Hand lotion dilemma

[michael]

Any more I'm more inclined to limit my questions to within the bounderies of this community. Answers I receive from various other sources seem to create even more questions, so I just have to say I appreciate the experience you all share every day. Anywho, hand lotion, my hands really get rough and I was using oil barriers which I stopped when I got Goofy, no, not me my lovebird Goofy, then I used corn huskers lotion and would wash it off before taking Goof out to play our usual chess game, smart bird you know, so now I'm searching for any alternatives because washing the lotion off defeats the purpose. I'm amost ready to use like olive oil or something because although Goofy doesn't bite hard its still painful when you have cracked skin. Any Ideas out there on what to use thats safe around a finger licking bird?....Goofy N' Alligatorhands

[Janie]

Michael, my hands get so dry in the winter that they sometimes crack and bleed so I lather up at night, after the birds are gone to bed. I found a great product that works for me, "DiabetiDerm" which is a product suggested for diabetics to be used on their feet. I'm not diabetic but was told this product is great on rough hands, too. Drug store, over the counter. I do wash my hands in the morning, before I handle my lovies.

[Elle]

I use a little bit of pure almond oil. It's the same thing that is used for massage therapy. When I was my hands, it remove the excess but leaves by hands protected. You can find it at the grocery store or health food stores.
I also like Jonhson and Johnson baby lotion sometimes. It doesn't seem to bother my birds.

My rule of thumb is to stay away from heavily sented products.

[ottermom]

I, too, lather up at night right before bed and then wash my hands in the morning. When my hands get really bad I really slather on the lotion at night and put lightweight socks over my hands to keep it from rubbing off. Works great.

[cassysmiley]

Safe Bet, as long as it as no other chemicals in it, is Aloe Vera Gel. I use this on my animals as its safe for cuts and sores,also very good for human hands.
My hands get very sore in winter, central heating and water dont mix. so i use that.
You can also try growing aloe vera plant and cut some off and rub onto your hands to. its great for burns etc. Most of all its safe. HTH.

[michael]

GUESS WHAT? I'm going to try them all! I'm surprized my physician hasn't recommended diabetiderm, just so happens I've had type 1 diabetes for 30 years and she knows my fingers crack open working in the cold and other undesirables. And almond oil, I loves the smell of almond oil! I think they have that at the food co-op. Now the aloe...Whats funny is I took away all the aloe plants we had cuz Goofy kept wanting to chew on em, pesky taste testing habit of his. So, are aloe plants safe around my little feathered nibbler or should I keep them away and just use the aloe vera gel? I did check the library but must have overlooked it......Michael N' NibblinGoofy

[Janie]

GUESS WHAT? I'm going to try them all! I'm surprized my physician hasn't recommended diabetiderm, just so happens I've had type 1 diabetes for 30 years and she knows my fingers crack open working in the cold and other undesirables. And almond oil, I loves the smell of almond oil! I think they have that at the food co-op. Now the aloe...Whats funny is I took away all the aloe plants we had cuz Goofy kept wanting to chew on em, pesky taste testing habit of his. So, are aloe plants safe around my little feathered nibbler or should I keep them away and just use the aloe vera gel? I did check the library but must have overlooked it......Michael N' NibblinGoofy

Michael, I've mentioned extreme dryness to several doctors and guess who recommended that product (DiabetiDerm) to me? A manicurist, of course! :D One of her clients who is diabetic told her about it and WOW, it is wonderful! The only non greasy product I've ever used that works! Try it and let me know if it works for you, too! :)

[linda040899]

So, are aloe plants safe around my little feathered nibbler or should I keep them away and just use the aloe vera gel?
Aloe is very safe to use around birds. They can even eat it!!! I tend to use hand lotion when I'm at work and when I go to bed. I wash my hands when I get home from work so that I can handle my birds. Ditto with when I first get up in the morning. Wearing socks or gloves to bed at night works great, too! :)

[Kathryn]

Oh my goodness. Don't laugh because this stuff really works!!
I'm type 2 diabetic.

We use Dionne Frost Protection: udder balm. It comes in medicated or plain and both can be used by humans for hands and feet....says so on the label. It's loaded with lanolin and Aloe gel. And best of all it's non-greasy. You can get it at any farm supply center. I get it in the 1 pound jar but it also comes in a tube.

My second choice is Diabetics Basics Healthy foot and body lotion.

[linda040899]

We use Dionne Frost Protection: udder balm.
I'm not laughing because bag balm really does work and it works well!

[Elle]

We use Dionne Frost Protection: udder balm.

If I still lived on a farm. guesss what I would use. It's been so many years that I forgot about that stuff. :lol It does work well

[michael]

THANKS EVERYONE! I did find the diabetiderm at rite aid for about $10. kind of smells like a cross between vicks and noxema but feels pretty good. I'll try the others too. My mother used bag balm and swore by it and I think my neighbor uses it so maybe I'll try hers for a couple days. Still way too soon to tell what will work best, besides, I work on a lot of diesel engines and gloves are sometimes not an option so my hands really get a lot of cracks, especially in the cold where your skin shrinks alot. Thanx again and I'm putting my aloe plants back out again!.....Michael N' Goof

[Janie]

THANKS EVERYONE! I did find the diabetiderm at rite aid for about $10. kind of smells like a cross between vicks and noxema but feels pretty good. \

You summed up the smell to perfection! :lol