If you are like millions of people who are washing their hands frequently to avoid catching the flu, you may be suffering from dry skin that is so irritated it may even crack and bleed. What can you do to remedy this?
1. Wash your hands with a mild soap or cleanser. Look for one that contains tea tree oil, which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.
2. Use a gentle exfoliant to smooth rough skin. You can make one at home by mixing honey, brown or white sugar, and a few drops of oil (extra virgin olive oil works great!). Apply this to your hands and rub gently. Rinse when done.
3. Moisturize your hands immediately after washing them and seal the moisture in by applying a heavy lotion or rich cream onto still-moist skin and massaging it in until it is absorbed. Look for one that contains vitamin E, botanical oils or shea butter. This will help create a barrier between your skin and the environment. Make sure to reapply cream every time you wash your hands.
4. At night, after applying cream, cover your hands (and dry, cracked feet too!) with light cotton gloves. This will help the moisturizer soak into your skin, and you may see and feel a significant difference by morning. Severely dry, cracked skin will require diligence, and can take days or even weeks to heal.
5. Don’t use scalding water to wash your hands.
6. Wear (latex-free) rubber gloves when washing dishes or using cleaning products to limit your exposure to water and abrasive chemicals that can irritate your skin.
7. Drink more water!
This blog is brought to you by La Isha Natural Skin Care!
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