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Offline revo

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painful finger splits
« on: December 10, 2007, 09:03:18 AM »
You folks get splits in your fingers around where you come in contact with cleaning solutions (Hoppes, CLP, etc)?

Man, I get these splits every winter and they hurt like the devil...little suckers, but they sting. Can't do anything without nailin' one of them on something. Freakin' pain in the tail...

I read one place that folks use Super Glue to seal them shut. Anyone have luck with that? Also saw some Band Aid Liquid Bandage...looks to be super glue, just more expensive with a Band Aid label... :)

Wonder if Hoppes would dissolve Super Glue or this Liquid Band Aid?

Any other suggestions? Anyone else get these things?

Going to the store to get either Super Glue or this Band Aid stuff tonight...whichever I find first. Will keep you posted as to how it works.
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Offline clodbuster

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2007, 10:00:38 AM »
avoid the splits in the first place is the best tactic.  Used to prep new houses just before closing.  We used a lot of a liquid product called Goofoff that split my thumbs sooooo bad.  Didn't think i liked wearing rubber gloves until a winter of cracks changed my mind.  Put lots of healing lotion on and then thin cotton gloves for overnight.  That will heal them up faster than anything else.
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Offline Mikey

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2007, 11:50:37 AM »
Try some Bag balm or some Corn Husker's Lotion - both work well to heal dry and cracked skin on hands and feet.  You can also wear a thin pair of cotton gloves over ointment or lotion to help it work.  And latex gloves (K-mart/Walmart/etc.,) help keep cleaning fluids and the like off your hands.  Good Luck.  Mikey.
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Offline toysoldier

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2007, 12:34:37 PM »
Bag balm and cotton gloves overnight will help heal, but prevention is the way to go. You may find that solvents dissolve latex gloves, so you might have to get vinyl. Always wash after contact with any chemical. Working in surgery, the disinfectant we use causes the same problem. I finally wised up and started wearing gloves like I was supposed to.
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Offline kyelkhunter3006

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2007, 01:24:39 PM »
I do retail route work, in and out all day.  The winter's dry my hands out terribly.  I hate working in any kind of glove, but I make myself do it now.  Plain jersey gloves or jersey gloves with the rubber dots work good for me.  I use a good moisturizer every day when I get home, sometimes two or three times, depending on how dry my hands are.  The Super Glue works pretty good if the splits are deep.  The superficial ones don't seem to benefit as much from the glue.  Liquid bandages haven't worked well for me, they seem to peel off as I work.  There have been times that I had to wrap the ends of my fingers with band-aids, kind of like you would the muzzle of your gun to keep water out of it.  I put one band-aid over the tip, then wrap one around my finger to keep the tip one on.  Of course, I make sure I have gloves on when I do, because it looks pretty goofy to have a bunch of band-aids wrapped around your fingertips.
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Offline oldandslow

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2007, 01:49:22 PM »
I worked in a potash mine for a couple of years. This stuff burned like fire in any little cut or scratch and they wouldn't heal, just got bigger and tenderer. I used barber's collodian also sold as New Skin which cost more. It was good for about 12 hours if applied right. I found I had to scrub my hands really good with soap, dry them good and put it on right then. If you waited an hour the oil on you skin would cause it to peel right off. Later on I tried plain old clear fingernail polish and found it worked about as well and cost quite a bit less. I carried a bottle in my lunch bucket and if I doubled over I would scrub my hands while I was out of the hole getting lunch and water and re-apply the New Skin. Grit your teeth before you apply this as it burns like the devil for a little bit but it is worth the relief from the constant pain while working.
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Offline no guns here

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2007, 11:26:16 PM »
FiL was a mason in his 1st life after the Army.  He would wrap the ends of his fingers in duct tape almost every day in the winter.  Seemed to work for him...
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Offline DDelle338

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2007, 12:26:40 AM »
  I have the same problems with my hands. I don't think the solvents cause the problem, but they do make it worse. I have tried most lotions and creams and have found something that works real well. It's sold by Clinique (yes, they sell men’s stuff to so you don't have to be embarrassed to go to a cosmetics counter;)) I believe it's called Eight Hour Hand Repair or something like that. I put some on in the evening while watching the news and rub it in real good. Then I may add some more when I go to bed. This stuff works great! Most times it fixes the problem in a week. A bit pricey, but it's worth it for me. When they get real bad (when I neglect them in cold dry weather), I'll use the 8hr. stuff, then give them a coat of Bag Balm before bed.
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2007, 03:39:11 AM »
Living in Alaska, and being a plumber, my hands got in terrible shape come winter.  One day I noticed that the supply man carried hand lotion in the tool room, I started using it reguler.  As long as I used it regularly I had no more split fingers, but when I forgot or failed to use it I got some tremendous splits and they were harder to fix than using the lotion.

The wife uses superglue to glue the splits shut on her fingers.  She gets them from the cold weather.
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Offline revo

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2007, 06:16:18 AM »
Cool. Thanks for the input folks. Taking you up on your advice as we speak.

Went to the store last night and compared:

- Liquid Band Aid -- 10 applications for $7
- Krazy Glue -- >10 applications (with applicator brush to boot) for $3

I'll take Krazy Glue for $3, Alex... :)

Also raiding my wife's lotion supply. Serious -- the amount of lotion around this place could provide happy-hands to all Pennsylvanians clear through Spring '08...

What's more manly? Smelling like avocados or lilac? Very berry? How 'bout fancy feet...which hopefully doesn't smell like feet...  ;D ;D ;D
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Offline TribReady

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2007, 08:53:51 AM »
I'll chime in as your friendly Graybeard neighborhood pharmacist:
Super glue or NuSkin will be ok, but I'd only use if it's pretty deep.  Really doesn't solve the problem, though.
The suggestions to put on cream, lotion, or what I like to recommend, Vaseline, before bed and a light pair of gloves are right on.  Do this at the first sign of dryness.
Best thing I've recommended: Vitamin E oil. Comes in a little bottle that lasts forever.  Apply to the problem spots 1-3 times daily.  Can use a "regular" lotion/cream/etc to the rest of the hand but the vitamin E oil on the real problem areas.
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Offline 30-30man

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Re: painful finger splits
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2007, 12:40:05 PM »
I've had the same problem and it is a bugger.  The best thing I've used is FLANDERS Diaper Rash Ointment. It is a thick brown smelly paste that resembles tar. It doesn't smell great and the stuff will stain clothes but it works better than anything I've tried. Coat your finger tips then cover with tight fitting latex gloves and sleep with them overnight.  It will be healed by the morning.  It works better than the Corn Husker's lotion or anything else for that matter.  Flanders can be bought at Walmart and is used by the case at all our local hospitals to fight burns and skin irritations in infants and adults.
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