In the grand scheme of things, dry skin, rough nails and cracked fingertips are not serious health problems. But they certainly can make life miserable.
Writing a check or buttoning a shirt with cracked fingertips can be extremely painful. Rough nails snag scarves and socks. And red rough skin, common at this time of year, can be quite distressing.
Cosmetic companies have developed pricey anti-aging moisturizers for all sorts of skin problems. But sometimes inexpensive, old-fashioned products can help solve some of life’s vexing problems.
Barnyard Beauty Aids to the Rescue:
Some time ago a reader asked:
“What can my husband use on the ends of his fingers? They crack even though he uses hand cream.”
We suggested barnyard beauty aids such as Udder Cream and Bag Balm. Hoofmaker can also aid human nails and fingertips. The original formula of Preparation H, which contained shark liver oil and live yeast cell derivative (biodyne), had a reputation for healing cracked fingertips. It is available only from Canada. [The makers of Udder Cream, Redex Industries, underwrite our radio show]
Other readers rushed to share their favorite remedies with the sufferer:
“I want to tell you of a cure that works overnight. That may seem impossible, but A&D Ointment will do just that. It’s great for babies, but by accident my husband found it works!”
We don’t know how much the vitamins and fish oil in the formula help, and how much could be attributed to the petroleum jelly base. For years dermatologists have recommended moisturizing with petrolatum at night, then donning cheap white cotton gloves to keep the goo off the sheets. Many of our visitors prefer not to use a petroleum-based product.
To protect and heal fingertips during the day, one reader had a unique solution:
“When I was a cop I used to suffer in harsh weather from cracking at the end of my fingers. A friend of mine who served on a ship on the South Pacific during WWII told me a trick that they used: coat the ends of my injured fingers with Chapstick. This healed my fingers and prevented further cracking. I’ve shared this with others and they achieved the same results.”
Another fellow made a similar recommendation:
“I worked as a carpenter several years in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the winter air is extremely dry. I had a terrible time with the skin on my fingers cracking, especially inside the joint on my thumbs. Nothing worked, until I tried Chapstick.”
Some readers sang the praises of a newer approach:
“New Skin liquid bandage is the solution. I apply a coating over the cracked area once or twice a day until the crack heals. Even though the cracks are small, they can be pretty sore. It keeps the cracks from continuing to reopen, eliminating the pain while allowing them to heal.”
Cindi in Virginia has a modification on this strategy:
“I have suffered with splits on my fingers for a couple decades. I’ve been using Super Glue on them. I am allergic to latex & adhesives & cannot wear bandages for more than an hour. I was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis Scleroderma (diffuse) 3 years ago. Without using this product, I would probably have lost most of my digits or fingers from ulcers by this time.
“It may sting for a few secs when first applied, but it not only stops the pain, it protects the opening from germs, and heals them, usually within 3 days. I have 13 doctors now, one being a dermatologist. She approves this method since I’ve been seeing her. There are articles in the offices supporting this method.
“I have used about every brand out there and have found Locktite brand (blue bottle) gel to be the best for me. I have used all the other skin adhesives ie: New Skin, Bandaid Liquid, etc. with little satisfaction; they just don’t stay on for long and require multiple applications throughout the day.
“I hope this is helpful and informative.”
MC likes a special urea-containing product made by Redex:
“I have been using Udderly Smooth Extra Care 20 Cream with urea for six months. This is the first winter I have not had cracks in the skin or around my thumbnails.
“Winter is not over yet but I am so glad to be free of cracks. This cream also works as a face cream. It performs as well as my expensive creams (better in some cases) and does not interfere with my rosacea treatments.”
Find Out If Something More Serious is Happening:
Cracked fingertips, very dry skin and rough nails can sometimes signal more serious medical problems. Hypothyroidism, for example, may contribute to such symptoms. A medical checkup and blood test can reveal such problems.
We have prepared Guides to Skin and Nail Care and Thyroid Hormones with more information on diagnosis and treatment.
Winter Skin Survival Kit
You can deal with dry skin, cracked fingertips and chapped lips all at the same time with our special Winter Skin Survival Kit. Full disclosure: The makers of Udderly Smooth creams and lotions underwrite our radio show. That said, we think they offer a great product at a very reasonable price. They developed Extra Care 20 Cream with 20% urea for people with really dry skin. Urea is well established by dermatologists as a valuable compound to restore the protective barrier of the skin.
You will get two sizes of Udderly Smooth Extra Care 20 Cream (a 2 oz. handy tube for pocket or pocketbook and a jumbo 8 oz. tub for the bathroom or kitchen). These are unscented and non-greasy creams.
In the Winter Skin Survival Kit you will get 3 tubes of our own specially formulated Pomegranate Natural Lip Care. The scent and taste are natural and a great way to keep lips from chapping and cracking. Our chemist is renowned for natural products and he worked diligently to get this formula exactly right. The ingredients of each product are listed in their individual entries in the shopping cart.
You get a substantial discount when you purchase the survival kit compared to the individual items. That is a savings of $6.02.
