Weird question. But I gotta know...

[Oddly]

Another Working Hands fan here.
I used to use it a lot more, in my earlier baggage-handling days, where loading hundreds of bags a day in all weather certainly took it's toll.
It worked for me.
I'll also second the gloves suggestion, and using warm water for hand-washing.

 

[Upfromthesky]

Must be the winter weather causing all this but here is a post you might like.
A Burns Unit Nurse's guide to hand care and repair

 

[db59]

Once they split/crack, I use Neosporin several times a day until it heals. Not sure if it's a "preventative", though, it's more of a "treatment".
Feed store recommended DuraCream for dry, chapped hands, and it works for me. Basically, it's an Udder Balm (read the instructions).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HHLL54?tag=startpage03e-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
Good luck, I know exactly what you're going through!...

First sign of crack.... Neosporin/bandaid....seems to work well.
...

And gloves when washing any utensils, glasses,.etc

 

[buldog5151bass]

Put triple antibiotic on the wound, then keep a bandaid on it until it heals.

As soon as you get out of the shower/bath, or wash your hands, slather on the good lotion or aquaphor. Wear cloth gloves or socks on your hands at night. Wear gloves when you go outwhen it gets cold.

Try to prevent the crack before it happens.

 

[pmatz2]

For the future, If this seems to happen every year you should probably start using whatever treatment you decide on at the beginning of the season change and before the problem gets extreme

 

[Fishheadjoe]

I believe in lubrication from the inside to out. Do I have any foundation of knowledge that it works, well, only for me.
Olive oil in every meal. An oz in anything you are eating might help you, it helps me.
Fishheadjoe

 

[DrThumpenstein]

As an Engineer, I'm always trying to go to the actual source of the problem - that's where the real "fix" exists. You are living in a place with not enough humidity in the air. Fix that, your problem will go away. Everything else is a "bandaid" - figuratively and/or literally in this case.

Good point, but hydration happens from the inside too, so both internal and external factors related to hydration must be considered.

The cracking happens when dehydrated skin loses elasticity and tears instead of stretching. So keeping up with overall hydration with plenty of fluids helps as well. Skin is one of the first things doctors check when assessing a patient’s hydration. Skin is your largest organ and has a lot of water to “donate” when you’re dehydrated.

Petrolatum-based products (Aquaphor, CeraVie, Vaseline, etc.) form moisture barriers and can help retain skin hydration. They work best after washing/showering when skin is well-hydrated. They must be reapplied to be effective. Any time fingers get dry, they can crack, so keeping something handy for frequent reapplication is a key to prevention of recurrence. In general, products are most effective when applied to hydrated skin, petrolatum-based products can be more effective and last longer, but are greasier feeling and can take longer to penetrate the skin. Thoroughly massaging in moisturizing rubs into hydrated skin makes a big difference too; you can’t just quickly put it on and wipe off the excess.

There are some liquid skin repair products (Nexcare, Newskin) can work during the acute, more painful stage, but can also rub off. They can be reapplied.

Good luck sorting this out, Joe!

 

[micguy]

Good point, but hydration happens from the inside too, so both internal and external factors related to hydration must be considered.

The OP's problem only occurs in the winter. He doesn't have the problem in the summer. The difference is the humidity of his air. If he can get his home humidified, he'll be fine.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

The OP's problem only occurs in the winter. He doesn't have the problem in the summer. The difference is the humidity of his air. If he can get his home humidified, he'll be fine.

For multifactorial problems such as this one, considering and treating all factors generally gives a better outcome and shorter path to resolution.

 

[micguy]

For multifactorial problems such as this one, considering and treating all factors generally gives a better outcome and shorter path to resolution.

We disagree (I see one factor), but that's OK. Have a nice day.

 

[KidAmnesia]

The OP's problem only occurs in the winter. He doesn't have the problem in the summer. The difference is the humidity of his air. If he can get his home humidified, he'll be fine.

A lot of people people also tend to drink way less water in cold weather than in the summer. I do at least.

 

[Mike Marshall]

Do any of you have any thoughts or idea for strengthening your skin ? Allow me to explain.

I play lots and have been doing so for decades. Saying that because this isn't a lack of callous or experience issue. Its a skin issue.

A few years back, due to the cold winter weather (or heat inside), my skin began to crack. When it happened on my right pointer, my most used finger, it became a very bad situation. I taped it, crazy glued it, bandaided it, vitamin E'ed it, liquid bandaged it... and it didn't heal until the winter ended.

Well... its happening again. It split open 2 weeks ago. I got through a gig with a bandage, but it sucks doing that. My band fortunately has a few weeks off, and I really want to heal this thing up. I'm currently dousing it with Vaseline and wrapping it up, but the skin is still dry once I clean it up - and I know will crack right open within 15 minutes of solid playing.

My best solution thus far is practicing to play with my ring and middle finger, but wow! Try running through a few songs like that .

Any and all thoughts welcome. Thanks.

I remember years ago I had problems with my right hand and blood blisters. I went to an office supply store and bought some rubber finger protectors. It was like a condom on your finger. I used to play so hard it was unreal due to lack of amplification I bought some numbing agent to put on my finger tips and then covered it with the finger protector.

