Help with sensative, thin skin please

[bigelaine]

My Mother has very dry ,very sensative skin and has had to use steroid creams over the years. This has caused the skin on her hands to become very thin and the skin breaks down at the very least wee thing. Has anyone else suffered this problem and if so what was the best thing to help rebuild/protect the skin?
Thanks

[joko]

i know some fighters etc rub surgical spirit on their hands and walkers etc rub it on their feet - it is meant to make the skin stronger and harder - i don't know, but that may help

[fine,thanks]

apply vaseline regularly during the day, or she could ask for a dermatology referral from her g p.

[Goodsoulette]

when I was a teenager I used to work in Nursing homes and this is really really common. Vasaline and diprobase applied 3 to 4 times a day were all we could do. She needs to get as much moisture in her as possible to hydrate her skin. Less tea and plenty of water/squash.

[fine,thanks]

why less tea ?

[Goodsoulette]

its a diuretic.

[fine,thanks]

extremely mild one though.

[Goodsoulette]

The only reason I mention it, is the elderly seem to drink tea all day, this is what I know from my relatives and working in a nursing home. In general thats not enough liquid consumed anyways and its not like they have 6 cups of tea and 8 glasses of water.

Nothing rehydrates skin like water.

[Marvelman]

The best thing to use is Emu Oil, just tap it into eBay, and lots of places to buy it from will come up, it is not expensive but very effective, you can read about it before buying.

[spudqueen]

My Dad used to have very dry cracked hands, probably due to all the steroids he took over the years due to a different medical condition. When they were really bad he used to put on cow udder cream. Seriously! If you think how dry and cracked cows udders must get! If you have any country stores near you that sell animal feed you may be able to get some there to try. Or see a vet!

[Goodsoulette]

Oh yeah spudqueen I leanrt that one when my mum married my stepdad. I have been known to whack loads on slip some latex gloves on and leave it on all night...works a treat.