Ties and Dry Hands

[Hand Tailored]

Hi there

, I've had a problem for a while that just again came to mind as I was tying my tie (in my room all alone, just so I could prove to myself that I can do a better job at it than the president

), anyway!

My hands are really dry. I try moisturizers like lotions and such, but those don't fix the real problem. Because of the dryness, the skin at the end of my fingers tends to peel up a little, and I get minor hang-nails and what have you. Well, all this crusty skin flakes that stick off my fingers tend to catch on the threads of my nicer ties when I tie them. I try hard not to touch the tie too much, but hey, then it doesn't tie worth a darn

. Any remidies you can think of? Even without the flakes, the scheer dryness makes my hands abrasive to the point where they want to start ripping my nice silk ties to pieces

. Thanks for any help, HT

 

[Impulse155]

try keeping ur hands cuffed up alot, like in a fist. this tends to make them sweat more. idk really. i have EXTREMLY sweaty hands, it sucks. lol

 

[Andrew V.]

Are you applying lotion immediately after washing and drying your hands? That makes all the difference for me. Sometimes if I feel the need for more hand lotion inbetween hand washings, I dampen my hands before applying the lotion.

 

[j]

I have the same thing, especially because I hate having my hands feel greasy so I wash them a lot and won't use lotion. Occasionally they get so bad that I'll put some Eucerin (which is petroleum jelly like Vaseline, which would also work) all over the cuticles and dry areas and just sit for half an hour or so while I'm watching TV or something, then wash them off. This softens them up a lot.

My nails are also kind of brittle, so I have to keep them short and sand them down smooth or they will chip and split.

Also, I don't buy any ties that would snag and actually get damaged by my fingers, since I know they are too delicate anyway.

 

[Quirk]

Some women swear by slathering on vaseline at night and wearing gloves/mittens to bed. Anytime a woman swears by slathering on vaseline at night, pay attention.

 

[Huntsman]

I had that problem for a short while after spending too much time with solvents. I have a few pairs of very thin cotton/nylon white gloves like museum curators use lying around, so I slipped a glove on the affected hamd, tied the tie, slipped it off and to the races. Don't know offhand where to get the gloves, but probably a normal kind would do fine. Or even a vinyl exam glove (latex are harder to get on and off).

Regards,
Huntsman

 

[Hand Tailored]

Thanks a bunch for your help... definately try the wetting my hands before lotion thing.

See how the vaseline works too a little... some night when I got a free moment

Thanks again,
HT

 

[Earthmover]

I too have this problem. Rather extensive, in fact. Generally when it comes to ties, careful handling is the best way. It also helps to lotion up before handling ties. I've used a lot of different things, but I think Lubriderm is by far the best one I've used -- it actually keeps your hands moisturized, but nowhere near as greasy as some of the stuff that's out there, like eucerin or cetaphil. It absorbs fairly quickly, which allows you to touch things like ties much quicker than if you put vaseline on your hands.

but yes, putting vaseline on overnight will definitely soften your hands.

 

[blimey]

what is worst? dry hands or wet hands? i think hyperhyrosis(sweaty) is the worst thing to have. alot of people including myself suffers from this condition. ill trade you any day!

 

[fatty]

The best cream for dry skin is Ego QV. They have lotions, balms, creams and such for different levels of dry skin.

It's the recommended remedy for dry skin to really really dry skin [including eczema]. You may need to consult your pharmacist on the appropriate strength for yours.

I hate vaseline, it's just yuck. But i know people with exczema who have to wrap their skin with balms and cotton at night to counteract it.