So I went through a months long period of unemployment, and simultaneously got really into my kitchen. Had to.

Got hard work lately. DISHWASHING HANDS. Nasty blisters.

NEVER had a problem with this before really getting into kitchen stuff.

I don't want to give either one up - and yes I also have a dishwasher, but if you really cook you know that doesn't relieve you of the duty of literally getting your hands wet...

I don't know how to deal with getting my hands dirty all day and getting them wet at home!

I'm guessing I'd have to take one or the other. Go dirty and tough, then not touch the food.

Or go clean, and not touch the kitchen tools...

Maybe I need a wife...

Use rubber gloves when washing dishes?

That just humidifies the hands even more, thus the "soft hand syndrome".

Again I say it's a weird conflict of manly responsibility...

I'm learning water and work conflict with hands...

Sounds like your soap does not like your hands. Could even be a mild allergic reaction. I do as much "real" cooking as I can handle. My messes can take 45 to 60 minutes to clean up after a 3 or 4 hour prepare/cook fest. But the closest I ever came to what you describe was when I worked in a hospital and was using to much alcohol hand sanitizer. Slathering that all over my hands like 600 times a day is not good for skin.

With that said, try different dish soap. The one you are using does not agree with you.

Do you want my reaction to this in straight talk, or do you want it sugar coated?

I'd say:

a) Try another soap as FlashBurn suggested.
b) Mind the water temperature (high enough to "work the dirt" but not enough that it will crack your skin later on).
c) erm... moisturizing lotion... I know I know.
e) There's rubber gloves, but using those feels worse than the moisturizing lotion.

Yep. being a man is hard these days.

If you're getting blisters, it's the soap, but f*ck me, soap is usually pretty benign.

Get some standard Palmolive soap and try that.

Or just stick to hot dogs and steak.

I'm tempted to mention rule 5, "man the @#$* up", but since my fingers tend to split if I don't wear work gloves, I won't.

So instead I say protect your skin and even use product. Just not to the point of causing beer glass / skin slippage.

I work outside. Canadian winters, in the north. When the hands get wet, then cold, the hand's skin gets brutal, cracks. Actually quite painful. I think it's in part because of being wet, then drying out, those cycles hurt the skin. Add in the cold weather, makes it significantly worse. For me the solution is twofold: multiple gloves so that I'm always using dry gloves (let the soaked ones dry out before using again), and use a skin moisturizer product. And no, there is no way I'm letting some pampered office poodle tell me to give up my "man card"... I know what I am.

I'm not clear exactly on what is causing your troubles... you mention "hard work"... is that the cause of the blisters? What exactly is the job?

Or is it the dishwashing that is part of your job? Too much water on the hand's skin can cause problems, no doubt.

Personally I hate the rubber gloves... if I wear them too long it does bad things to the skin.

buy paper plates ...no dish washing

I think I need to clarify - this wasn't a problem "directly" from kitchen work.

The problem was I was outdoors (after a long break) handling work tools, and my hands were so softened up from kitchen work that they blistered from that.

Hence the conflict - you work, you toughen up your skin.

But if you then go home and cook a lot you soften it up...

Oh, in that case it's a matter of just toughing through the process until your calluses build back up.

You may want to wear gloves off and on to keep from getting too raw and allow your hands to heal.

Yeah, gloves. I just did that.

Got called a "wimp" for that on a job site, but to hell with them.

Might just say "Well after work I put my hands on lady parts, so...."

Work gloves. They exist. Going to start using them. Probably should have done that years ago.

Stupid macho young attitude on my part and others...

Puts me in mind of this, this thread do.....

Well then, the straight talk answer

It's not your hands that need to toughen up. A couple of blisters for a couple of months is not a 'manly' concern.

I think he...touched...on this already, Mrs. Zamzow might not share your opinion.

I'm been called a wimp and worse for wearing safety gear (particularly ear plugs) or asking for help when having to lift something really heavy, but here I am at 50 years old and without serious hearing loss, a back in good shape, and all fingers and toes accounted for.

However, you want to do more and more without gloves as time goes by. Calluses are nature's work gloves.

Blisters from work are no fun. Plus they can get infected, and with doing work like construction, there is tons of opportunity to ruin the blisters and bandaid all over again. Little chance to heal. Add in sweat, dirt and chemicals, and its bad news.

Get a thick leather work glove. Then get the work glove that is an elasticky mesh that breathes, but with a rubber coating on the palm and fingers. These are form fitting. They help grip. But they also breathe, and will dry out fast too.

I think the cooking and dish washing are not as much a factor as you think. Using power tools all day long for days, when this kind of work is new to you, that causes blisters.

Also, "Aloe Vera" gel can help fix the skin, without ruining calluses. Good for blisters, cuts, sun burns. Make sure its high concentration though, weak aloe mixes are f#$@% useless. Or just buy an aloe plant.

Don't forget eye protection. Its often a pain in the butt, but having to take weeks off work due to eye damage SUCKS. A coworker missed nearly a month and a half because of a tiny spec.

As for being called a "wimp", just laugh and call them something else! Just normal ribbing between guys, may as well get used to it now!

Yeah, and I asked about it on page 1.

We're talking about blisters. I'm not going to treat this man like a boy. If you want to that's your affair. I'm also not going to discuss his problems with you.

And by the way, the correct approach to another man's relationship with his wife is to not speak about it in his place; its none of your business.