Painful cracks on thumbs

When I was a young trainee nurse my hands used to get very sore. My mum insisted on rubbing glycerine in and covering with cotton gloves when you went to bed. I worked like magic but could stin a bit of the skin was broken.

I suffer with these every winter, even though I don't live in a cold climate. Always wear cotton gloves at bedtime after slathering on your hand cream of choice. It really helps!

I stopped having this problem when I started to wear rubber gloves when doing washing up.

When I did have the problem, the best way to get the cracks to heal was to wear a plaster (I used bits of old cotton hankies held on with micropore tape) for as many days as it took for the crack to heal. Keeping the skin moist and covered seemed to help the healing process more than any cream or lotion.

CETRABEN Emolliant cream is very good for most skin problems. We get it on prescription as my hubby first had it from a dermotoligist at our local hospital.
Google it to read its uses

My husband has this problem and uses NuSkin by Germolene. It's usually available in Boots.

Neutrogena applied at night, thickly, and covered with a plaster. Works for me. Always use Marigolds, but when it is extra cold one appears on my right thumb.

I use a dab of superglue. Stops the pain immediately, and protects it through several washes, giving it a chance to heal.

I'd agree with Suzie B, cow's udder cream, from a country store! It's cheap, and very very good. Was recommended to my late husband when he was having chemo which seriously affected his hands and feet.

Germolene was the ointment always at hand when I was a child - that was the oil-based one. They later introduced a water-based one which was less messy. Fine for some things, but not for all the same things as the oil-based one.

elegran i use germolene too with a plaster on top. i think germolene is a magic ointment - and my grandaughters are now used to having it on their scratches. well, it worked for me and for my children for all sorts of things. and it works for those painful cracks on fingers and thumbs too [have you ever used it to get a hard to reach splinter out? i have - and it works].

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula is brilliant for prevention and cure

Please try eating more fruit providing high vitamin C such as strawberries, tomatoes, etc. Tablets help but are not as good. Many people do not absorb vitamin C well and they need extra above what is an RDA and often cracks are more prevalent in winter when high vit. C fruit is less readily available. It takes about a week to improve things.

My other half often gets cracks on his fingertips which he calls ' bird's eyes' and I think it's a very apt description . He uses O'Keefe's too.

Tiger Balm,now usually labelled "Oriental" Balm (presumably for trade descriptions laws-it does not contain any ingredients from tigers),is superb for very dry skin.It is a bit whiffy when applied due to the camphor and clove oils in it but this soon wears off.Basically,it is a petroleum jelly base with natural plant oils.
I call it magic balm as it is useful for so many things-headaches(on temples or base of neck),sore skin,toothache(rubbed on jaw),back of heels in new shoes,etc.Best of all,it is available from Poundland with 2 pots in the pack.
I had a very sore big toe,which I feared was an ingrowing toe nail.I applied Tiger Balm,popped a sock on and left overnight-soreness totally gone by morning.I suggest trying this on your thumbs with a pair of light cotton gloves on overnight.
I also like to rub this balm on the nape of neck and shoulders just before bed-it eases any tension and helps with sleeping.

Hi, whatever cream you choose to use, put it on thickly at night then wear pair of the very thin surgical type glove, works wonders.

SuzieB, thanks for the tip. I have ordered some Bag Balm. I am allergic to lanolin, but doubt it will affect hardened skin.

I found the Scholl Cracked Heel Repair cream works great overnight

I get these every winter and my pharmacy suggested I tried putting Compeed Cracked Heel Cream on them. This is very lubricating and gentle has an anticeptic as well. It works! Great to read all the other suggestions too.

I get them every year too, so painful. I have been using coconut oil which has gone hard and it has helped a lot, definitely not as bad this year.

I get these every winter - thumbs and forefingers. My father used to get them on his heels, poor chap. The GP told me the skin needed re-hydrating. Many years ago I found the only thing that works for me - Bag Balm. It was originally developed for cows' udders if they got dry and cracked but I found it at a quilt festival! It comes in a small square, green tin and if I put it on as soon as my thumbs and fingers start to hurt, I don't get the cracks. You can buy it on Amazon, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Nothing else I've tried comes close.

Water-based creams are not as effective as oil-based for these hacks.

The oily version of germolene, with a sticking plaster over it to keep the ointment on the hack and off the bedclothes, overnight. Re-apply in the morning and keep it out of water for a day or two - wear Marigolds.

We used to call them keens. I get them if my hands get cold as well as if I don't wear rubber gloves when I'm cleaning. MIL swore by something called Snofire which was a green quite solid ointment. I don't know if you can still buy it. I go through gallons of hand cream in winter trying to avoid them.

I used to suffer from them too. We call them Hacks. Thankfully I haven't had them this winter perhaps because I always use rubber gloves when working with water. Use hand cream everytime I wash my hands and rub baby oil on my hands before I go to bed. So far so good!

May I suggest O'Keefe's Working Hands cream - simply brilliant. About £5 - £6 a tin but well worth it.