanks, again!

[blumoon]

Eucerin works well also. When my hands get real bad I'll slather this on before bed. I love Aveeno bath for the kids, I am not surprised they make a good cream also.

[Stephanie]

Thanks Miss Mary! I'll have to look for it. I use St. Ive's hand & body lotion right now and I like it because it is rich and creamy, but not greasy. It's not expensive either!

[azsnowman]

Let's put it this way, I don't need "sandpaper" to finish most of my woodworking projects now, I simply rub my hands over the wood and 'Viola! YES...my hands are LITERALLY like sandpaper!

Dennis

[weathermom]

Eczema (and splits on my fingers)has been a way of life for me for years now. I have found that silvadene cream works wonders on the cracks. (and I have tried most everything!) I will definitely try the aveeno for prevention, thanks!

[coriolis]

I get dry hands, but it doesn't get me out of doing the dishes. Usually the generic dollar store knock-off of vaseline intensive care is all I need.

[PurdueWx80]

My entire body is dry, year-round...although it does get MUCH better in the summer when I have some sun and it's humid out. Still, I have to use lotion on my entire body. My calves actually crack open (and have even bled before) from time to time. It gets really expensive, but I would probably scratch myself to death otherwise. I've used Lubriderm ever since my dermatologist prescribed it to me roughly 10 years ago. Their new one with oats works pretty well, although I've also found a product called Jason (cocoa butter)- it's much more expensive for far less product. In the coldest/driest parts of winter I have to use it though. It is a little embarrassing when people start asking if you smell chocolate, but it is the only thing that works in the depths of winter.

[weathermom]

Chocolate is one of the least offensive things I can think of to smell like! Don't sweat it!

[Miss Mary]

Daylillydawn - you ARE worth it! Being a fellow member of your 'club' I can relate. Just do whatever it takes to feel better huh?

Steve - I get those cracks too, and when they're at the end of your fingers, bandaids fall off easily. One trick we've used is just a good soak in plastic bowl of warm water with a few squirts of baby oil. My daughter and I force the cuts open, if they're on a knuckle maybe. I swear by baby oil, or what is it really - mineral oil? I think there's just something in this oil my skin needs.

Dennis - sandpaper? LOL My dad had hands like yours - he was a carpenter by trade and spent hours in his home workshop after he left the construction business. He loved his shop!

Breeze - I worked for 10 years in an ENT office. We used a liquid white soap, but it was very soothing to skin. Didn't dry our hands out but was antibacterial. I used to wish I could buy that for home! Derma something......but this was 1975-85, heck for all I know, that soap might been deemed unsafe (similar to Phisohex face wash, remember this product?).

Purdue - I winced reading your post. BTDT (someone just used this abbreviation...LOL). My problem has always been on my hands but I sure sympathize. Once I gave in to the itching and really scratched my hands raw. And I mean bright-red raw. Then Jim called and said we had a funeral to go to (we were dating then). I kept my hands in my pockets during it. I was so embarrassed I did that. He looked at them and shouted - what in the heck did you do? It looked like I had dipped them into a boiling pot of water. When I've itched, the bumps ooze a clear liquid, which spreads the rash all over my hands. I do think this was the last time I gave in to the itch. From then on, I just sat on them, to the point where I almost cut off circulation. I have gone to Dermatologists since 1975. I tried the sterioidal scripts but the rash always came back. What I really wanted a doctor to tell me was what to change in my diet! They never could. They always want to just treat it topically, never going to the source. I've noticed the rash tries coming back if I eat a lot of homegrown tomatoes in the summer. And once we had a few plants. I went out for a few and didn't have on gloves. OMG, I could not get to the sink fast enough to wash off that tomato plant juice (I simply cannot touch a plant anymore, stalk or leaves, both immediately irritate my hands). Kiwi fruit does the same thing. I ask my kids to slice it now. No way am I touching an offesive food anymore!

Thanks for your replies everyone. This was the second morning Laura woke up after applying Aveeno hand cream at bed time. She held them out for me to see. She has a piano recital Dec. 12th and said - finally, my hands will look nice for a recital! She plays at least 90 minutes a day - piano is her passion!

Mary

[alicia-w]

We use Zim's Crack Cream. Sounds nasty but is not bad stuff at all.

Also have started using that Olay shower lotion that you rinse off. Like cream rinse for your skin. Good stuff.