Raise your hand if your (very clean) hands feel dry. 🙋♀️🙋♂️ You’re not alone. In an attempt to keep ourselves and others safe, we’ve been sanitizing and washing more than ever. With all of the alcohol in hand sanitizer, harsh soaps, and warm water, our hands are more susceptible to extreme dryness, and it can get really uncomfortable. We thought we would give a lending hand with our tips to keep your hands soft and hydrated during this time.
Seal in the moisture! Immediately apply a cream or ointment to the hands post-washing. Doing this will seal in the moisture from water and keep your skin hydrated.
Use a fragrance-free cream or ointment instead of a lotion. This is because fragrances can be irritating to sensitive, chapped skin, and creams and ointments lock in moisture and protect the skin more so than a lighter lotion.
Try to use a hand sanitizer with a moisturizing base. These types of hand sanitizers have emollient ingredients to nourish the skin and sometimes humectant ingredients like aloe vera.
Use cotton gloves. Before going to bed, apply your cream or ointment, like Vaseline or petrolatum product, and cover your hands with cotton gloves. This works similar to a mask as the ointment nourishes hands and the gloves protect your skin from external objects. This can be fun and relaxing to do while you’re on the couch watching Netflix at night.
If you are struggling with extreme skin dryness or have any other skin related concerns, call your local clinic today so we can answer any questions you may have or schedule an appointment for you.