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How and what to treat cracked hands: therapeutic creams and ointments
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025

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The appearance of cracks on the hands is not only a painful problem, but also quite dangerous. It is inconvenient to treat such wounds, but letting things slide, expecting that everything will go away on its own, is also risky. After all, the longer the wound heals, the greater the chance of infection. Cracks on the hands need to be treated regardless of the cause that caused their appearance. Another thing is that in addition to wound healing products, in some cases you will also have to take medications to treat the underlying disease, perhaps using folk remedies prescribed by a doctor.
If the cracks are not deep, it will be enough to use cosmetics that have a softening and moisturizing effect on the skin, and at the same time have an anti-inflammatory effect. Such products will prevent the appearance of new cracks on dry skin and painful drying of the skin along the edges of the wound.
Creams and ointments that help with cracked hands often contain herbal ingredients that have a calming and anti-inflammatory effect (chamomile, string, celandine, calendula extracts). Such products can be purchased both at the pharmacy and in the cosmetics departments. It is good if the creams also contain extracts of plantain, coltsfoot, propolis, pine needles, as well as wound-healing and antibacterial essential oils (tea tree, grape seeds, sea buckthorn, jojoba, almond, etc.).
Cosmetic creams are often enriched with vitamins (especially A and E) and fatty acids that are beneficial for the skin. Such creams will greatly help those whose bodies are depleted of useful substances. However, in addition to creams for vitamin deficiencies, you will also have to use vitamins for oral administration "AEvit", "Supradin", "Alphabet Cosmetic", "Vitrum Beauty", "Duovit", etc. Fortunately, there is no shortage of vitamin complexes on pharmacy shelves that help overcome vitamin deficiency.
If the wounds are deeper, any healing ointment for cracks on the hands will be useful to prevent their infection. We are talking about local pharmacy drugs with an antibacterial and regenerating effect. Such drugs include:
- "Levomekol" (an antibiotic ointment used for the prevention and treatment of infected wounds),
- "Argosulfan" (has an antibacterial effect provided by silver ions),
- "Baneocin" (a bactericidal ointment that helps to defeat bacterial infections and promotes rapid healing of wounds, used to treat long-term healing skin lesions in diabetes mellitus),
- "Boro Plus" (Indian antiseptic in the form of a cream based on natural ingredients),
- "Rescuer" and "Keeper" (balms developed as first aid for hematomas, wounds and burns),
- "Vulnusan" (a natural wound healing agent based on micro- and macroelements),
- "Solcoseryl" (a wound healing agent based on the blood of young calves),
- "Bepanten", "Pantoderm" and "D-panthenol" (products based on dexpanthenol, effective for wounds and burns),
- "Methyluracil" (a drug with anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect, increases local immunity, which prevents the proliferation of bacteria and fungi that get into the wound),
- Vishnevsky ointment, zinc and ichthyol ointments (budget, proven over many years, products that help in healing infected wounds),
- "SuperGlu" (cream with analgesic and wound-healing effect)
- "Calendula ointment" (a wound healing agent used for various thermal and mechanical damage to the skin), etc.
You can also buy a special cream that forms a protective film over the damaged skin and promotes rapid tissue regeneration underneath. The cream is called "FingerFix". You can also protect a deep wound from infection with a special medical glue ("BF-6", "Sulfacrylate").
To speed up wound healing by improving cellular respiration and energy processes in tissues with cracks on the hands, Actovegin gel can be prescribed. Such local treatment is relevant for hormonal imbalances and metabolic disorders, as well as if the skin of the hands is regularly exposed to negative factors, as a result of which it becomes dry, inelastic and cracks appear on the hands.
Treatment of cracks on the hands that appeared against the background of diseases of an allergic nature (dermatitis, eczema) and are accompanied by severe itching, redness and swelling of the skin around the wound is impossible without the use of antihistamines (antiallergic) drugs. Moreover, such drugs involve oral administration of the drug. The most popular and safe today are drugs based on loratadine (Loratadine, Lorizan, Claritin). But in the prescriptions you can also often find well-known allergy drugs "Suprastin", "Diazolin" and some others.
These drugs help reduce the severity of the allergic reaction by inhibiting histamine receptors. In addition to these drugs, antipruritic agents are prescribed to help prevent scratching of cracks and their infection. Gels "Psilo-balm" and "Fenistil", creams "Gistan", "Avekort" and others are suitable for local use.
