We all are washing our hands 20 times a day in the time of Coronavirus. Doctors says, that we should scrub our hands for atleast 20 seconds with soap and water or use sanitisers with 70% alcohol, which is a known drying agent. It’s not just a cosmetic feel-good factor. Trapping moisture in the skin is necessary to prevent cracks, which in turn can attract infection. Here’s how to lock the moisture in, right after you wash.
Top 5 reasons you must moisturise your skin –
1. Moisturising reduces the chances of skin problems. Using the right kind of moisturizer for your skin can help maintain its balance. When skin is too dry or too oily, many common skin problems like acne start to pop up.
2. Moisturizing can reduce the appearance of other blemishes. Freshly moisturized skin has a healthy sheen, which can even out any existing blemishes. Some moisturizers have some tint or self-tanner that can work with any skin tone.
3. Moisturizing helps your skin stay young. The most sensitive areas of your skin – the face, ears, neck, and chest – replace themselves more often than any other area on your skin. This daily loss of skin cells leaves these areas vulnerable to the dryness and the elements – in fact, they are highest-risk areas for skin cancer. Moisturizing can help give your sensitive skin the boost it needs to repair itself and stay healthy.
4. Moisturizing fights wrinkles. That plump, firm feeling in your face after moisturizing isn’t an illusion. According to the British Journal of Dermatology, people with properly moisturized skin accumulate wrinkles at just a fraction of the rate of those with dry skin.
5. Sensitive skin needs extra special care. Look for a moisturizer that has soothing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, oatmeal, and honey, just to name a few.
Here are 5 remedies for dry hands –
1. Moisturize
Moisturise
Apply a quality moisturizing cream or lotion several times per day. Lotions and creams help restore moisture and seal it back into the skin.
2. Wear gloves
Wear gloves
If your hands are frequently immersed in water, such as while washing dishes, consider wearing a pair of gloves. Gloves help prevent the water from stripping your skin of its natural oils.
3. Decrease stress
Decrease stress
It might sound crazy, but there may be a small association between stress and eczema. So if you notice your hands going haywire from dry skin caused by eczema, take some time for self-care to reduce stress.
4. Treat them overnight
Treat them overnight
One of the best remedies for dry hands is to slather them at night with lotion or a petroleum-based moisturizer, such as Vaseline. After, cover your hands with a pair of soft gloves or socks. Trapping the moisturizer will help it absorb more fully into your skin, and you’ll wake up with baby-smooth hands.
5. Apply a heavy-duty moisturizer
Apply a heavy duty moisturiser
For deep moisturizing, pick up a moisturizer that was originally intended for animals. Yes, really! Products such as Bag Balm, which was designed to help heal the tough cracks of a cow’s udders, can penetrate skin to really help keep it moisturized.
How to prevent dry hands –
If your dry hands are being caused by your work conditions, consider carrying a small bottle of lotion around with you so you can reapply moisturizer throughout the day. Look for moisturizers containing ingredients such as:
– glycerin
– jojoba oil
– cocoa butter
– aloe
How to have soft hands –
1. Select a moisturizer. Super soft hands don’t come without the right products; any old moisturizer won’t do, if you want the silkiest skin. Find a moisturizing cream that is specifically advertised for use on hands. Hand creams are typically much thicker than a regular lotion, and have more nutrients needed for softening rough hands (which tend to be the driest part of your body). If your moisturizer is runny or thin, it probably won’t do the job you need to get super soft hands.
2. Choose a good exfoliant. Exfoliants are used to scrub off the dead skin on your hands, both before and after moisturizing. The reason your hands feel rough to begin with, is because of the dead skin that is present. You can scrub this off, and then the fresh skin underneath is exposed. Exfoliants can be store-bought, or you can create your own. Try one of the following homemade recipes:
1. Sugar and olive oil, mixed into a paste
2. Ground oatmeal and milk, mixed into a paste
3. Coffee grounds and coconut oil, mixed into a paste
Baking soda and water, mixed into a paste
3. Find a pair of gloves. Using the overnight method for soft hands involves a set of gloves or mittens. There are some speciality spa gloves available for getting soft hands overnight; these have a permanent gel that lines the gloves, that helps to lock moisture into your hands. Otherwise, any pair of knit or cotton gloves or mittens will work.
If you don’t have any gloves, you can always use a clean pair of socks.
If you have exfoliator gloves, made from a rough loofah-like material, you can wear those as well.
Keep your hands clean and hydrated at all times, they do so much for you, the least you can do for them keep them moisturised.
P.s. – Stay safe!