A cure for cancer is all very well and good, but what can you do for the truly annoying wintertime problem when the skin on your fingertips crack and bleed?
A bit of research turns up that winter cold, a lack of humidity, dry skin and perhaps other underlying medical conditions can all be part of the problem. This cracking in the skin around the fingertips can be worse if you often have your hands in water--washing dishes, for example.
Some of the remedies I found using google were bag balm, other dry skin lotions, using a good lotion at night and putting on cotton gloves and wearing them to bed, Vicks Vaporub, and superglue. I've done the strong emollient at night with the gloves, and that does help. But it doesn't always heal the little cracks.
I don't have a dishwasher, just Ms. Right and Ms. Left to help out, and I wash dishes as they get dirty--which is often throughout the day. So not only do my fingertips crack, but they don't heal very easily. These cracks can be very painful, and occasionally bloody. Is there a good cure for this?
I was over to Fred's house, making him dinner or breakfast, and he had just gotten a box of some health food supplements and stuff. Included in that box were six tiny samples of pine tree resin (made with olive oil and petrolatum, whatever that is). He gave me one and I've been using it on the two little cracks I have in my thumb tip. They are responding very well--they'd probably be healed already if I could keep my hands out of water for a few days.
Here's some information on this ointment I found on the website that sells it:
PAV OINTMENT Trees could never live as long as they do, or be as resilient against fires, molds, fungus, cancerous growths, insect infestations, wounds, etc, without their precious resin. It is the healing power Nature puts in their pitch that gives the tree it's resilience to calamity and extreme conditions. Put Nature's healing power to work for you today! Learn what thousands now know about PAV, and why they now call it the "miracle salve" that challenges ALL skin problems!
PAV , Anti-fungal, antibacterial, anti-viral, topical formula. All natural, highly effective on ALL fungal conditions, itchy feet, foot odor, and infections! For most skin problems, PAV does the job! Dermatologists & Chiropractors LOVE PAV ! PAV contains rare, natural Tree Resin, Petrolatum & Olive Oil Note: petrolatum is a FOOD GRADE thickening agent!
This stuff is amazing. It is by far the best thing to put on pimples, blemishes, insect bites, etc. Nothing clears them up faster. It also works great for poison ivy, poison oak, spider bites, eczema, gum infections, diaper rash, genital warts, acne, gangrene, athletes foot, nail fungus, and the list goes on.
Hmmmm. This newsletter that published this was dated 2005, and when I did a search for PAV ointment at the website, PAV didn't come up. However, as they were selling a 1/6 oz. sample of PAV for $9.00 (yikes!), I wouldn't have bought the stuff anyway. Once I get my hands on some pine tree resin, I'll make my own salve with it.
The other salves I have on hand are calendula, which is working great for my dry winter skin, but it still not enough to heal the fingertip cracks, and plantain salve, which might or might not do the trick.
If the pine tree resin salve doesn't heal the cracks, then I will try this: I'll make sure I get enough PAV into the cracks, and then put a layer of superglue or New Skin over the salve, then gloves at night for a couple of nights.
BTW, my tone in the first paragraph is rather flippant about my last post, on the old gentleman's letter about his cancer cure with red clover blossoms. I don't mean to be: I found that testimony extremely moving and powerful. And if I were afflicted with cancer, I'd certainly turn to herbs and good nutrition, without a doubt. But there ARE other little crummy problems in life that herbs and good nutrition can help with as well.
HM
6 comments:
I don't know about curing cracks but plain glycerin works wonders on dry skin. I have my 16 yos rub it on his elbows and can see the results the next day. It works well on feet - socks at night usually. I have put it on then socks & shoes but it feels like PE feet or walking in the rain - slightly damp. Being so plain the kids have never complained as with lotions. The 16 yo appreciates the lack of 'girly smell'. A small bottle is under a bottle, lasts a long time and is under $1.00.
I have been working on my hubby's cracked heels for a couple of weeks now, they are pretty bad. I had been using peroxide, iodine and vitamin E oil on them each night. Today I went outside and cut up a handful of pine needles, I put them in cup and poured enough witch hazel over it to cover. I allowed this to "steep", going in every once in a while and mushing it around with a spoon. We soaked his feet in hot water for a while, then I took some paper towel, soaked it in the pine mixture, placed this on each heel, covered it with plastic wrap then put socks on. He wore this until bedtime, I removed it and put on the original mixture (peroxide, iodine, vit E oil) and recovered it with plastic wrap and socks. He said his heels felt much better after the pine treatment. I'll be doing more of this. :)
Wretha
Hi Stephanie--I agree, plain glycerin is great stuff. I keep a bottle in the house and use it a lot myself.
Wretha--that's excellent about the pine extract working on your husband's heels. I believe the PAV oinment is made from pine pitch, but if pine needle extract seems like it might work, you could make a salve with the pine needles (in olive oil and let the oil mascerate for a month, then add beeswax to the warmed oil to make salve). Or just use the extract you've created if it is working. These simple remedies can work wonders....
HM
I remember my Dad talking about American Indians using salt cedar leaves/needles boiled in water to make a salve to treat various skin conditions. We don't have salt cedar, but we do have another variety of cedar, and a few other varieties of pines, I'll probably try boiling some pine or cedar needles in water to see how much I can extract from it.
Thanks for your article!
Wretha
hi I know this is an old post but we are the inventors and maker of PAV ointment... you guys should check us out sometime www.natrhealth
com
Lovely blog thanks for taking the time to share this.
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