bag balm--green and black tin. They use it on cows udders, but landscapers use it on their hands. A thin coating rubbed into hands before bedtime. Cover hands with socks(one on each hand). Wake up next morning and they should be better. this of course is a use as needed treatment.

uhm you can use moisturizing hand soap - i use dove and it helps me. and i use lots of lotion too. if you need stomething stronger you can always go to a dermatologist i guess too. i hope this helps

Well I have a friend who is a surgical technician and had to scrub up with all those antibacterial chemicals, Gosh alot!! Well anyway she would rub a good layer of Vaseline on her hands at night and wear white cotton gloves to bed. In the morning her hands would be like velvet, if you do not have any gloves, a clean pair of white cotton socks will do. Of course this may not be so attractive if you have company over or a permanent man, ... you may want to improvise LOL

If you must wash your hands that often, try using a lotion soap instead of an astringent one. But it's better if you can not wash your hands that much, the skin can become dependent on lotions for moisture and it shouldn't have to.

I kinda have the same problem... But its my whole body. Ever since I was a child I have had to put on lotion every time I got out of the shower. As I got older I realised that if I did not put my lotion on after I shower that my skin is extreamly dry, flakey,itchy, and the top layers start to crack and get red and swollen. Could my skin be dependent on the lotions?

Have you tried consulting with a dermatologist? Seems like the obcvious first step to finding out why your skin is so dry.

My father was a US Mail Carrier and handled lots of mail (paper) all day. This sucked the moisture out of his hands and he ended up with dry/cracked fingers with splits and bleeding. He ended up using Bag Balm http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100951&navAction=jump&navCount=1&id=prod10744 a product first made for cows udders. At first he put it on at night with gloves to heal the hands and then was able to keep his hands healthy by using bag balm during the day and after work.

You can try the suggestions below. Looking for remedies for my dry skin too. http://www.womans-health.net/best-remedy-for-dry-skin-dry-skin-solution.htm Shea Butter is increasingly being favored to treat dry skin due to its exceptional moisturizing property. Its healing properties are known to treat skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. Being a natural conditioner, Shea Butter soothes dry, chapped skin and allows the skin to breathe. Shea Butter nourishes the skin with vital Vitamins to help preserve the upper layer of the skin, the lack of which causes dry skin. It also protects the skin from the cold, preventing skin from drying out from exposure. Due to its moisturizing properties, it’s rapidly gaining popularity and being used in skin care products such as body lotions, hair conditioners, etc. Another solution for dry skin is supplementing with a Multivitamin. As previously mentioned, if you're deficient in some essential vitamins and minerals, the skin can become dry and loose its healthy appearance. Food rich in Vitamins and Minerals, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables are essential to maintain healthy skin. If unable to get all essential nutrients from our food intake, then a multi-vitamin is also a good option. My choice for a multivitamin is this one. I discuss this in more detail here. A single multivitamin pill contains essential vitamins and minerals that promote healthy skin and prevent skin from drying out. Vitamin A locks moisture in the skin, thereby preventing skin dryness and flaking. Deficiency of Vitamin B may lead to dermatitis as it is essential for clear, luminous skin. Vitamin C prevents skin dryness by regulating the sebaceous glands which produce body oils. Vitamin E improves circulation of blood and prevents the skin the drying and maintains a healthy glow. Potassium helps keep skin’s elastin, collagen healthy. These are just a few skin benefits one can derive from a multivitamin. For a more indepth look at vitamins for dry skin, please see the article, Vitamin For Dry Skin.

Jenn, the solution isn't any lotion or a different type of soap. The solution is dealing with the OCD, for which there are successful treament options available. You might want to ask your doctor for a referral to someone who offers Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

The most inexpensive way to do this is to actually apply your own urine on the dry effected area. If you're not into that sort of thing, there are new lotions on the market with synthesized urea (urine) in it but the concentration isn't as strong as from the source. The water content of the urine puts natural moisture back into the skin while the acid in the urine stops the moisture from escaping again. It is recommended you do this if you drink the normal 8 glasses of water a day and have a lighter colored urine instead of a strong colored urine as most of that urine is actually more waste from the body then if you got the proper amount of fluids and it really, really stinks. Richard Shines