Udder Balm

[Stonehenge]

This could really go into any forum....

For the last several years, through a good portion of the season my hands get cut up. The problem area I tend to have most is the skin near the top corners of my fingernails - the skin always seems to split after a day or two of laying pavers. It could be that the skin is older and less flexible than it used to be, or that it gets hardened with work then cracks under pressure. Or it could just be dry.

Anyway, my mother mentioned to me that her father, when working in the mines, always used udder balm on his hands. Udder blam, for those that don't know, is balm (sort of like lip balm) that goes on cows udders - it's supposed to heal minor chafing, cuts, and also keep the skin softer and smooth.

Well, I just picked up two different kinds (pics below). I tried the stuff in the square tin first - it has oil of clove in it so it has a very distinct smell (though not unpleasant).

Anybody try this stuff before? My mother recommended coating my hands and then putting on rubber gloves and wearing them to bed.... Pretty sure I don't like that idea, but wonder if there's another method?

[Paul]

"coating my hands and then putting on rubber gloves and wearing them to bed"

Have you asked your wife about that idea?

[Stonehenge]

That's why I thought it was a bad idea.... :rrr:

[Paul]

Just wondered if she was into that latex thing..................

[Lanelle]

Yikes!! Too much information!!:rolleyes:

[PSUscaper]

This is funny,

A few years ago while working at the airport my mechanic introduced me to udder cream..........

I use a brand labeled "Udderly Smooth" Comes in a plastic tub.

It does work. I dont bring it with me to the job, but after a long day of cutting pavers (especially when using the wet tub saw), it helps your hands heal faster.

steve

[diginahole]

The one I use is called Bag Balm from Lee Valley. My paws are cracked most of the season, but I find they don't become painful until the fall.

[Stonehenge]

Yup - there was a green and tan square tin I could've picked up that was called bag balm.

[site]

Bag balm is good stuff, although I wouldn't know about the rubber glove thing. When my fingers crack like you mentioned I often use superglue to glue them back together. A doctor suggested it, and it helps speed the healing. Also, if you look at expensive hand creams one of the main ingredients is urea. Each of us has an ample supply of that, but who among us dares to use it?

[Stonehenge]

It's interesting you mention super-glue - heard from a friend who had a doc tell him, when fixing up his kid after a fall off the monkey bars, that this new product, called 'Derma-something', is just a slightly milder form of superglue. He said he used to use superglue in his office. Only difference now is, where a 1 oz bottle used to cost $2, now the new stuff costs $75.

I'll have to try superglue. Does it hold up for a few days?

[site]

Superglue holds up for about 3/4 of a day-not long, but enough to get some relief. and it's cheap enough and portable enough to
apply multiple coats.

[Stonehenge]

And yeah, I think I'll leave that urea supply untapped, unless I end up on the TV show Survivor.

[dan deutekom]

I don't have that problem with my hands but in the cold months the heals of my feet do that. It makes it almost impossible to walk some days. I will try the super glue trick.

[Stonehenge]

Well, I think both udder balms are a bust. No real difference in finger cracking.

These are the first two, and a couple more have started...

[Stonehenge]

The other crack...

[Stonehenge]

And they'll just keep cracking and swelling until they're big enough to file down flat. Then they seem to heal OK. But that'll be a couple weeks from now. DARNIT!! :censored:

[site]

Glue those bad boys back together...

[BRL]

I'm glad to hear other people are suffering from this problem. I have friends who abuse their hands much worse than I do, but don't have this problem. It will get real bad during bad winters when I have to deal with a lot of salting operations also. For that problem I found knit gloves with that blue rubber stuff sprayed onto them. Excellent solution to that problem. We were using the latex gloves, but sometimes it would be cold, and those gloves don't keep the fingers warm LOL. For getting the skin to heal I have used the udder stuff also. Not perfect, but better than regular lotions. This winter my wife brought something home that worked better on the slated ripped up fingers & extremely dry hands. She works with a lady who sells Mary Kay products & she swore this product would help. The lady was right, it worked better than the udder balm. It's called Satin Hands (TM) and really helped the hands heal up faster, and not hurt. They are online if you don't know anyone or anyplace that sells it, contact me by PM if you are interested. I have also used "Nu Skin" for repairs. This is basically the super glue stuff mentioned & works good for repairs, but I don't find that it heals.

[cnypropertysvcs]

I use both Udder Balm and Badger Balm- I usually apply it just before putting on my leather gloves- the gloves themselves have become pretty saturated, which helps when working in the rain. I used to work outside for Verizon, and every winter, especially towards spring, my hands would do the exact same thing, only much worse. As far as putting them on and then wearing latex- use cotton gloves instead. Better to let your hands air out vs. having them sweat inside the latex gloves. Since I work for the local fire department, and ambulance corps I know how much your hands can sweat after only an hour!! This will be actually worse for your hands- not to mention how your wife might deal with it!! LOL!!

The cotton does help, as well as applying when you first start your day apllying it to your hands and then putting on your gloves- this will give the oils a chance to soak in and soften up your skin to help it stay flexible.

Good luck!!

Bill

[jwholden]

Those cracks are the WORST. Kinda like a paper cut and every time they start to heal you crack them open again.

When we had acold spell a week and a half ago I brought the hand cream in the truck to keep the two cracks I had coated. When we got back in the truck at the end of the day we passed the stuff around . Does that count as a perk?

[Will Pacala]

That never really gets that bad on me. I try to where gloves whenever I can but still like that getting the hands dirty feeling.