Since local allergic reactions are always accompanied by tissue inflammation not associated with the action of bacteria or fungi, the use of antibacterial ointments to relieve inflammation and heal cracks becomes irrelevant. In allergic pathologies, hormonal ointments that have an anti-inflammatory effect (Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone, Betamethasone, Lorinden, Lokoid, etc.) will be of great value. In severe cases, doctors resort to potent drugs (Advantan, Celestoderm, Dermovate, etc.).
In case of dermatitis, eczema, ichthyosis, the doctor may prescribe ointments that improve tissue trophism (metabolism) and have antipruritic, anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective effects. Such products include Radevit ointment, Anekzem-cream, Psoriaten, Akriderm, etc.
Psoriasis is a disease of a slightly different nature, with skin manifestations and a recurring course (like dermatitis or eczema). The pathogenesis of the disease, known to people for many centuries, still remains a mystery for doctors. However, over the years, many methods have accumulated that allow reducing the likelihood of relapse and increasing the period of remission of the disease.
To treat cracks in the skin caused by psoriasis, it is not customary to use hormonal anti-inflammatory ointments, as in allergic diseases, because their effect will be short-term, and the side effects are sometimes quite serious to use the drug for a long time. Doctors give preference to non-steroidal drugs from the category of antiseptics (salicylic, zinc, zinc-salicylic ointments) or use steroids in combination with local antiseptics (salicylic acid, chlorhexidine, etc.).
To combat the symptoms of psoriasis, specific means are also used:
- Dithranol ointment stops the formation of psoriasis lesions,
- Anti-inflammatory ointments based on tar (Antipsorin, Antramin ointment, etc.),
- Oil-based products (Naphthalan ointment, Losterin, etc.), which have multiple beneficial effects: antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, resorptive, exfoliating, antipruritic, analgesic.
- Ointments based on solid oil "Antipsor", "Kartalin", "Solipsor", "Elif", "Akrustal" and others, which have antimicrobial and resorptive effects (also used to treat eczema and dermatitis).
- Ointments containing an analogue of vitamin D that suppresses the division of keratinocytes and the growth of psoriatic plaques (Daivonex, Psorcutan).
Cracks on the hands often tell us about a fungal infection of the skin and nails. But the treatment of dermatomycosis involves a completely different treatment regimen than dry skin caused by the negative influence of the environment or diseases such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis. Here, along with antiseptics, many of which also have antifungal activity, local antimycotics are also used.
Among antiseptics, Chlorhexidine, Mimramistin, Iodinol, iodine alcohol solution, brilliant green, and potassium permanganate have antifungal activity. But many of these drugs have a drying effect, so you need to be careful when using them. Antiseptics are usually used to disinfect cracks before applying antifungal ointments.
Antifungal agents for local use are prescribed strictly by a dermatologist. Let's name just a few ointments that are effective against hand fungus: "Akriderm", "Triderm", "Exoderil", "Candide", "Miconazole", "Pimafucort", "Mikoderil", "Lamisil", "Termikon", "Nizoral", etc. Some of the above-mentioned drugs are complex agents and include an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal component, which is especially important in the case of secondary infection of the wound and the proliferation of mixed microflora.
As a preventive measure against fungal infection (and fungi and dermatophytes can get into a crack in the skin that has formed for any reason, which will subsequently begin to actively multiply, causing inflammatory processes), you can use the ointment "Levomekol", which also has antifungal activity, although this is not actively positioned. This product prevents infection of the crack with both bacterial and fungal microflora.
If the appearance of cracks on the hands is associated with hormonal disorders, diseases of the endocrine system and metabolism, the matter is usually not limited to wound-healing ointments and care creams. Such treatment and even careful hand skin care will not bring the desired and lasting result if it is not supported by measures to treat the underlying disease.
If there is a hormonal imbalance, you will have to undergo a course of hormonal therapy (most often this is the intake of estrogens and phytoestrogens). For the treatment of diabetes, hypoglycemic drugs or insulin injections are used in combination with a low-carbohydrate diet.
