Keeping your hands from drying out by using something like cocoa butter cream does help. But if you get those real annoying small cracks in your fingertips right by the nail, something I've found that really works is liquid bandage. The best is probably Walgreen's liquid bandage (which comes in a small bottle with an applicator. A double application, with the second several minutes after the first seems to do the trick). Smells like some kind of nail polish remover. But it really does work. If you keep getting your hands in water, those little cracks won't go away. Liquid band. gets it healed. I'd be tempted to include a small bottle in an emergency FA kit.

Tim W. (not a TV pitchman, but probably sounds like one).