Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 14:02:57 GMT Does anyone have a good way to deal with cracked skin near the nail at the fingertips? It seems much worse this time of the year and actually hurts when I play. I use a hand cream but that doesn't seem to help very much. Bruce Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 10:03:02 -0800 This is a remedy I use for cuts on the tips of my fingers. I have never used this technique as a remedy for cracked skin, but it might work. First I disinfect the wound with hydrogen peroxide, then dry the wound thoroughly, then dab on a drop of superglue and hold the cut shut. Even with deep cuts I can still play the piano. By the way, superglue is being used in some surgical procedures instead of stitches. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Hmmm wrote: > > This is a remedy I use for cuts on the tips of my fingers. I have never > used this technique as a remedy for cracked skin, but it might work. First > I disinfect the wound with hydrogen peroxide, then dry the wound thoroughly, > then dab on a drop of superglue and hold the cut shut. Even with deep cuts > I can still play the piano. > > By the way, superglue is being used in some surgical procedures instead of > stitches. > > I've heard of this recently, too. Two singer/pianists I know claim it is great for paper cuts when you need to play. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips >By the way, superglue is being used in some surgical procedures instead of >stitches. No, it's not! A skin glue has been developed, but it's NOT superglue. Doesn't mean you can't superglue small cracks in an emergency, but I"m not sure I'd want to make a habit of it. All those volatile chemicals can't be good for your liver. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips >>By the way, superglue is being used in some surgical procedures instead of >>stitches. >No, it's not! A skin glue has been developed, but it's NOT superglue. >Doesn't mean you can't superglue small cracks in an emergency, but I"m >not sure I'd want to make a habit of it. All those volatile chemicals >can't be good for your liver. > I not a chemist or doctor, but Superglue is "ethylcyanoacrylate". I think the "cyano" part is some cyanide compound?? That's probably not great for you. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: 10 Mar 1999 15:49:05 GMT I have this problem too. It is rather annoying to be bleeding all over the piano keys. The problem is worst during mid-winter. Like you, I tried massive quantities of hand lotion, with very little success. A humidifier in your home may help a little. One thing I have discovered which does make a big difference is to always wear neoprene gloves when washing dishes. It seems that hot soapy water on my fingers that later dries out is the major cause of this problem. I haven't tried it, but I suspect wearing gloves in the shower would also help. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Bruce and John- Try drinking at one more glass of water each day than you already do. Apply your lotion (try something without mineral oil in it) right before you get into bed and put some loose cotton gloves or gauze on your hands so the lotion doesn't get all over the place and make your face break out. You can get some burn bandage gloves from the pharmacy. They're nice and loose, and they will confine the lotion to just your hands. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 13:48:13 -0500 Bag Balm, Dairy Association Co., Lyndonville, VT. 95851. "8 hydroxyquinoline sulfate". Probably need to go to a farm supply store to find it. Will heal them suckers (no pun intended) overnight, and prevent recurrence. Dick MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips If you don't have a farm store nearby, try a quilt shop. They have Bag Balm, but in smaller tins. Quilters use it for healing the finger under the quilt which gets stabbed constantly. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips > Does anyone have a good way to deal with cracked skin near the nail at the > fingertips? It seems much worse this time of the year and actually hurts when > I play. I get those little fissures quite a bit in the winter, and they can be very painful. This may not be of much use to State-siders, but while on tour in the UK I found a product called 'Lotril', a creme that comes in a tube. It works _really_ well on the cracks. It usually clears mine up in one to two days...... MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips > Does anyone have a good way to deal with cracked skin near the nail at the > fingertips? It seems much worse this time of the year and actually hurts when > I play. I use a hand cream but that doesn't seem to help very much. Bruce > Meglino This is actually the 1st winter I haven't had too much of a problem with dry skin and my hands are usally VERY dry in winter. I attribute it to the humidifier I'm using this year and drinking more water as someone else suggested. I also use cortizone cream AND hand lotion at night before going to sleep(I don't wear gloves, just rub in in good) and hand lotion throughout the day except when I play the piano 'cause I don't that crap on my keys. I usually only use the cortizone of my hands are bleeding or look/feel like they are dry enough to bleed. It's amazing how quickly cortizone will heal the little cuts caused by dry skin. My problem is on the nuckles but it should help the finger tips too. