Is The Frequent Handwashing Drying Out Your Hands? Tips You Can Use
Here’s how you can get rid of your dry hands caused by frequent handwashing.
It is a common habit for many women to wash their hands frequently and don’t even realize that it may be causing major damage to their skin.
The idea of having clean hands has been impressed on our minds since childhood and so, we feel the need to have them clean at all times.
When going out, before cooking or eating food, after using the bathroom or changing diapers of your children. Furthermore, we continue this practice even when we get home because the chemicals used in cleaning products can irritate the hands as well as absorb into the skin.
Many people rely on hand sanitisers which are not any better for your health either, these products contain chemical substances that leave a sticky layer behind and prevent water from penetrating the skin.
Why Does Handwashing Dry Hands?
The skin on the hands is actually very thin. It contains few oil glands and lacks the protective layer of fat beneath the surface that our skin has on other parts of our body.
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Even if you apply moisturizer on your hands they will still feel dry as it simply does not penetrate through to the deeper layers of skin, which means there is nothing stopping wetness from evaporating or entering into the air.
Studies have shown that men wash their hands much less than women throughout the day, yet their hands are in better condition. This can be explained by the fact that most men use bar soaps while women tend to use water with a high level of chemical compounds found in many hands.
The frequent handwashing with soaps containing alcohol or other chemicals will strip the skin of the natural oils and cause it to dry out immediately.
Studies have shown that people washing their hands for just 15 seconds can reduce moisture on the skin by up to 26 percent. This does not sound much but, considering how often we wash our hands during a day, this can result in a lot of damage over time.
If you want your hands to look younger, healthy and most importantly feel soft then try applying moisturizing cream after every hand washing session or at least three times throughout the day. It’s as easy as 1-2-3!
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Moreover, If you are tired of having red, rough, dry hands that crack and bleed then keep reading the following tips which will help you maintain healthy-looking hands.
Tips to Reduce Dryness
- Try to avoid using soaps with strong chemicals or perfumes as they can dry out your skin quickly.
- Make sure to use a moisturizing cream after handwashing and apply a good quality hand lotion many times throughout the day.
- Use milder cleansing products such as Cetaphil or Dove soap with aloe vera for washing your hands. These brands offer gentle formulas that won’t strip your skin of its protective oils.
- If you have eczema on your hands then it is even more important to moisturize them as this will help you to keep the itching and flaking at bay.
- Avoid using hand sanitisers that contain alcohol on your skin as these lotions can dry out your hands.
How to Avoid Frequent Handwashing?
Well, it is not always possible to avoid using hand soap or sanitisers due to the situations that are constantly making you wash your hands throughout the day. However, there are a few tricks that you can incorporate into your daily routine in order to minimize your exposure to harsh chemicals and preserve moisture on your skin so you don’t have to feel embarrassed about your appearance.
- When going shopping, carry wet wipes with you and use them instead of washing your hands every time they get dirty. Even better, take a big bottle of water with you as it will save money over buying expensive bottled water while at the grocery store.
- If you live in an area where tap water isn’t clean enough to drink due to the high levels of chemicals in it, invest in a shower filter. These appliances remove impurities from the water before passing it through to your skin which will keep it healthy and prevent dryness.
- When you have to use a hand sanitiser make sure to select one that does not contain alcohol as this compound strips the skin of its natural oils and dries it out very quickly. Look for products that instead contain emollients, these types of lotions can help retain moisture on the skin without being harsh on it.
- In order for your moisturizing cream or ointment to work properly, you need to be patient and take time applying it at least three times during each day if not more. This can be a good excuse for allowing your phone to ring once or twice as you are applying lotion to your hands.
- Don’t forget that moisturizing cream is not needed just on the hands but it should be applied on any other area in order to prevent dry skin, such as elbows and knees.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways in which you can avoid frequent handwashing and dry hands throughout your day.
The suggestions mentioned above will help you keep your hands soft and fight the signs of ageing. So don’t hesitate to use them next time you wash your hands. You have nothing to lose but cracked dry skin!
Filed under: Skin Care, Tips and Myths
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