 

[StereoPlayer]

For the record, this isn't a weird question.
You have dry skin. If it gets dry enough, it shrinks and cracks.
Just moisturize.

I use the working hands cream at the end of the day, after I've gotten cleaned up, before bed. I only use a tiny bit. I don't have dry skin, but my hands get pretty beat up and it helps keep from being excessively peely and flakey.
For cuts and scrapes I use the cream version of Neosporin. Just because I hate greasy stuff and don't want it all over everything I touch. Not sure how you folks are using Vaseline. It doesn't moisturize or soak in. It's just grease.
Although, it works well as protection from wind burn on your cheeks.

My opinion is that Vasoline seals in the moisture. I use it mainly before bedtime. I also would like to think it’s like putting oil on leather. To condition it. There are lots of great opinions and options in this thread everyone!

 

[FullumMusic]

That's precisely what this is made for
View attachment 4954145

Seconded on the O'Keeffe's Working Hands.

Not only do i play bass but i go bouldering at the climbing gym. The skin on my hands gets DESTROYED from both. (Even more so from the climbing than the bassing, surprisingly.)

I use Rhino Repair Cream on my hands during the day, a few times a day. There's no greasy residue if you do really small amounts/thin coats.

I use Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (the thick stuff) on my cuticles. Again, light coats a few times a day.

Then at night before bed i use a heavy coating of the O'Keeffe's Working Hands. It says do a light coat to avoid greasiness, but i lay it on a bit thick because i'll be asleep. This has been the piece de resistance in keeping my finger skin in one piece and on my hand still.

If you snoop around the Rhino page they have a few other products that might be good for bass fingers that i've been meaning to try out but haven't yet, like the Split, Split+, and Performance. The two versions of Split are for cracks in your skin.

Also, more repurposing climbing stuff for bass stuff, Metolius finger tape is my go-to for playing through blisters, splits, and overzealous thumb slapping. It doesn't really stick to skin too much, but it'll stick to itself really well which to me is ideal if you wrap your finger correctly. You can still feel the strings through it but protect your fingers from the pain and injuries.

 

[RichterScale]

My opinion is that Vasoline seals in the moisture. I use it mainly before bedtime. I also would like to think it’s like putting oil on leather. To condition it. There are lots of great opinions and options in this thread everyone!

Sorry, I'm just gonna have to classify the Vaseline folks in the "those" people category. I'll live and let live and won't harp on it after this post, but it goes against everything I stand for.

 

[H K]

Do any of you have any thoughts or idea for strengthening your skin ? Allow me to explain.

I play lots and have been doing so for decades. Saying that because this isn't a lack of callous or experience issue. Its a skin issue.

A few years back, due to the cold winter weather (or heat inside), my skin began to crack. When it happened on my right pointer, my most used finger, it became a very bad situation. I taped it, crazy glued it, bandaided it, vitamin E'ed it, liquid bandaged it... and it didn't heal until the winter ended.

Well... its happening again. It split open 2 weeks ago. I got through a gig with a bandage, but it sucks doing that. My band fortunately has a few weeks off, and I really want to heal this thing up. I'm currently dousing it with Vaseline and wrapping it up, but the skin is still dry once I clean it up - and I know will crack right open within 15 minutes of solid playing.

My best solution thus far is practicing to play with my ring and middle finger, but wow! Try running through a few songs like that .

Any and all thoughts welcome. Thanks.

Ouch, I feel you brother. As someone who lives way up north this is a yearly issue. Basically, it's dryness. Some moisturizer should sort you right out if you do it regularly.

I might sound a bit counter intuitive, since it "softens" the skin, but it really doesnt "soften" it in the same way most of us believe. Like treating old leather, it makes/keeps it flexible.

What happens with the winter cold is that theres so little moisture in the air that it literally draws it from your skin aswell. "lube up" a few times a week and you should be fine.

Make sure you time it so that you wont be playing or doing anything with your hands for a little while, so it has time to really get in there.
I find that right after a shower is good, as the skin is already soft, and you can "lock in" the moisture.
Any moisturizer or lotion should do, but I think there are some specialized products aswell, like "working hands" or something like that.

Best of luck m8!

 

[StereoPlayer]

My podiatrist told me Vasoline was ok for me to use on my feet too.

 

[mmon77]

A few years ago, I started a new job. It requires me to sometimes clean equipment with isopropyl alcohol, which dried out my hands to the point that they became cracked and painful. I immediately started wearing gloves while working with the stuff to avoid this, but I had to do something to heal my hands.

I would apply a good moisturizer before bed, many have been mentioned, and wear some cotton gloves to keep the moisturizer on them, and allow it to really soak in. My hands were pretty much healed in a few days.

 

[RichterScale]

My podiatrist told me Vasoline was ok for me to use on my feet too.

That's gotta be exciting on a tile floor during a half asleep, 3am pee run.

 

[micguy]

A lot of people people also tend to drink way less water in cold weather than in the summer. I do at least.

I think the solution to that issue is pretty obvious.