Q. I just had to reply to a question in your column about chapped hands from repeated hand washing. For a number of years I was a surgical scrub nurse and suffered terribly from chapped hands and wrists, especially in winter. My wrists and knuckles cracked and bled. I tried every moisturizer I could find to no avail.
Then someone told me about Acid Mantle cream that I could get from a pharmacy. What a relief! It reversed the burn caused by the base pH in soaps, and returned my skin to normal. Please pass this along to that poor sufferer.
A. Thank you for the suggestion. We hope this product, which contains petrolatum, glycerin and synthetic beeswax among other ingredients, will help her.
Several years ago we received this message about Acid Mantle:
“I learned about it many years ago from the cook at my children’s camp. Her hands cracked and split from being washed and dried so often until she found Acid Mantle.
“We initially used it for sunburn relief, but it’s also wonderful for chronic dry skin or the chapped area under your nose when you have a runny nose. Doing home remodeling (sanding, sheetrock) can be very drying because the protective oils of the skin get removed or the natural acid pH is disturbed.
“Acid Mantle is expensive (about $44 for a 1-lb jar). But a little goes a long way, so the large jar lasts a year or more.”
We also heard from Pam about 5 years ago:
“Acid Mantle is a wonderful product especially if used after wet work as directed. It may be purchased through a pharmacy — they usually have to order it. I get a 16 oz. jar, which lasts a long time depending on usage. I believe that the last time I ordered it the cost was just under $60.”
Other readers report that 20% urea creams are especially helpful for people with really dry, rough skin and they are a lot less expensive than Acid Mantle. You can order an 8 oz jar of Udderly Smooth Extra Care Cream with 10% urea directly from Redex Industries. This family business underwrites (sponsors) our radio show, so we want you to know that we are not impartial observers. You can reach Redex at: (800) 345-7339.
And we are still offering our Winter Skin Survival Kit with Extra Care 20 containing the cream (20% urea) plus three tubes of our all-natural lip care in pomegranate flavor. Here is a link to Special Sale for the Winter Skin Survival Kit.
