Hand care

[Catherine Iino]

In her terrific foodblog, Wendy DeBord mentioned handwashing bowls dozens of times a day. From the sublime to the ridiculous: I have a very mundane question. How do you professional chefs keep their hands from drying out? I'm just an ardent amateur, but in the winter, my hands get so dry from the frequent rinsing of produce, cleaning pots, kneading dough, and so forth that they crack painfully. I know it's from the cooking and baking because if I go on vacation for a couple of weeks, they heal nicely. I haven't found a hand cream or a regimen that prevents this. I'd be really grateful for advice, even though spring is here.

[peppyre]

Use a beeswax based balm that is completely natural. The beeswax actually forms a protective barrier on your hands that will not wash off. If it's a well made balm, it should soak into your skin quite quickly and not leave it feeling greasy. The best part, it's edible. The balm that I make I also use on my lips and depending on the essential oils that I have used, it tastes pretty good too.

[chefpeon]

A good thread on that topic.....here.

[Catherine Iino]

Thank you. You know, I searched the site before I posted, figuring this had to have come up before, but I didn't turn up the two previous threads. So thanks for your patience, too.

[andiesenji]

I simply use the food service gloves that are like surgeon's gloves, have for years. My hands look pretty good for my age.

[SuzySushi]

Not a professional chef, but....

1) Antibacterial soaps are extremely drying. Use regular soap, or dilute the antibacterial stuff.

2) Crisco can be used as a good handcream that's edible!

3) To heal really painful cracks, before going to bed at night, slather your hands with hand cream or just plain Vaseline and put on cotton gloves (available in the cosmetics departments of drugstores) or even a pair of cotton socks. The process takes a few days, but it's worth it.

[Curlz]

I simply use the food service gloves that are like surgeon's gloves, have for years.  My hands look pretty good for my age.

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Are these the non-latex ones, Andie? They're basically thin plastic baggies that are glove-shaped? If so, I'd love to know a source for a non-professional to buy them! I had a pkg of 20 that I bought a long time ago and haven't been able to find them anywhere since...

Any/all ideas are greatly welcome!

Curlz

[helenjp]

I almost never get cracked skin as long as I use soap to wash dishes in, and save detergent for greasy items only.

[andiesenji]

I simply use the food service gloves that are like surgeon's gloves, have for years.  My hands look pretty good for my age.

←

Are these the non-latex ones, Andie? They're basically thin plastic baggies that are glove-shaped? If so, I'd love to know a source for a non-professional to buy them! I had a pkg of 20 that I bought a long time ago and haven't been able to find them anywhere since...

Any/all ideas are greatly welcome!

Curlz

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These are the ones I use. I get them at Smart & Final. Any restaurant/bakery supply place will have them. There are plenty of places open to the public.

[rooftop1000]

I got a box of them at the hardware store, they were pricier than Home Despot but I had gashed a few fingers at work and needed to make Easter dinner without any band aid "situations"

I usually snag them from work for chicken cleaning...house cleaning etc

T

[Misa]

My own hands do much better when I rub a little olive oil into them a couple of times a day... very small amounts at a time.

[Curlz]

I simply use the food service gloves that are like surgeon's gloves, have for years.  My hands look pretty good for my age.

←

Are these the non-latex ones, Andie? They're basically thin plastic baggies that are glove-shaped? If so, I'd love to know a source for a non-professional to buy them! I had a pkg of 20 that I bought a long time ago and haven't been able to find them anywhere since...

Any/all ideas are greatly welcome!

Curlz

←

These are the ones I use. I get them at Smart & Final. Any restaurant/bakery supply place will have them. There are plenty of places open to the public.

←

Thanks for sharing...these are what I can find--but prefer not to get b/c of the powder. What I can't find are what I described; basically plastic baggies in the shape of a glove! Loved them for things like handling chicken. But I'll keep searching...

[mckayinutah]

I simply use the food service gloves that are like surgeon's gloves, have for years.  My hands look pretty good for my age.

←

Are these the non-latex ones, Andie? They're basically thin plastic baggies that are glove-shaped? If so, I'd love to know a source for a non-professional to buy them! I had a pkg of 20 that I bought a long time ago and haven't been able to find them anywhere since...

Any/all ideas are greatly welcome!

Curlz

←

These are the ones I use. I get them at Smart & Final. Any restaurant/bakery supply place will have them. There are plenty of places open to the public.

←

Thanks for sharing...these are what I can find--but prefer not to get b/c of the powder. What I can't find are what I described; basically plastic baggies in the shape of a glove! Loved them for things like handling chicken. But I'll keep searching...

←

They do make non-powdered latex gloves, although I find them very hard to put on if you have any moisture on your hands.

I know of the baggie gloves you speak of - you see the workers at Subway wearing them to make sandwiches. Maybe you could inquire at your local Subway as to where they get theirs - or better yet, if you don't go through alot, perhaps persuading them to sell you a box?

The workers in the deli that make the sandwiches here at where I work wear the baggie gloves, but most kitchen workers know that they are too baggy and not tight enough for prep work, so they generally choose the latex gloves, either powdered or non-powdered.

Take care,

Jason

[Curlz]

Good call, Jason--thank you! I agree that the others are baggy, but for me, it's sometimes just about (GASP) protecting a new manicure while I do something like dredging chicken pieces. I actually like getting my hands dirty--reminds me that I'm creating something! That's why I don't use them too often.

