Gransnet forums

Health

Split finger tips

(24 Posts)
Luckygirl3 Sun 16-Jul-23 09:02:31

Anyone else get this? I used to have it all winter but now it is happening in the summer too. It is very painful.

FannyCornforth Sun 16-Jul-23 09:41:55

Ooh, sounds painful.
I think that upping your vitamin C might be in order.
I get little cut like splits up my nose when I’m very run down

Staceyann Sun 16-Jul-23 10:25:12

I get it in the winter - O’Keefe’s Working Hands cream helps.

okeeffesco.co.uk/products/okeeffes-working-hands/

NanaBabs1 Sun 16-Jul-23 11:14:27

Years ago I read something about this in view of the fact that a lot of younger women seemed to be suffering from split skin on their fingers. It was found that many liquid soaps include an ingredient (meant to keep it liquid, ironically) which seemed to be causing this. I’ve never really stopped using soap bars, but always enjoyed the Molton Brown liquid soap in a local Fenwick store’s loos. I soon connected my itchy hands to the use of it, so stopped. Possibly coincidence but haven’t had a problem since. I must add, though, that I do use the Neals Yard liquid soap very sparingly. Love the smell but it’s so expensive!

Baggs Sun 16-Jul-23 11:20:17

I used to get this a lot but wearing rubber gloves when washing-up and gardening gloves when it's cold seems to have helped.

I used to used Germolene skin paint (can't remember its trade name) over the cracks and, when healed I rubbed in "Snowfire". I still use Snowfire when my knuckles feel chapped.

Luckygirl3 Sun 16-Jul-23 11:28:48

Thanks for the ideas - very helpful. I do wear rubber gloves a lot, but it still causes me problems. I am on a multi-vitamin so Vit C should be adequate. I have sent off for New Skin and Snowfire - hope it does the trick. The splits are very sore when using the keyboard or playing the piano.

Baggs Sun 16-Jul-23 11:33:28

Ah yes! New Skin. Beware, lucky, that it stings on the open splits but that stops once it's dry. Also pressing the crack edges together lessens that problem.

I generally had to top up the New Skin paint for a few days and that worked better than peelingold stuff off and redoing. You'll find what works best for you though.

Luckygirl3 Sun 16-Jul-23 11:52:13

Thanks for the advice.

chocolatepudding Sun 16-Jul-23 17:34:33

Please use O'Keefe's Working Hands cream, especially last thing at night. A tub lasts ages and my brother in Canada agrees with me that it is the only cream that works to heal the splits

kittylester Sun 16-Jul-23 17:40:31

DH used to get them a lot and uses a Burt's Bees has cream.

NanaDana Sun 16-Jul-23 17:45:33

Staceyann

I get it in the winter - O’Keefe’s Working Hands cream helps.

okeeffesco.co.uk/products/okeeffes-working-hands/

Yes, indeed. I also swear by O'Keefe's. Quite a fresh, pleasant scent too, and not expensive. You'll also find that a little goes a long way.

Mitroshapr Sun 16-Jul-23 17:49:33

Moisturize regularly: Apply a thick, fragrance-free moisturizer to your fingertips and hands several times a day, especially after washing your hands.
Protect your hands: Wear gloves when you're performing activities that involve exposure to water, chemicals, or other potential irritants.
Avoid triggers: Identify and avoid any substances or activities that seem to worsen your symptoms.

Luckygirl3 Tue 18-Jul-23 07:51:59

Thank you all. I have made a start with the "new Skin" on the worst finger tip and it is already starting to work. And I have been putting the Snowfire on the other tips. Three cheers for the Gransnet clinic!

Hetty58 Tue 18-Jul-23 08:09:11

Another vote for O'Keeffe's - applied last thing at night. The whole family bought foaming soap dispensers when they had 'pandemic hands'. You dilute your hand soap with water (1:5) - very economical too.

Farmor15 Tue 18-Jul-23 08:59:28

My mother used to get these and found wearing cotton gloves in bed at night, after rubbing in some strong moisturiser, helped.

shysal Tue 18-Jul-23 09:01:56

Bag Balm works well. Originally used for cow udders!

LadyGracie Tue 18-Jul-23 09:06:09

Try ‘Gloves in a Bottle’, it really works, my fingertips used to bleed till I started using it.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 18-Jul-23 10:01:29

Definitely O’Keefe’s Working Hands, miracle cream. No rough hands, hang nails or hard cuticles. The tradesman who come into work swear by it.

I have been using O’Keefe’s Healthy Feet since lockdown, no hard skin or cracked heels. I use it on days I go to the gym when I am wearing socks. The lady who I go to for pedicures has remarked what good condition my feet are in, no hard skin to remove.

Callistemon21 Tue 18-Jul-23 10:26:20

Luckygirl3

Thanks for the ideas - very helpful. I do wear rubber gloves a lot, but it still causes me problems. I am on a multi-vitamin so Vit C should be adequate. I have sent off for New Skin and Snowfire - hope it does the trick. The splits are very sore when using the keyboard or playing the piano.

A multi-vitamin may not be enough.

Lack of B vitamins can cause skin problems and, mouth ulcers apparently, as advised by my dentist.

Perhaps you could try a more intensive course of certain vitamins taken in separate form, eg B vitamins, Vitamin C and fish oils.

And a good hand cream too, of course.

Jaxjacky Tue 18-Jul-23 11:15:40

Try Medihoney, it’s just healed the England cricket Moeen Ali’s cut finger that was affecting his bowling.

PiscesLady Tue 18-Jul-23 11:45:36

I sometimes tape up bad splits with micropore tape. At a pre-op I was advised to sort my split fingers out or the op would not proceed. They said to apply hand cream several times a day. I actually found that using a chap stick, intended for sore lips, was a lot easier to keep reapplying to the splits, than hand cream was.

Devorgilla Tue 18-Jul-23 19:29:25

Sudocream is very effective too.

NotAGran55 Wed 19-Jul-23 06:20:20

Another vote for O’Keeffe’s Working Hands 🙌.
Nothing gets close in my opinion.

Dotty123 Wed 19-Jul-23 07:49:59

Good old Vaseline plus cotton gloves at night works for me.