God Bless Dr. Scholl

My hands are killing me! My skin is dry and cracked and very painful. The skin is the largest organ of the human body and performs several important functions, such as protecting the body from external toxins and facilitating waste elimination. When a person’s immune system is compromised by an illness such as cancer, the skin is unable to undergo its natural reparative process - the visible result being dry, rough skin. Radiation and chemotherapy further dry out the skin, and without sufficient water the skin is unable to regenerate itself properly. The result is chronically dry, unhealthy skin that is vulnerable to further damage. A slight tear in the skin can lead to infection in a patient whose immune system is currently suppressed - a potentially dangerous combination. Therefore, skin needs to be kept as moist as possible during treatment. The prevalence of moisture is essential for healing, which can also relieve dry itchy skin and prevent peeling and flaking. being comfortable in one's own skin means more time and energy can be focused on what's most important - a full recovery.

So, I bought myself a Dr. Scholl's Quick Heat Paraffin Wax Spa to dip my hands! It works by dipping you hands (or feet) in the melted wax 3-4 times, coating them with the wax, placing a baggie over them and slipping on the mitts to keep the warmth inside. By doing this the parafin softens your hands (feet). After approx. 10-15 min. you just slide the wax off your hands and they feel extremely soft. It brought me some soothing relief from my dry/chapped/sore hands. This treatment has been used in spas and physical therapy departments in hospitals as the penetrating heat from the melted wax can relief pain due to arthritis, tendonitis, muscle spasms, aftercare for breaks/sprains, and joint stiffness. The dipping process can be somewhat messy but it sure felt good. After dipping my hands, I slathered them with Lubriderm Extra Dry Skin lotion. While still sore, they feel much better. I'll have to do it again tomorrow!