MJ HEALTH & FITNESS: Adventure-Proof Your Hands

Adventure-Proof Your Hands
Before and after hitting the slopes and crevasses this winter, treat your mitts to the soothing power of a great balm

Pity the man who doesn't have a good hand balm in his medicine chest. And we don't mean your wife's lavender-scented lotion -- we're talking seriously healing salves especially for men, soothing liniments that'll heal nicks, shed flakes, and improve your handshake. Like our favorite, Bag Balm, which for 106 years has been co-opted by clever farmers from its original use as a moisturizer for udders. "Hand skin is very thick, and men's is thicker than women's," explains Dr. Julio F. Gallo of the Miami Institute for Age Management and Intervention. That's why Gallo suggests an occasional manicure to break down the hard outer layer and let the unguents get in there and do their thing. But even if you aren't that evolved, you'll want one of the following to see you through the cruel season at hand.

Bag Balm If it's good enough to keep bovine teats supple, it's good enough for your paws. At its base this balm is mostly lanolin, a waxy substance derived from wool with a centuries-long track record as a protectant and moisturizer. ($8 for 10 oz; New London Pharmacy, 800-941-0490)

Burt's Bees Hand Salve This intensive neo "farmer's friend" uses rosemary oil to increase circulation and almond oil to soften skin. If you're really in the business of beating up your hands -- rock climbing, say -- the lavandin is said to inhibit scarring. ($7 for 3 oz; New London Pharmacy, 800-941-0490)

Curel Ultra Healing Lotion A relatively cheap (hence the generic, Wal-Mart-style packaging), light, versatile player that's great for everyday use. Contains shea butter and oatmeal extract, both of which aid in healing and smoothing over cracks. ($4 for 6 oz; curel.com)

Vaseline Soothing Moisture Petroleum Jelly Cream With Cocoa Butter Far less gooey than plain old petroleum jelly, while still supplying hypoallergenic protection against temperature extremes and effluents. Plus, the cocoa butter serves up extra moisturizing power. ($4 for 4.5 oz; C.O. Bigelow, 800-793-5433)

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve The perfect balm for skiers, midwestern commuters, and just about anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors in the winter. This apothecary classic harnesses the proven healing and moisturizing properties of a wax made from olive oil. ($18 for 5 oz; kiehls.com)

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream Shea butter -- a nongreasy, waxy oil derived from the nuts of the West and Central African shea tree -- combines with the antioxidant vitamin E in this rich, comforting cream that has notched several Everest summits. ($23 for 5.2 oz; loccitane.com)

By: Geoff Van Dyke
Photographs by: Michael Pirrocco
(February 2006)