Diligent hand washing is always important, now more than ever.
Diligent hand washing is always important–now more than ever. Unfortunately, frequent hand washing may come with an unpleasant effect—dry, flaky, cracked skin.
Your skin is your body’s barrier from everyday exposure to the outside elements. It is comprised of two layers, the epidermis and dermis. The epidermis, the outermost layer, is covered in lipids and oils, fatty compounds that act as a shield, along with maintaining the moisture in your skin. While soap does a great job at washing away surface debris, it also strips this outer layer of essential natural oils. To avoid damage to your skin resulting from
dryness, it is important to keep your hands well moisturized. So, here are a few tips to help minimize damage and maintain healthier hands.
- Use a gentle, natural, specifically for your skin (not for washing dishes). Avoid harsh detergents or soaps containing synthetic chemicals and fragrances. Wash your hands in warm water for at least 20 seconds, pat dry, and immediately apply a hand cream to lock in the water.
- Among the many kinds of moisturizers, which are often oil-based, are more effective after handwashing than lotions because hand creams are more nourishing. It’s also better to use clean formulated hand lotions, creams and balms that don’t contain synthetic chemicals or fragrances which can irritate fragile skin.
- or creams should be applied liberally throughout the day to help maintain
moisture balance. - and are thicker and can help restore the skin’s surface barrier. For an intensive moisture treatment, apply before bedtime and put on cotton gloves. This will
trap in the moisture and allow your skin to fully absorb the oils while you are
sleeping.
If you are prone to dermatitis or have sensitive skin, try opting for an or cream, as fragrances are a common contact allergen.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol can also be used to rid your hands of germs, though they are not as effective as proper hand washing with soap and water.
Frequent hand washing is not something we can avoid anymore, but you can avoid dry, irritated skin by starting the habit of moisturizing immediately after every wash, throughout the day, and especially at bedtime—your hands will thank you!