Painful cracks on thumbs

I get these and they are very painful. At bedtime I rub plenty of Nivea hand cream into my thumbs and then cover with a large plaster overnight. I do this until they heal and it definitely helps.

I get these and the only thing that helps is an anti fungal cream that I bought in the USA, can't remember the name I'm afraid.

Tesco do Tea Tree cream but you have to ask at the pharmacy counter..

If it's a fungal infection, any anti fungal cream will work.

Try hemp cream from Body Shop, it's very soothing,even if the smell is rather strange! It's also good for the rough bits on the knuckles at the side of fingers.Boots do a tea tree cream by the way.

I used to get them - as did my late Father. I use Germolene Nuskin on them and they heal very quickly. It's like a clear nail varnish which seems to help seal the crack which then knits together. My Dad used it too on my recommendation.

Antiseptic Sudo Creme works for me. If it's good enough for a babies bottom .....

x

DH uses Burts Bees!

Eumovate - it clears it up in hours.

I've got one on my right thumb. I had a skin graft on it years ago, and it it more delicate than the rest of the skin on my hand. I am just treating it with good quality hand cream, and trying to keep it dry. They are a nuisance. ?

Prevention better than cure of course - rubber gloves!

I use Savlon or any antiseptic cream, covered with a plaster for a couple of days, after which they will have healed.

Thanks for all the suggestions - I never expected so many replies !

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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 found the Scholl Cracked Heel Repair cream works great overnight

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

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.