So I've learned a few things over the years that help. First the rubber gloves. I have an aversion to the big yellow ones because if I'm doing dishes and something sharp pricks a hole in one, it's a goner. And then there's the water getting inside a glove--I can't abide that. So I started using medical gloves--much cheaper and tighter and I can reuse them for dishes for quite a long time. I even wear them when I'm cleaning or using my hands with other projects--and don't feel badly tossing them. The snugness even keeps my hands damp, which helps to keep them from drying out.
Then I wear a warm scarf around my neck, especially in the evenings when I'm sitting around. What an amazing difference it makes. Pictured is one of my favorite indoor scarfs--soft and warm and not itchy. :-)
The last little lesson I learned from a blog last year. I use liquid bandaid on cracks on my fingers but they can still be painful. I learned that chapstick applied to the crack will seal it from the air hurting it. Wow, what relief!
Seems that cold weather is hitting us in many areas of the country today. Stay warm!
Hello Podso,
ReplyDeleteThe cold weather has started here. These last two days, i ice has covered the fields and my car.
its years since i have seen this.
chapped hands are not nice.. If mine become dry.. I use vaseline.. just simple pure vaseline..its fantastic. I use it on my face too..especially when the wind is blowing.
I watched the news this morning... wow, you are in for some real nasty weather.
stay warm.. I got my polar necks out now.
val
As you know, we are always on the hunt for something that helps prevent or heal cracks on the thumbs! Last year I found something that hubby says saved his thumbs. He (and I do, too) puts it on his fingers every night preventively and has had almost no cracks anymore. It's called Lemony Flutter by Lush (I ordered online). It is actually designed for cuticles, but has been a life (or rather thumb) saver. Last time I ordered it was $16, so not cheap, but lasted a full year using it every night.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh when I read about the gloves. I hate those big rubber gloves, but I, too, grab the nitrile gloves for cleanup or germ protection...and for all the reasons you listed! And the scarf...I do that, too. Adds warmth without bulk.
Stay warm! It's 8 degrees here, so we feel your cold. We also have 8 inches of snow now, so back to regular midwest winter after a no-snow December.
I well know those cracked thumbs--painful. I never thought of using the medical gloves. I'm going to bring out a soft scarf and place it on the back of my chair. Our living room has nine windows so you can imagine that it can be drafty if the wind is howling. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
The wind is brittle cold here today...single digits tonight and not out of the 20's tomorrow...BRRRR!
ReplyDeleteIt is 25 degrees here in Maryland and expected 9 tonight! That's a good tip about the chap stick. I will keep that in mind. But how do you reuse those medical gloves? I can never get them off right side out, especially if my hands are damp. As for my neck, that's why I've kept my hair long! It's especially nice at night to cover my ears with my hair. :-)
ReplyDeleteHello! I am here catching up with you this morning. What a lot of lovely posts I missed!! I have a terrible time with cracking skin on my feet. I have eczema and it is bad on my feet! I discovered working hands and it really works wonders. Try your local Walmart. I use super glue when I have a crack!!
ReplyDeleteStay warm!!
XO Kris
These are great tips, Dotsie, and much appreciated here. :-D My sister crocheted two scarves for me and gave them to me as Christmas gifts a few years ago, and I wear them a lot in winter. I, too, was amazed how much warmer they keep me -- they're wonderful! I didn't know the tip about liquid band-aid or Chapstick, so I'm glad you shared that with us. I used to have a box of medical gloves, and I used them for pulling weeds. They made my hands sweat, so I see what you mean about keeping our hands more moist in winter. I'll have to give that a try.
ReplyDeleteThis cold is a shock to the system after our mild Christmas weather, isn't it? Stay warm, Dotsie, and have a great day!
Hugs,
Denise
We are cold here too! Crazy!
ReplyDeleteWhen we get winter dry skin, I find that lanolin helps heal the dry skin and cracks that happen!
Stay warm!
Deanna
Even in our mild winters my fingers crack. I am going to try chapstick.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip.
Good ideas, Dotsie! I couldn't get warm all day yesterday, until I wrapped a sweater around my neck. Yes, I have scarves, but I had a piece of a soft, cashmere sweater I found at GoodWill and wore that. I was instantly warm. I use the glove trick when pulling weeds in the garden. I hate getting dirt under my fingernails and yet like being able to feel what I'm doing. Gardening gloves just don't work for me. I'll pass along the ChapStick tip to my daughter, whose little one gets cracks around her mouth. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMy 13yo Bekah has the driest hands I have ever seen on a child. Her hands would be dry, red, and painful (even occasionally bleeding) from September through May. We tried every remedy we could think of and many products that others would suggest. We finally found two things that help, although she has to be totally consistent with them. 1) She must wash her hands with Wet Ones wipes for sensitive skin instead of using soap and water. 2) She uses Gold Bond Foot Cream to prevent/heal chapping. If she does both of those things regularly, her hands are much better. I will pass along the glove idea to her for times when her hands must be in water.
ReplyDeleteThe Farmhouse is drafty when the wind blows. I'm going to try your scarf trick! Thanks for the pointers!
Our aging bodies were not made for cold weather were they? LOL I wear socks to bed because if my feet are cold, I can't sleep. As for my cracking thumbs, hand cream every time I've been in water and liquid vitamin E on the cuticles and cracks at night. It works if you do it regularly! Unfortunately....I'm lazy or forget.
ReplyDeleteI have some arthritis in my neck so throw my beanbag wrap around thing in the microwave for 2 minutes and it helps immensely.
One of the reasons I feel the cold in our part of Ontario is lake effect dampness - chills to the bone. Up north (3 1/2 hr drive) at our daughters' it is even colder, but a dry cold which is more tolerable.
Stay warm, with whatever it takes Dotsie. :-)
Thanks for the advice because this year my hands are really changing and cracking and dry! Stay warm..we are in the teens tonight.
ReplyDeletePodso,
ReplyDeleteAmazing little lessons, dear friend!!!
I often wear a scarf around my neck before going out~of~doors. . .
high turtleneck tops help indoors, too.
While residing in Germany, my landlord and her sister
taught me the importance of wearing "an undershirt".
Now Autumn 'til Spring, I add a camisole beneath my tops!
H U G E difference!
Socks accompany me to bed.
My MoMa, a beautician by trade, lathered her hands in sheep's lanolin
and then wore white cotton gloves to bed! It worked! Keep her hands from cracking!
Thanks for sharing little lessons about plastic gloves!!!
Fondly,
Pat
LOL... do you think our use of latex gloves comes from our background? ;) I feel so efficient wearing them. LOL! Undershirts and scarfs: essential to winter warmth. =) Evan uses super glue on the cracks he gets on his fingers. Swears it is like magic. Stay warm, sweet friend. blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteour wind here makes it all the more frigid...yes to the scarf!! and the gloves seem so logical
ReplyDeleteWhen it gets below freezing here my hands start to dry out. Then I pull out the gloves. I don't mind rubber gloves although I despise the feeling when there's a hole and the water gets in.
ReplyDeleteScarves are a wonderful way to keep warm. I wear them constantly in the winter.
I hope you stay warm and cozy during this cold spell.