Many thanks one and all. I've dug the cotton household gloves from
under the sink and have hunted out some good handcream (if the strong
smell of teatree oil is anything to go by it should be powerful.

The other thing that this thread make me recall is that my mother used
to use common household salt and lemon rinds to clean her hands with.
Now I just have to keep u the treatment and not fall by the wayside.