My fingers are turning into bloody stumps

WhiskeyPete · February 4, 2013, 9:18am

The night time regimine works great…but you need the right moisturizer. Aquaphor and then they sell a thin cotton glove designed to hold that moisturizer in while you sleep.

de.fuller · February 4, 2013, 11:11am

Ecover, with a bottle for the most part.

de.fuller · February 4, 2013, 11:21am

greenj26:

It may be possible that your skin is allergic to neoprene. I have had weird reactions to various synthetic materials in the past. I’ve put on a shirt and broke out in a rash a couple of minutes later.

I’ve never had the cracking hands problem, but I’ve had a lot of cracking with my feet. I used to put bag balm on my feet at night and then a pair of thin cotton socks. When I woke up, my feet would be silky as a baby’s bottom.

Recently, though, I’ve become concerned about the use of petroleum products in skin care. A couple of weeks ago, I was looking at all the crap that goes into lotion and was amazed at the laundry list of petro-chemicals… proplyene glycol ( marine antifreeze ) yikes

These lotions all have some type of solvent (many times alcohol based) to open up your skin and allow the absoption of the petroleum based “moisturizers.”

I think your skin just gets addicted to the chemical laden products and quickly dries out in it;s absence, leading to a cycle of dependance. Chapstick is like this - your lips will get addicted to it and will crack if you don’t use it.

I rarely ever need any kind of lotion because I don’t have dry skin. My wife, on the other hand, is a lotion fiend. At my prodding, she started researching natural lotions and made her own (I think she found the recipe on Pintrest). She ordered natural oils from amazon and mixed up her own concotion. It has worked amazingly. A scaley patch of skin below her eye that refused to go away with any other product has miraculously vanished in a couple days with her natural lotion.

Now, the other issue could be simply that you are getting your window cleaning solution on your hands. I never have any problems with my hands, but I also don’t ever get my hands wet with it. Indoor, I have switched to using an applicator bottle and squeezing out some solution on the scrubber. Before I used a bucket inside with a 12" scrubber and I would just dip one end into the bucket (or just a quarter of the scrubber) and the use that to redistirbute the moisture once the scrubber was on the glass. I never wring out my scrubber with my hands.

When I am doing storefront work, I use my rectangle bucket with a strainer. I can dip my scrubber in the bucket and strain it hands free.

Just some ideas. Hope your hands get better.

I share your concerns with the chemicals Jesse, and they aren’t working for me anymore. I will look into plain coco butter and the like. In the mean time I have ordered some of the moisturizing white gloves for night time.
Thanks again everybody for all your ideas.

mrwindow · February 4, 2013, 10:24pm

Jus’ remember my motto …
Hence my avatar in the corner

mrwindow · February 4, 2013, 10:30pm

And if my motto doesn’t work for you, maybe this thread will …
http://windowcleaner.com/vBulletin/wcr-robinson-solutions-wc-news-feed/12149-dry-cracked-chapped-window-cleaners-hands-fingers-skin.html

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Monarch_Window_Clean · February 4, 2013, 10:32pm

Mettler Maintenance Window Cleaning www.mettlermaintenance.com

PaulMansfield · February 5, 2013, 12:16pm

I use “Bag Balm” and have for years. Put it on before I go out cleaning and top it up a couple of times during the day and it makes a massive difference to the cracking and rough skin.

Mirnes · February 5, 2013, 12:47pm

I too have a problem with my skin cracking and itching like crazy, if I don’t treat them, it gets really dry and it drives me nuts! This happens only during winter time.

I’ve been using this creme that I buy from walgreens. I tried a couple different ones but this one works the best. With only one or two treatments it heal up almost completely and gets rid of itch.

Tapatalking

de.fuller · February 5, 2013, 1:11pm

Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Bump that baby and it bleeds and it brings a tear to your eyes.
Also, that’s an interesting thread.

Bluebird_Window_Clea · February 5, 2013, 5:15pm

Mary Kay has a great product for your challenge.
I will see the Mary Kay rep at my referral group tomorrow.

wws · February 5, 2013, 5:18pm

Are you the bluebird from Massachusetts?

mrwindow · February 5, 2013, 6:16pm

Now that 's some good stuff, right there.