Treatment for hypothyroidism includes:
- taking iodine-containing drugs and foods rich in this microelement, anti-inflammatory therapy (a decrease in thyroid function usually occurs against the background of an inflammatory process in it),
- therapy for diseases of the brain regions (pituitary gland and hypothalamus) responsible for the decrease in the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland,
- hormonal therapy (replenishment of the deficiency of thyroid hormones),
- vitamin therapy (taking vitamin and mineral complexes),
- treatment of complications of hypothyroidism (deficiency of thyroid hormones causes disturbances in the functioning of many organs, so it may be necessary to take cardioprotectors and cardiac glycosides to maintain heart function, estrogen-containing drugs to regulate the functioning of the female reproductive system, nootropics and neuroprotectors to correct metabolic processes in the central nervous system, etc.).
Treatment of the pathology will last throughout the patient's life. But it will help to normalize metabolic processes in the skin and avoid relapses of cracks on the hands.
To treat hyperkeratosis on the hands, in addition to local glucocorticosteroids with a trophic (exfoliating) effect, which we discussed when considering the issue of treating allergic diseases, creams containing acids (salicylic, lactic, citric, etc.) are used and provide an effect similar to peeling (mechanical peeling is indicated only for keratinization of the skin of the feet). In parallel, the cause of keratinization of the skin is combated and vitamins A and C, which are beneficial for the skin, are prescribed.
For cracks on the hands that form in areas of hyperkeratosis, softening baths with the addition of salt, soda or starch are also prescribed. After the baths, it is necessary to use moisturizers.
Physiotherapy treatment may be prescribed not because of cracks in the hands or feet, but to relieve the symptoms of the underlying disease. Thus, for skin pathologies, the following physiotherapy methods are indicated:
- darsonvalization (improves blood circulation, relieves pain and itching),
- electrosleep (calms the nervous system and improves metabolism),
- UHF procedures and microwave therapy (used to combat infection, improve metabolic processes in skin cells),
- sulphide and radon baths (disinfect, relieve symptoms, calm the nervous system, improve immunity)
- acupuncture.
All these methods must be used with great caution, as some of them are incompatible with others.
In case of diabetes, such procedures as oxygen foam, hyperbaric oxygenation, therapeutic mud, various types of therapeutic showers, freshwater baths, zinc chloride electrophoresis, paraffin therapy, etc. can be prescribed. But the treatment of such an endocrine pathology as hypothyroidism involves the use of the following methods of physiotherapy: massage procedures, galvanization of the thyroid gland, electrophoresis with iodine, climate and heat therapy (UHF), chloride, sulphide and sodium baths, wet body wraps.
As we can see, various reasons for the appearance of cracks on the hands require an individual approach to solving the problem. And for this, it is very important that the diagnosis is made correctly, which is impossible to do without special medical knowledge and qualifications.
Effective medicines
When, due to the impact of negative external or internal factors, the skin of the hands loses its elasticity and cracks appear on it, the first thing you need to take care of is the fastest healing of the wounds that have appeared and the prevention of new ones. The second task is usually solved by using creams with a moisturizing and softening effect, containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, lanolin, and various oils. If such a cream also contains anti-inflammatory components (for example, plant extracts), then it will help not only fight dryness and peeling, but also heal small cracks in the epidermis.
Deeper cracks on the hands, which often cause significant discomfort because they hurt a lot and often bleed, in addition to cosmetic care products, require the use of specialized wound-healing creams and ointments. The pharmacy drug Bepanten is just such an ointment.
"Bepanten" is a regenerating agent used to prevent and treat irritations and minor skin lesions. The drug is available in the form of a cream, ointment and lotion. The latter is used for burns, and for the treatment of scratches and cracks on the skin, it is better to use an ointment or cream (lanolin in their composition will additionally soften the skin), although if you have a lotion, you can use it.
The active ingredient of the drug is dexpanthenol. This is the name of provitamin B5, which, penetrating the skin, turns into pantothenic acid, and it in turn improves metabolism in tissues, stimulates energy production, has a positive effect on the strength of collagen fibers and even forces the adrenal glands to produce glucocorticoids that suppress inflammatory processes in the body (this effect is especially noticeable when taking the vitamin orally). Thus, the drug pushes the body to self-healing.
There are no special restrictions on the dosage of the drug when using it. It is applied several times a day to the crack area and used until the wound is completely healed.