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 09:57:44 -0800 Please be careful with the cortisone cream. Over time it can cause thinning of the skin. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 02:10:03 GMT >Does anyone have a good way to deal with cracked skin near the nail at the >fingertips? It seems much worse this time of the year and actually hurts when >I play. I use a hand cream but that doesn't seem to help very much. I'm a nurse, so I wash my hands a LOT -- and used to have major problems. The following have helped: 1. NO hot water -- not in the shower, not on dishes (wear gloves, use a dishwasher, make the kid do them), not while washing your hands. Keep it lukewarm. 2. Use mild soap -- follow with lotion or hand cream every time you wash hands. 3. Drink a little more water, juice, milk. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics. You need even more water when consuming those. 4. Read the label on your hand cream -- many contain alcohol. My personal preference is to use a product called Eucerin morning and evening and something lighter in between. 5. For really bad cracks, hydrocortisone -- sparingly and not as a regular thing as it can make the skin thinner and more subject to cracking. For itchy weeping skin, I add a product with clotrimazole (an anti-fungal) brand name in the US is Lotrimin. There are store brands. 6. When outdoors in cold weather, wear gloves. 7. If your house is exceptionally dry, humidifying the air may help. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: 11 Mar 1999 02:32:26 GMT Glad you asked....I've had that problem for years. Best solution that I have found is a product called "Nu-Skin". Drug store item. It's a thick, clear liquid, similar to finger nail polish (or model airplane dope). Comes in about a one ounce bottle with a 'dauber', like iodine, to apply it with. "Paint" a little on the cut/crack and let it dry. Depending upon the situation, you may want to apply mulitple coats. It does have a rather strong odor, but you can ignore that, and continue playing in just a few minutes. It has an antiseptic in it, so is good on small cuts where a band-aid doesn't work well. MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips I think most of us who work with our hands get this problem from time to time. Others have mentioned most of the treatments, but I'll add some things I have noticed. There are a million different hand creams out there, and they really aren't all the same. Mary Kay makes a 4 part thing that really works wonders. It starts with an orange looking greasy thing, then an abrasive grey thing, then a clear cleaner thing, and then finally a lotion thing. It is expensive, but it works immediately and well. If you are somewhat reluctant about looking for a Mary Kay saleswoman ( I sure would be!) you can reach my daughter who is my source through www.geddings.net There is a link there to her site. Another thing that helps a lot is to remember to wear gloves when you go outside in the winter. I wish I could remember that, or many other things for that matter. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 01:19:05 GMT wrote: >noticed. There are a million different hand creams out there, and they really >aren't all the same. Mary Kay makes a 4 part thing that really works wonders. >It starts with an orange looking greasy thing, then an abrasive grey thing, then >a clear cleaner thing, and then finally a lotion thing. It is expensive, but it >works immediately and well. And if you have sensitive skin, try any new product on your forearm first, instead of your hands. I've gotten blistered from Mary Kay -- and assorted rashes from a lot of others. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips Bruce Go to your local Quality Farm Fleet Store if you have one and buy a tin of Bag Balm. it is wonderful. It is quite greasy and you will want to put it on at night. But it really works. Also "The Vermont Country Store" catolog has it.. Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano Subject: Re: Cracked skin at fingertips I use petroleum jelly with a bandaid overnight. (when it looks like it's getting pretty dry) It seems to nicely moisturize my skin where it needs it most. If it is already cracked and bleeding, then Neosporine or something equivalent helps. I wash dishes a lot ( I have no idea why!), so I tend to make sure I use rubber gloves, 'cause my hands get incredibly dry. Oh, the petroleum jelly works really well when your skin is peeling with them hangnail thingies. It kills the germs that apparently cause the hangnail things. (the painful ones!)