Monday, September 28, 2009

Fighting the Good Fight or, On Aging - Part 482

I have been fighting the good fight for any number of years. I'm talking dry skin. The summer months are fading to just memory when my good fight consisted of sloughing the cracked and scale-like skin off my heels. These days, the only time I see my heels are on the yoga mat and in the shower. My focus has now shifted to my hands. With the exception of a woman's neck, little more tells her age than the skin on her hands. I have two problem areas, the side of the index finger on my right hand and the knuckle of my left pinkie. Don't ask me why, but these two spots are inconsolable. And now with hand washing season in full swing, I am not only fighting the good fight, I am in full battle. It's me against the lizard who seems poised to take over my hands. I have tried all kinds of cremes, lotions and milks. I stop short of sleeping with Vaseline under gloves and I feel like I'm losing. The Body Shop's hemp hand protector is good but no match for those two hot spots of mine. Any suggestions out there?

4 comments:

Sherry said...

Of this I know!!! When I was having chemo (it dries the skin terribly!) the nurses recommended (and gave us samples!) Udderly Smooth. It's udder cream, yes, what they use on cows!

You can get this in the lotions aisle at Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal Mart carries it and I'm sure many other places.

I love it -- highly, highly recommend it!!

oreneta said...

Bag balm....I was thinking of that, though I haven't tried it. I once cured a horrifically deep crack in my finger by soaking it in diesel for a day....unintentionally, kind of....there is a little cream kind of thing here that is FANTASTIC.....if you want I will send it on too you....it is like a miracle.

I have the same same same problem, especially my heels....I figure I am actually an alligator in disguise.

Olive oil of course cures all ills.

OH, and a friend gave me l'occitane's very heavy body cream. IT WAS INCREDIBLE....indeed much of their stuff is. Shea butter is great.

Snap said...

Prayer? !!!!!!!!!

Kim Mailhot said...

I have heard of the bag balm and the Udderly Smooth (which are the same thing I think) and have used the bag balm on Chica's paws in the winter when she gets cracks from salt and it heals them up so well !
The other thing is to drink lot and lots of water and maybe amp up on the Vitamin E for winter - our skin reflects what we put our bod too, or so the Mommy Guru tells me ! But then I have to worry about making it to the bathroom a hundred times a day with a weakening bladder !!! See you on the battle field !