The drug can be used by all patients if they do not have hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. It is allowed to be used to treat wounds and burns in children, the elderly, and pregnant women. In rare cases, the use of the drug is accompanied by the appearance of an itchy rash, which indicates an allergic reaction due to intolerance to some components of the drug.
When using Bepanten for cracks on your hands, you need to understand that it is not an antimicrobial agent, so before using the cream, ointment or lotion, it is better to treat the wound with an antiseptic. If the crack turns red, heals poorly or pus appears inside it, it is advisable to use a slightly different form of the drug - Bepanten Plus cream or spray, which is a combination product containing vitamin and the antiseptic chlorhexidine. This drug can also be used to treat infected skin cracks in eczema or fungal infections.
The drug can be used to treat patients over 1 year old, applying the product to the crack area and around it one or more times a day. No more than 5 g of the substance should be used per day. Can be applied under dressings.
The main contraindication to the use of the drug is intolerance to its components. The cream is allowed to be used on a small area even during pregnancy.
The medicine cannot be combined with other antiseptics. During the treatment period, it is better not to use soap solutions on the damaged skin, not to mention washing powders and other household chemicals. In case of allergic diseases, the antiseptic agent is used only to treat infected wounds.
The drug may cause allergic and anaphylactic reactions if a person has hypersensitivity to its components.
The drug "Levomekol" is even more effective in the treatment of purulent skin lesions.
"Levomekol" is an ointment that combines the immunostimulating effect of mmethyluracil and the antimicrobial (plus antiviral and antifungal) effect of the broad-spectrum antibiotic chloramphenicol. This remedy is very often used to treat infected wounds, cracks, burn surfaces, while the presence of pus in the wound does not reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
Chloramphenicol helps to effectively combat various types of pathogenic microorganisms that have penetrated into skin lesions, and methyluracil in Levomekol acts as a wound-healing component with anti-inflammatory action and promotes rapid tissue regeneration. Such a complex effect reduces the risk of scarring on the body.
The ointment can be applied to the wound or a piece of cotton wool and secured with a bandage. Usually it is enough to apply the ointment to the cracks on the hands only once a day. 1 g of the preparation contains only 7.5 mg of chloramphenicol, and the maximum daily dose of the antibiotic should not exceed 3 g, so there are no major restrictions on the amount of ointment applied, because the area covered by cracks is usually small.
The drug is generally well tolerated by patients of all ages, without causing pain or burning. There are reports of rare allergic reactions to the drug.
Levomekol is not prescribed only in case of individual intolerance to its components. It is also not accepted to treat areas affected by psoriasis with this ointment. Some sources say that it is also undesirable to use the ointment for fungal skin lesions, but there is multiple information that the drug has proven itself well in the treatment of mycoses complicated by bacterial infection.
In the treatment of allergic diseases and cracks in the skin caused by an unusual reaction of the body to cold and household chemicals, a lasting result can be achieved if similar reactions are prevented in the future. And this is possible only with the help of antihistamines. Local corticosteroids help to remove the symptoms of irritation and inflammation of the skin.
One of the effective corticoids for topical application is considered to be the ointment "Lorinden", which exists in two forms:
- "Lorinden A" based on the corticosteroid flumethasone, which has a moderate anti-inflammatory effect, and an exfoliating agent in the form of salicylic acid is used when cracks appear on the skin that are not complicated by a bacterial infection.
- In addition to flumethasone, Lorinden S contains the antimicrobial component clioquinone, which is also effective against fungi and dermatophytes, and is therefore used to treat infected wounds or to prevent infection if it is not possible to maintain sterility of wound surfaces.
The drug can be used for severe cracks in the skin due to irritation by chemicals, for the treatment of wounds in dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis (very carefully, since hormonal agents can cause a relapse of the disease).
Apply a thin layer of ointment to the cracked area once or twice a day. It is possible to use the ointment under an occlusive dressing, especially if excessive keratinization of tissues is observed, but in this case, it is necessary to ensure that no foci of atrophy or necrosis of the epidermis appear.
If the ointment is used daily, the treatment should last no more than 14 days. The maximum consumption of the drug is 1 tube per week.
