I've got another 'keen'... Ouch!

Not heard the word ‘keen’ used for a split nail. Is it possible to hold it together with a plaster ?

As I’m in the NE, it’s a keen. It’s not a split nail crazyH but a deep crack in the skin. They often form hard edges that make it harder for the skin to heal.
Not very big, but bloody painful!
O’Keefe’s (?) Hard Working hand cream advert shows finger end keens helped by applying it.

I used to get those occasionally and they are the devil to heal. Thankfully not had one for ages, I thought I might be run down and that was the cause. I would put plenty of tea tree antiseptic on them and wear a cotton glove at night.

Thanks Georgesgran - hope it’s sorted soon , lizzypopbottle -

Is it called a paronychia? They can be very sore.

I had one recently, used Germolene and kept a plaster on it, a new plaster daily.
It went in about 3 or 4 days.

I get these small but deep splits in my thumbs and the best hand cream is O'Keeffe's Working Hands. Most supermarkets stock it at £6 or £7 a tub but honestly a little soaks in a long way. My brother in Canada says it is the best too.

I get them on my thumbs they really hurt, sting when you wash your hands, I use Gloves in a Bottle, excellent stuff

Thanks crazyH. I'm using Germolene New Skin. It seals it up. It nips when you apply it but it helps it to heal up fairly quickly. I'll give the O'Keefe's a try once it's closed up. My hands have been quite dry lately. I'm also having a lot of trouble with weak, flaky nails. Thanks for all the suggestions. 😘

They’re called hacks up here in this area of Scotland. My Dh used to get them when he worked offshore, from the cold and salt water. As you say, so painful.

He used Udder Cream which he bought from a chemist that also did veterinarian stuff. It was better than anything else. It’s also good for hard skin on feet!

Yes Georgesgran it is intensely painful. I plunged my hand into my bag looking for my keys today and caught it hard. What a shout I burst out with! Everyone stared at me! 😂😂😂

Udder cream SueDonim? That made me laugh! 😂😂😂 I might call the vet and enquire about that. My feet could do with some attention too! 😂😂😂

lizzypopbottle

Yes Georgesgran it is intensely painful. I plunged my hand into my bag looking for my keys today and caught it hard. What a shout I burst out with! Everyone stared at me! 😂😂😂

I had one on my big toe once years ago.
One of the DC accidentally dropped their hard lunch box on it, I did shout!

It’s a real thing, Lizzy! 😂 Sadly nowadays it’s white whereas back in the day it was a lovely pink. Good value, too, about £6.99 for 500g.

I get this with cold hands every year and occasionally on back of heel. I second O’Keefes and cotton gloves overnight and keep using it until it’s healed.

Keep a packet of thin latex disposable gloves for daily chores - sprinkling a little talc inside before putting them on .
At night , massage O'Keefes cream into your hands .
Cotton gloves help .
I agree with Redhead56 on this one .

Keen. I just call mine a xxxxxx nuisance. Cut the top corner of my left thumb in December. Bled a lot as on blood thinners. It healed with skin closers . But opens up every 6-8 weeks doesn't bleed but is sore. Got skin closers and spray on plaster on it so hopefully it with heal again. 🤬

These cracks often appear on your heels too. Very sore and slow to heal.

Mr P gets those painful hacks too. He uses O'Keefes Working Hands and those long finger plasters but they take a long time to heal. I will tell him about Germoline .

I used Flexitol on deep cracks on my heels. It eases the pain and heals the cracks very quickly.

I was brought up in the North East and it’s a keen to me. I get them in cold weather especially if I don’t wear gloves outside. I use Germolene on them and they usually go in a couple of days. So painful though.

lizzypopbottle

Thanks crazyH. I'm using Germolene New Skin. It seals it up. It nips when you apply it but it helps it to heal up fairly quickly. I'll give the O'Keefe's a try once it's closed up. My hands have been quite dry lately. I'm also having a lot of trouble with weak, flaky nails. Thanks for all the suggestions. 😘

Try taking high dose fish oils, regularly. for your dry nails.. helps hair as well

Nothing worse than cracks in hardened skin, but there’s magical relief from pain to be found by using Compeed Plasters.

They’re not ordinary plasters - like a Band Aid - but hydrocolloid plasters which soften the skin edges, allowing cracked skin to heal. Comfort restored instantly. You leave them on until they fall off…..skin-coloured (so even big ones to cover heels look good with sandals) and they’re all shapes and sizes for blisters, splits, heel cracks, etc. one of a few things I would endorse 100% and I never go walking without one in my rucksack for immediate first aid and relief. I first discovered them in the 80’s and still think they’re brilliant.

So much better today using the Germolene New Skin. Hooray!

Parsley3 Thanks for the fish oil tip.

pascal30 sorry, it was your tip about the fish oil. Thanks!