Welcome to Discuss Campus!

Question

1

A bit of background on this:

I am a science major, I spend a lot of times in labs and in research, my research involves very high heat and temperature environments, and I wear nitrile, latex, and neoprene gloves for most of the day. I also volunteer in an ER and shadow doctors often. As a result of all the aforementioned activities I am usually using the standard gel disinfectant on the walls, upwards of 20 times a day, and occasionally scrubbing in for surgery when shadowing doctors, this involves using a hard plastic brush to rub at your skin, for 5 minutes or so, and is very harsh on your skin. As a result my hands are starting to crack, I have tried using Vaseline hand lotion, but it leaves an oily residue on the surface, which makes it a pain to put on gloves, and just feels annoying all day, not to mention the smell. I am also a guy if that helps. I need recommendations for keeping the skin on my hands moist.

flag	asked Feb 3 at 1:42 Mohammad♦ 1,449●1●1●10

pwa89 · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-08 01:27:16Z UTC

The best lotion I have found for dry hands is AmLactin. It is rather expensive, but is awesome for moisturizing and smoothing the skin.

I am in the same situation as a Pre-Med student who works as an EMT and in the local trauma center. The Purell destroys my hands. AmLactin can be found at most pharmacies, but it is sometimes a behind the counter product.

Hope this helps!

College Thrive · Answer 2 · 2010-02-03 13:58:30Z UTC

2

I used this Burt's Bees Lotion once, and it seemed to help my dry skin. It's made with milk and honey so it's natural. After 111 reviews on http://burtsbees.com it has a rating of 5 stars.

answered Feb 3 at 13:58

College Thrive
329●1●7

I'll have to give it a shot. – Mohammad♦ Feb 3 at 19:21

Tessa · Answer 3 · 2010-02-04 08:20:02Z UTC

I'm a girl and I hate the weird feeling lotion leaves when it doesn't completely absorb. Your best bet is using a thick lotion before bed and hand lotion (that absorbs more quickly) whenever it's convenient for you.

Lubriderm or Aquaphor are pretty popular thick lotions without that "girly" scent that you boys fear.

I use lotion by Benefit, but it's super floral. So you might want to check it out, they might have a men's line.

Michelle · Answer 4 · 2010-02-06 12:21:12Z UTC

0

During the winter the back of my hand gets dry and scaly and starts cracking and bleeding. What I do is put lotion on my hands before I go to sleep. I use aveeno and it doesn't have too much of a smell.

answered Feb 6 at 12:21

Michelle
485●1●8

Chad · Answer 5 · 2010-02-09 03:15:34Z UTC

My friend, I have the same problem minus the fact I am not a science major. But, my hands get very dry and very rough from washing them so much - thats what having a young child does to you :)

So, I got into a nightly ritual where I put on Eucerin Moisturizing Creme liberally then go to sleep with my hands coated in it. You can get a 4 oz. tub of the stuff from Wal-Mart for $6-$7. Here is what you should be looking for:

alt text

(from the packaging) - Dry-Skin Therapy - Heals & Protects Sensitive Skin - Non-Irritating - Fragrance Free.

Eucerin is the #1 dermatologist recommended brand for dry skin care.

-Provides long-lasting moisturization that helps to relieve extra dry, chapped or chafed skin or dry skin associated with eczema or psoriasis. -Contains no fragrance and won't clog pores -Can be used safely to help relieve dry skin associated with certain prescribed medications.

Hope you and your hands get to feeling better, nothing worse than cracking hands.

The skin on my knuckles starts cracking, any solutions?

Did you know? You can follow Discuss Campus on Twitter for featured questions! @discusscampus

5 Answers