Dry hands in winter are a common complaint. Here's how to get the problem under control.
Why do hands dry out in winter?
Winter is hard on your hands. In September they are still smooth, supple and soft, but in February they can become red, cracked and rough. The main reason for this is the lack of moisture. In winter, the humidity in the outside air drops significantly. It is even drier inside thanks to the heating. Washing your hands frequently to avoid catching a cold or flu can strip you of the natural oils that are still present in your skin. This can cause them to become so dried out,that they become cracked, peeling and bleeding.
The extent of the damage depends on how strong or weak your skin barrier is. What does that mean? The skin barrier is a mixture of proteins, lipids and oils. It protects your skin, and how well it works depends largely on your genes.
If you have a weak barrier, you are more likely to experience sensitive skin symptoms such as itching, inflammation and eczema. You are also more likely to get very dry hands in the winter. The good news is that once you are aware of this process, you are already halfway to solving the problem.
Here are some tips on what you can do to combat dry hands in winter.
Keep moist, keep moist, keep moist
To treat dry, flaky hands, you need to replace the moisture your thirsty skin is missing. Drinking water, experts point out, won't do that. Only the hand cream for extremely dry hands, which is applied directly to the skin, prevents water from evaporating and gives your skin a healthy appearance.
Start moisturizing before it becomes a problem. The best prevention is to start applying a moisturizer before your hands show signs of dryness. Applying moisturizer once a day is not enough. That's probably enough protection for about five minutes. If you apply a moisturizer more often, its effects will last longer. Five or six applications per day provide around-the-clock protection.
Tipp: To achieve this goal, practice what we call “good product placement.” In addition to keeping a large tube of your favorite moisturizer in your bathroom, stash smaller sizes in your purse, gym bag, and desk to make applying it a habit. Remember to rub the hand cream or lotion over your cuticles and nails too. The nails can become dry, as can the skin on the hands.
What are the causes of brittle nails and how can you strengthen them with home remedies? You can do thatfind out here!
Choosing the right moisturizer
On the shelves of your drugstore you will find a variety of hand creams forvery dry, cracked handsand body lotions. Remember that only two types of ingredients do most of the work when it comes to keeping your skin soft and moisturized:Emollients und Humectants.
Emollientsact as a lubricant on the surface of the skin. They fill the gaps between cells that are ready to be shed and help the loose edges of the dead skin cells that are left behind hold together. The slippery feeling you get after applying moisturizer comes from emollients. They ensure that the skin remains soft, smooth and supple. Look for ingredients like lanolin, jojoba oil, isopropyl palmitate, propylene glycol linoleate, squalene, and glycerin stearate.
Humectantsdraw moisture from the environment to the surface of the skin and increase the water content of the outer skin layer. Look on the ingredients label for common humectants such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, sorbitol, propylene glycerin, urea, and lactic acid.
Stronger products for more damaged skin
If your hands are no longer just dry and rough, but have small cracks or cracks, are tender, or are bleeding, it's time to move on to stronger moisturizers. Vaseline is a reliable aid. Or choose a thick, rich moisturizer with heavier ingredients like dimethicone, cocoa or shea butter, or beeswax. Apply the cream before bed, put on a pair of cotton gloves or socks and leave it on overnight.
How you should wash your hands
To protect your hands while protecting your health by washing your hands frequently, choose a mild soap, use warm, not hot, water, pat your hands dry, and immediately apply moisturizer.
If you have very dry hands in the winter or wash them a dozen times a day, consider replacing some of the soap and water applications with hand sanitizer gel or wipes. These alcohol-based sanitizers may dry out the skin, but for people who wash their hands frequently—whether they're doctors, moms, or dog walkers—they're actually a little gentler on the skin than soap and water.
More tips for dry hands after constant hand washingcan be found here!
Consider a humidifier
Using a humidifier can also help your skin. The higher humidity will not only relieve your super-dry hands, but it will also soothe dry, itchy skin all over your body (including chapped lips) and a stuffy nose. Be sure to maintain (and clean) the device regularly so that it doesn't release bacteria or mold into the air.
Put on gloves
Wear gloves if you spend more time outside than just walking to the car on cold days. If your hands get wet, dry them and then apply moisturizer.
If the redness, peeling, and tenderness persist, you should see a dermatologist. He may prescribe a steroid cream to combat the inflammation and also check whether your dry hands may be due to a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis.
When your skin is healthy, basic care—resisting the urge to warm up with hot water and keeping simple, effective remedies on hand—will help you endure winter until the warmth of spring arrives.