The drug is intended for the treatment of patients over 12 years of age, but for the treatment of isolated skin lesions it is allowed to be used even at a younger age after consultation with a doctor. It is not advisable to use glucocorticosteroids (even externally) during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Lorinden ointments are not used in case of hypersensitivity to their components. It is not advisable to use them in case of viral, fungal and bacterial skin infections, the pathogens of which are not sensitive to the effects of salicylic acid or clioquinol.
Hormonal ointments, although intended for external use, require special care. It is not recommended to use them for a long time and on large areas of skin, especially considering that the medicine gets on damaged skin and can be absorbed into the systemic bloodstream.
Among the local side effects caused by the use of the ointment, in addition to allergic reactions, are: peeling of the skin, burning on it, increased itching, atrophy of the subcutaneous tissue, disruption of skin pigmentation, etc.
If the ointment is used under a tight dressing that blocks air access, or for treating children, systemic reactions may occur in the form of:
- increased blood pressure and glucose levels in the blood and urine,
- edematous syndrome,
- disruption of the coordinated work of the adrenal glands, pituitary gland and hypothalamus,
- neurological disorders due to the neurotoxic effect of the antimicrobial component in Lorinden S ointment.
- the appearance of Cushing's syndrome (increased production of hormones by the adrenal glands provokes obesity with a bright blush on the cheeks, increased hair growth on the body, the appearance of bluish stretch marks on the skin - striae, headaches, increased blood pressure, symptoms of osteoporosis, etc.),
- Children may experience slow growth and development.
It is strictly not recommended to use hormonal ointments to treat cracks on the hands on your own.
Only a doctor can determine what ointment and in what dosage to prescribe to a patient when such a symptom appears.
Any crack, especially a deep one, requires special care, which is aimed at preventing infection from entering the wound. There are special means that help in this difficult task. Still, a bandage on a finger or a bandaged palm is not a way out of the situation, because such methods do not contribute to maintaining the sterility of the wound tissues and their rapid healing.
Medical glue "BF-6" is a very convenient remedy for cracks on the hands, since it allows you to cover the wound with a film resistant to mechanical and chemical damage, protecting against the penetration of microbes and irritants. The drug can be used to treat small wounds in patients over 1 year old.
Before applying the preparation to the crack, you need to thoroughly wash and treat the internal surfaces of the wound with an antiseptic, after which it is dried with sterile cotton wool. Now you can apply a thin layer of glue to the crack and the tissue around it, which will protect the skin from irritation and speed up the healing of the wound. No bandage should be applied to the glue.
After applying the glue to the crack in the skin, you need to wait about 5 minutes until a strong film forms. This film will stay on the skin for 2-3 days, after which, if necessary, the glue is applied again, making sure that no pus appears in the wound. If the film is damaged for some reason, a new layer of glue is applied on top of it.
The drug has few side effects. Usually, it all comes down to allergic reactions to the components of the glue, which happens with increased sensitivity to them.
"FingerFix" is another, judging by the reviews, effective and useful remedy for cracks on the hands. The cream is designed specifically to protect the tissues of cracks and cuts on the hands caused by a deficiency of vitamins in the body or the impact of negative environmental factors from infection. The product forms a thin protective film on the skin, which helps the wound heal in a short time.
This is a multi-component preparation resembling a paste that forms a strong film when exposed to water. Thus, the cream should not only be applied to the crack and compacted with a free finger, but also slightly moistened by wetting it with water using the same finger. A bandage or plaster should be applied on top of the cream, which should be removed immediately before the next use of the preparation.
The cream can be applied to the damaged area once or twice a day. If necessary, the number of applications can be increased. The course of treatment for small wounds usually does not exceed 3 days, but it is still recommended to use the cream until the wound is completely healed.
The cream is not used in case of hypersensitivity to one or more components of the complex product, or for the treatment of burn surfaces.
The use of FingerFix may be accompanied by the appearance of rashes and irritation on the skin, which will indicate hypersensitivity to the drug or an allergic reaction to the drug.
Usually, there are no problems with purchasing drugs for treating cracks on the hands. Some of the above-described drugs are already in home medicine cabinets in case of injuries and damage, and others are almost always on the shelves of pharmacies. But before turning to strong drugs with antibiotics or hormonal ointments, you should still discuss the issue of the appropriateness and safety of such treatment with a specialist doctor (dermatologist or therapist). This will help to avoid unpleasant surprises from your body.
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