[andiesenji]

Smart & Final has the baggy gloves too, I just don't care for them.

The powder in these is cornstarch so there is no problem with foods being contiminated with talc.

The baggy ones are available at any beauty supply store in packages of 10, 100 and 500. They are much cheaper than the NON latex ones I get.

Many people are allergic to latex, thus the non-latex. For instance, my housekeeper can't wear the latex ones.

This type is also available at beauty supply places but not all are food-grade.

[SuzySushi]

Thanks for sharing...these are what I can find--but prefer not to get b/c of the powder.  What I can't find are what I described; basically plastic baggies in the shape of a glove!  Loved them for things like handling chicken.  But I'll keep searching...

←

Try Costco.

[rajsuman]

And nails? I've been meaning to ask this question for ages - how do you professional cooks maintain your nails? I love to cook and I love manicured hands, but the two don't seem to go together. No matter how short I clip my nails, I somehow manage to get them chipped when using a knife. Or I end up shaving some skin off my fingers.

I guess as far as I'm concerned, cooking and beautiful hands are mutually exclusive!

[andiesenji]

I have been reminded to add one thing about the loose plastic "baggie-type" gloves by my housekeeper.

My friend Hans, a baker, was wearing these gloves while working at a small mixer, pushing down the dough that was crawling up the dough hook. The loose glove caught and pulled his hand into the orbital head. Fortunately he wasn't hurt badly, but his hand was bruised and wrenched.

He visited me the following day and his hand was black and blue and he couldn't make a fist so had to take a few days off work. That was the last time he wore the baggie type gloves.

If you are going to use the loose gloves, don't operate any machinery while wearing them.

You also should not wear them near an open flame, they are useful for food prep.

The powder in the gloves I have is corn starch - you can also get the non-powdered ones and use a bit of cornstarch (I keep some in a shaker - it has a plastic top to seal the shaker holes so moisture will not affect it).

And rajsuman,

For years I had a manicure every week and always wore gloves while doing anything that involved handling meat or poultry, etc., prepping vegetables, working with dough.

I have mentioned many times on other threads that all it takes to have my phone ring is for me to be up to my wrists in sticky dough. It used to take me several rings before I could pick it up.

Now all I do is strip off a glove and pick up the handset. No sticky handset, no missed calls.

I find the gloves are handy for so many things I generally buy several boxes at a time. I wear them under my gardening gloves for extra protection, when I give the dogs a bath, etc.

Edited April 21, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[bottomlesspit]

Like Misa, I like to use light olive oil on my hands, particularly when I'm doing a marathon stretch in the kitchen. I use just enough to lightly coat my hands, which seems to protect them from the water and isn't too slippery for knifework.

If washing dishes, gloves always.

At night, Vaseline on the cuticles works wonders.

*edit to change "slipper" to "slippery" =)

Edited April 21, 2005 by bottomlesspit (log)

[digigirl]

You can get the loose baggy kind at Sam's Club, if you have one near you. I saw them last time I was there. Very likely they have the tight kind also, but I haven't specifically seen them.

[scordelia]

Not a professional chef, but....

To heal really painful cracks, before going to bed at night, slather your hands with hand cream or just plain Vaseline and put on cotton gloves (available in the cosmetics departments of drugstores) or even a pair of cotton socks. The process takes a few days, but it's worth it.

←

Even better is Bag Balm with the cotton socks. It is used for chapped cow udders, so if it can make a cow teet soft, think of what it can do for your hands.

Pure lavender oil is also good for cuts, burns and around cuticles. Lavender oil is truly amazing. It has antiseptic and anesthestic properties, and it is a naturally drying oil, so no residue.

[snowangel]

For daily use, when you can't walk around and do the tasks with bag balm and socks on your hands, get this stuff.

Yes, you have to buy a mess of tubes (which need to be shaken before used), but just think of splitting the order with a friend, or using them as stocking stuffers or small gifts.

This stuff is really good. (come from one who suffers from bleeding cracks all of the time.)

[Kouign Aman]

Another thing that helps, but takes inordinate amounts of time, is to gently, completely and thoroughly dry your hands after each wetting.

[Dianabanana]

I'm sure I don't do anywhere near the amount of cooking that some of you do, yet I still manage to suffer from bleeding cracks all winter long, both on fingers and heels. I have tried it ALL. I recently found something that I think is pretty amazing--expensive, but amazing. The product that I have is by BlissLabs and it's called Softening Socks, but they make gloves, too. The socks are fabric socks with a polymer gel lining. You soak your feet, then apply whatever treatment cream you're using (KeraSal, Bag Balm, etc.), then put the socks on over it and leave on for as long as you can stand it, overnight if possible, although I can't fall asleep unless everything is just so, so that's out for me. The polymer gel drives the treatment cream into your skin and keeps the moisture in and who knows what. You still need to take preventive measures during the day to keep cracks from forming again, but this is such a big aid to healing. You can get them at Nordstrom and Sephora, other places too, I'm sure. Brace yourself for the cost: $50!

[Beebs]

I don't cook professionally, but I can't stand rubber gloves so my hands are chapped year round. I find slathering on extra-virgin olive oil (or sweet almond oil, not bitter almond) is very soothing. Just the regular everyday EVOO is fine. 1-2 teaspoons is usually plenty. It takes a while to absorb, but you can put on cotton "beauty gloves", if you do the treatment before going to bed. Nice for the feet, too!