COVID-19 | Save your Skin from the Excessive Handwashing

Here is how you can keep your hands safe even after excessive hand washing

Coronavirus is here for a year and it isn’t leaving us anytime soon. The spread of coronavirus is huge and non-stop. All the health officials have advised people to wear a mask and wash their hands regularly to curb the spread.

According to experts, scrubbing hands for 20 seconds straight kills germs and prevents their spread. Sanitisers with 70% alcohol have also proved to be quite effective. But as much as frequent hand washing is fruitful against coronavirus, it also leads to extremely dry skin problems and itchiness. In winter especially, frequent hand washing has led to cracked skin with dry patches. For most people, it isn’t a big deal but for some, it becomes a serious illness.

Why does too much hand washing lead to dry skin?

Soaps are quite helpful with killing and removing germs but while they do that, they also rinse away the oils from the skin. These oils protect your skin and keep it hydrated. The stripping off of oils leads to dry skin which then results in uncontrollable irritation. Cracked skin is no good. It is more prone to infections and conditions like eczema.

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So, even if you have saved yourself from coronavirus, vigorous and continuous handwashing will leave your skin damaged and irritated for a long time.

But that in no way means you should stop washing your hands. Read below to know what you can do to make sure your skin remains soft and healthy even after you have spent hours washing your hands.

How to keep your hands soft and hydrated?

  1. Use an alcoholic sanitiser

Instead of washing your hands after every other hour, keep a sanitiser handy. An alcoholic sanitiser kills germs without irritating or drying your hands. You can use a sanitiser when you think your hands are drying up and losing their softness. But do wash your hands once you are home. A sanitiser can help you reduce the number of times you use soap, but do not use it to replace your soap usage completely.

  1. Moisturize with a hand cream

If you are washing your hands regularly, you are doing a great job. But don’t forget to apply hand cream afterwards. Washing your hands with soap dries up your skin and ruins its texture. Hand cream helps to build in the lost moisture so that your skin feels hydrated. Always purchase a hand cream from a well-known brand so you are sure of the quality of the product.

  1. Use gentle hand soap

Make sure you always keep gentle and fragrance-free hand soaps. Soaps with artificial fragrances and chemicals are a no-no.

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  1. Clean with love

Do not rub a towel against your dry hands. Towels can irritate your skin to an extent that it can feel painful. Just pat a dry towel on your wet hands. Treat your hands with love and care.

  1. Vaseline is a blessing

Vaseline works like magic even for patients with eczema. Nighttime is a great time to look after your skin. Apply vaseline on your hands right before bedtime. Let your hands absorb as much moisture as they can and then just wash them after you wake up.

  1. Wear Gloves

Gloves are a great way to escape unnecessary hand washing. Wear gloves at work or in public places. Remove the gloves after you are home and just wash your hands once only. Dispose of those gloves and use a new pair the next day.

  1. Visit a Dermatologist

If you think your skin isn’t getting any better or is getting worse, book an appointment with a dermatologist. It is always better to take the right medication on time.

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Let’s Summarize

In a nutshell, it is important to look after your hands even if you are faced with a bigger problem also known as covid. Since we all are already dealing with coronavirus, do not take the other health issues in your life for granted. Health is life. Keep it a priority.

Filed under: Skin Care, Tips and Myths


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