Hands work all day long. They type on laptop keys, open cans, and wipe dust. They also often come into contact with water, washing powder, dishwashing gel, and other household chemicals. All of this is harmful to the skin: it deprives it of natural protective oils. As a result, the skin becomes chapped, dry, irritated, and itchy . Hands don’t need a ten-step care routine, but a little attention and care is very helpful.
How to properly care for your hands
The American and British Associations of Dermatologists have some simple advice.
Moisturize your hands and protect them from temperature changes
Like your face, your hands need to be moisturized regularly. Ideally, after each wash. And it is recommended to wash your hands before and after cooking, before eating, after using the toilet, sneezing, and interacting with pets. In general, you can apply cream at any time when your skin feels dry. Just throw it in your bag and take it with you to school or work.
Moisturizing your skin is especially important if you use antibacterial gels and hand sprays. They contain alcohol, which dries out your skin even more. Another factor is the time of year. In winter, people turn on the heating indoors. Because of this, the air becomes drier and the skin of your hands suffers more. Therefore, a good moisturizer is a must-have in the fall and winter.
How to choose hand cream
Dermatologists advise looking for the following in the composition:
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Lipids. Create a protective layer on the skin, soften and smooth it.Lipids include:triacylglycerides,waxes and ceramides .
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Humectants . They attract moisture to the skin (including from the deeper layers of the skin to the upper ones ). Humectants include glycerin, urea, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and honey.
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Occlusives. They create a film on the skin and prevent moisture from evaporating.This is how Vaseline and silicones work, for example.
American dermatologist Andrea Suarez listed in her video what is best to avoid in hand cream:
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fragrances (they hide under different names, it’s better to google the list of popular ones and check it);
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menthol;
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eucalyptus;
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essential oils;
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camphor;
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alcohol;
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peppermint;
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witch hazel.
All of these ingredients can irritate the skin.
Wear gloves
The British Association of Dermatologists advises wearing gloves when:
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Washing and cleaning. The less skin comes into contact with cleaning products, the better.
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Autumn and winter walks. Regular fabric gloves will protect your hands from dry cold air.
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Cooking. Sometimes the skin is irritated by fruit acids and other plant substances. Therefore, it is better to peel oranges, cut tomatoes, garlic and hot peppers in gloves.
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Gardening. Especially if you touch fertilizers, pesticides, fiberglass, drywall, and cement. They are also very irritating to the skin.
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Washing and dyeing your hair (if you dye it yourself at home).
For household chores, gloves should be clean, dry and without holes. The best option is disposable nitrile or PVC. They are the least likely to cause allergies. If the gloves are reusable, they should be turned inside out and washed in warm water a couple of times a week.
It’s also great to give your hands a rest at least occasionally. For example, wash dishes in the dishwasher or put off hand washing delicate items for a while.
Protect your hands from the sun
The advice is obvious, but important. Ultraviolet light dries out the skin, causing wrinkles and pigment spots on the back of the hands. These problems are cosmetic – they do not threaten health. But there are more serious consequences of the sun. For example, precancerous spots and squamous cell skin cancer .
To protect your hands from the sun, you don’t have to buy a separate special sunscreen . A body product will do. The main thing is that the cream or lotion is waterproof and protects against all types of UV rays (look for the broad-spectrum mark on the packaging). The SPF level, according to dermatologists, should be at least 30.
Many dermatologists also recommend wearing thin sunscreen gloves while driving. The windshield of a car blocks 94% of UVA rays. But the driver’s side window only blocks 71%. So your hands are vulnerable to UV rays anyway.
Give yourself a hand spa treatment before bed
American professor of dermatology Diana Berson recommended this option:
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Wet your hands in warm water or milk.
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Apply moisturizer.
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Put on cotton gloves. This will prevent greasy stains from leaving on your bed linen.
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Turn on a humidifier (if you have one) and fall asleep. By morning, your skin will be soft and silky.
You can also try paraffin baths. Paraffin is a wax-like substance obtained during the distillation of oil. Baths from it are often done for osteoarthritis to relieve pain. Some studies have shown that the procedure also helps with hand eczema.
In general, paraffin is considered safe and even useful for the skin in some ways. It is classified as an occlusive that prevents moisture loss. Therefore, a paraffin bath will soften dry skin and make it more elastic. But this effect is temporary. Experts emphasize : paraffin does not really moisturize the skin, but rather gives a feeling of silkiness. People with acne should keep in mind that paraffin can worsen symptoms.
If you want, you can make a paraffin bath at home. To do this, you need time, the container itself and wax for it. Experts from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand recommended the following algorithm:
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Wash your hands with soap and dry them.
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Rub some hand lotion into your skin to make it easier to remove the wax.
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Dip your hand in the paraffin. Spread your fingers and dip only the tips first. If desired, dip your hand up to the wrist.
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Remove the waxed hand from the bath.
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Repeat steps three and four 6-8 times. Wait a few seconds after each. The idea is to allow the layers of wax to adhere to your hand.
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After the final dive, immediately cover your hand with a plastic bag and wrap it with a towel on top. You need to wait 10-15 minutes. Your hands will be warm all this time.
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Remove the entire structure from your hand; the wax will have cooled by this point. It should be carefully removed from the skin.
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Repeat the entire process with the other hand.
Paraffin baths have contraindications :
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Open wounds, cuts, burns and skin infections .
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Problems with sensitivity (for example, diabetics have these). If a person does not distinguish temperature, he can burn himself with wax.
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Allergy to paraffin. Paraffin is a petroleum product and may not be suitable for sensitive skin. In this case, a rash and swelling will appear.