Split finger ends what do you other old gits do?

[dylanwinter]

Our lambs are due this week. They're Hebrideans so I think most appropriate. I'll arrange for some to arrive in a mystery parcel so you can unbox them on EweTube.

very good indeed

I will swap it for a KTL DVD

or even better a copy of this

 

[Shuggy]

They're pretty cute at this age...

 

[Pleiades]

Lips made for kissing?

Hacks and cracks around the ends of fingies at the nails/cuticles are best prevented as they are a real pain (literally) to heal in hard weather sailing. Chapped lips are an equal obnoxiousness and should your ship be lucky enough to have onboard someone worth kissing, chapped lips cause significant underperformance in that important respect.

Far better than any of the various handcream gloops in my experience is Carmex - their lip salve balm is fantastic not just for chapped lips but for waterproofing the ends of the fingies. It is very soothing and provides mild pain relief on the hacks and cuts. The lip salve in the little yellow tubes or small tins is available in most big supermarkets. They also do more specialist healing creams like this - http://mycarmex.com/skin-care/healing-cream.
Every crew member should have his or her own Carmex tube in their oilies for winter sailing - not that you necessarily want the crew planting kisses upon each other......its just that lip salve does not share very well........better as a personal issue bit of kit.

Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5

 

[alan_d]

cheapest stuff is udder cream

I used to milk cows

works very well

but the norwegian stuff comes in containers of less than a gallon

You can get udder cream in smaller quantities (from Amazon, for example).

 

[Searush]

E45 is also a good dermal cream, worth a try.

That's what I used to use, but I switched to BPC Aqueous Cream at the suggestion of a pharmacist & it is pretty much as good & a fraction of the cost because it is a generic product rather than a branded one (with all the extra cost that implies).

 

[elton]

Am I the only one who suspects leprosy? The loss of sensation is the giveaway. Check the nose.

 

[alan_d]

Am I the only one who suspects leprosy? The loss of sensation is the giveaway. Check the nose.

Common things occur commonly. Unless the OP has lived in an area where leprosy is endemic, has had prolonged contact with someone with leprosy or has been consorting with armadillos, there are many much more likely explanations for reduced finger-tip sensation.

 

[LittleShip]

1. Carmex for lips
2. Lanolin barrier cream for hands whilst working.
3. A coal tar based cream at night with cotton gloves.
4. Coal tar soap for washing hands.

Been there and didn't like having sore rough hands and neither did the Admiral.

Tom.

 

[pcatterall]

Always worth considering!! I did work in Maiduguri (Chad Nigeria border) but suspect it is just old age!!
Interestingly ( for me at least) I have been using the Neutrogena stuff for a few days and the latex finger end covering as well, my finger ends are definatly softer and I think that I can handle small items better, an example was picking and placing a small watch battery. It gives me hope!!

 

[Lindsay All At Sea]

There's a cream called Lotil which is absolute magic at healing splits in heels and thumbs etc.

+1

Nothing comes even near.

http://www.boots.com/en/Lotil-Origi...mc=pla-_-google-_-PLAs-_-Beauty+-+PLAs+Brands

 

[john_morris_uk]

Neutrogena unscented Norwegian formula hand cream... little and often. Use regularly before starting work to offer some pre-treatment. Prevention is better than cure.

Have used it for years since developing very bad 'birds eyes' and cement burns back in the days of my youth on building sites. Brilliant stuff.

There is a tube of Neutrogena on the desk beside me as a type this. There's one in the car and several on the boat and there's one in my desk draw at work…

'nuff said?

However I might try the Lotil and Snowfire as people seem to rave about them.

 

[Daydream believer]

what do you think taking a new born lamb to scotland on KTL would do for the hit rate

of course we would have to keep replacing it as it would be a sheep before I finish

In my case - a stew

 

[Daydream believer]

A friend once told me that the best way to apply the cream ( whatever one you decide to use) is to put a generous amount of the cream inside the fingers of a pair of silicone gloves before going to bed at night. next morning the sweating of your hands will have also absorbed lots of cream
i know that the OP has suggested he does not like wearing gloves but if he can get to sleep with them on he should be OK

i am also told that doing the same with really dirty hands works as the sweaty hands swops the dirt for the cleaner cream

 

[john_morris_uk]

A friend once told me that the best way to apply the cream ( whatever one you decide to use) is to put a generous amount of the cream inside the fingers of a pair of silicone gloves before going to bed at night. next morning the sweating of your hands will have also absorbed lots of cream
i know that the OP has suggested he does not like wearing gloves but if he can get to sleep with them on he should be OK

i am also told that doing the same with really dirty hands works as the sweaty hands swops the dirt for the cleaner cream

When I had a persistent sore patch on a finger, that is exactly the solution suggested by my doctor. It worked very well although I hated wearing the gloves in bed so much I gave up rather too quickly.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Neutrogena unscented Norwegian formula hand cream... little and often. Use regularly before starting work to offer some pre-treatment. Prevention is better than cure.

Have used it for years since developing very bad 'birds eyes' and cement burns back in the days of my youth on building sites. Brilliant stuff.

Ditto, I've also used it for several years, but sometimes difficult to find.

 

[Dave100456]

To the OP
Apart from the chemical and other agents that alter the natural balance of the skin; I find the problem occurs when thumb nails are in need of a trim. By keeping nails short you gradually abrade the skin in the area at the end of your thumb thereby preventing the build up of a thicker than normal layer of skin which, as its not so stretchy, is prone to splitting.
'Dr' Dave

 

[cryan]

Norwegian stuff is the way ahead. Used when working on tugs where we worked all day with ropes often with bare hands. It takes aves to work into the skin bug if does the job.

 

[Heckler]

Increasingly a problem whenever I work with my hands.
The old leathery skin on the ends splits and becomes very sore ( working my fingers to the bone).
Also the leathery skin means I have lost all sensitivity so difficult to hold small items, nuts etc ( no mucky comments please)
My latest 'solution' is Vaseline then cover the thumb and index finger ( the most problematic) with finger stalls from cut off rubber gloves.
I hope that these worn for longer periods will also help return some sensitivity
These work but they do tend to slid off ( I cant bear a full glove for more than 30 minutes or so)
Any other tips ( for the tips) please

Sudacreme as used for babies botties, very good for radiotherapy induced sore nether regions on old grumpies as well!
Dont ask!
Stu

 

[Gin]

I have Psoriasis which after years of steroid type creams has left the skin paper thin and prone to splitting and copious bleeding if allowed to dry out by evaporation through wind/water action.

I use Neutrogena, or Vaseline if I haven't anything else, and now wear dinghy gloves (with fingers) to avoid bloodying the sails and deck. This arrangement works for me but I do get some odd looks which I take to be aimed at the glove wearing habit rather than my overall appearance