Autumn and winter don’t only bring hot cocoa and beautiful falling leaves. Dry skin is another “gift” arriving with the cold season, and one of the things we hate the most. There are many ways in which we can prevent this from happening and treat it should it still appear. Let’s dive into the subject and see what this is all about.
Why do hands get dry and crack?
There are multiple reasons why hands can become very dry and why skin may crack. Certain medical conditions such as psoriasis or eczema lead to dry and red skin patches; these conditions require specialized medical treatment, as a simple hand lotion will not suffice to fully solve the issue. But there are more common reasons that we may all experience: the weather, working conditions, personal habits and lifestyle. These can all greatly affect the condition of our skin and the appearance of our hands. Solving some of these problems can “cure” our hands without much effort, and can help prevent them from drying or cracking again.
Weather conditions
Just like we said at the beginning of this article, cold weather is not our skin’s best friend. Dry and cold weather tends to dry out the outer layer of our skin, causing dryness and even cracking to occur. A good way to prevent this is to make sure that whenever the temperatures begin to lower, you start wearing gloves in order to guard your hands against the cold.
Working outdoors during cold weather or doing sports is great, but it should be done while wearing gloves and keeping an eye on your hands. Red and swollen hands are a very bad sign, and exposure to cold temperatures can lead to frostbite if you are not careful.
Working conditions
If you are a person who spends a lot of time with your hands in water, you should take extra care of your hands. Try wearing rubber gloves while washing dishes or other activities. This will help to maintain the exterior lipid layer that guards the structure of your skin. In addition, if you are working with chemical substances it is even more important to wear gloves. Even if you don’t feel burning or discomfort from these substances, over time they can lead to large cracks in the skin.
Habits and lifestyle
The first thing we should talk about is the current pandemic. Constant handwashing and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers can lead to dry hands that easily crack. Alcohol is famous for its amazing ability to kill viruses and germs: however, it is also very drying. Keeping your hands clean and hygienic is amazing, but you should also keep your hands moisturized and healthy to prevent discomfort and even local infection caused by cracks.
Similarly, habits like nail and cuticle biting are very bad for the skin, as they can lead to not only dry and anesthetic cuticles but also to a nasty infection. In addition, you may inadvertently ingest dangerous germs due to nail or cuticle biting. Try to abstain from this habit or use specific lotions which will make biting your nails and cuticles less appealing.
How to properly care for my hands?
We all know that hand lotions are key for the health and beauty of our hands. But it is also very important to pay attention to which ingredients these lotions contain. Try to look for lotions and creams that contain the following:
● Aloe
● Glycerine (one of the best hydrating ingredients in any cream)
● Jojoba, coconut, or argan oil
● Cocoa butter
● Vaseline (excellent for very dry hands)
● Urea
In addition, you can also go for overnight hand masks. You can opt for those which are ready-made, or you can simply apply 5-10% urea cream or vaseline on your hands. To make sure you lock in the moisture, you can use cotton gloves. The next morning your hands will look and feel noticeably better. If your hands start having large or bloody cracks, or if they show signs of discoloration or change in texture, you should seek the opinion of a doctor.
A very important take-home message is that proper hand care is constant hand care, just like in the case of any other body part. Guard your hands against harmful agents and show them some care and they will stay healthy and beautiful.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/dry-hands#prevention
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/moisturizers-do-they-work
