A person’s appearance is a reflection of the state of his body. Dry skin on the palms indicates the presence of certain problems, which requires a special approach to treatment and prevention. Women especially suffer from this defect, since the appearance of their hands is extremely important to them.
Causes
The reasons why the palms of the hands become dry are the impact of external aggressive factors on them or the presence of certain health problems.
Use of household chemicals and other external factors
The skin on the palms may crack and peel for the following reasons:
- Using aggressive detergents from the household chemicals category without protective gloves. This is due to their irritating effect on the skin.
- Frequent use of antibacterial gels and hand creams. They destroy the protective layer of the epidermis, which leads to increased dryness.
- Contact of palms with construction mixtures, solutions, dust generated during repairs. From such an impact it can crack. Quite often a severe allergic reaction develops with the appearance of rashes and inflamed areas.
- The use of low-quality care cosmetics - creams, lotions, gels.
- Exposure of the skin to high or low temperatures, wind, sun.
Internal reasons
Peeling on the surface of the palms is often observed in people with dry skin after contact with water or other external irritants.
The appearance of this problem in children and adults can also be caused by certain pathological conditions of the body:
- Skin infection due to fungal infection.
- Poor nutrition, which leads to a deficiency of vital vitamins and minerals.
- Development of dermatological diseases. Dry skin can be caused by psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, and scabies.
- The presence of serious systemic diseases - diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction.
- Hormonal changes in the human body. Often problems with the epidermis occur during pregnancy or menopause.
Skin peeling may occur after antibiotic treatment.
Features of care
If the surface of your hands becomes dry, you need to provide them with proper care. This will help prevent the formation of deep cracks and the development of the inflammatory process.
Caring for flaky skin involves following these rules:
- To cleanse the skin, use hypoallergenic soap or gel. After water procedures, dry your hands with a soft towel, paying due attention to the area between the fingers.
- When cleaning, you should use high-quality rubber gloves to prevent contact of the epidermis with detergents.
- If you identify an allergen that causes peeling, you must avoid contact with it, which will help prevent the development of the problem.
- To maintain an attractive appearance of your hands, you must adhere to a balanced diet. You should avoid strict diets and include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and vegetable oils in your daily menu.
- In the winter-spring period, you can compensate for the lack of nutrients in your diet with the help of special vitamin-mineral complexes, which are sold in any pharmacy.
- To normalize the functioning of the entire body and speed up natural recovery processes, it is necessary to stop drinking alcohol, fatty and overly spicy foods.
- It is recommended to use special moisturizing hand creams daily. They should be applied half an hour before going outside and before bed.
Folk remedies
You can get rid of rough, rough and cracked skin and make it soft and attractive with the help of special folk recipes.
Baths
Baths to normalize the condition of the skin on the surface of the hands can be carried out using the following products:
- Camomile tea. Two tablespoons of medicinal plant flowers should be poured with a glass of boiling water. The mixture should sit for 20 minutes. The liquid is filtered and diluted with a small amount of clean water. It is recommended to take a chamomile bath before bed. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes. After the bath, dry your hands with a soft towel and apply olive oil to their surface. Chamomile has an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial effect, moisturizes the skin and relieves irritation.
- Saline and soda solutions. This procedure helps get rid of dry skin and strengthens it. In a liter of warm purified water, you need to dissolve 70 g of soda and 15 g of regular or sea salt. Place your hands in the resulting mixture and hold for 20 minutes, after which they are washed under the tap.
Masks
You can treat chapped hand skin using special homemade masks:
- Honey. Has a pronounced moisturizing and wound-healing effect. To prepare it, you need to mix a tablespoon of honey and oatmeal. After about 15 minutes, the mask is applied to the skin of the hands and kept for 30 minutes. After this, hands are washed and additionally lubricated with rich cream.
- Cucumber mask. Has a softening and moisturizing effect. Grate fresh cucumber on a fine grater and add 120 ml of milk. Place your hands in the resulting mixture and hold for 13 minutes, then wash them with plain water.
- Carrot. To prepare the medicinal mixture, take one root vegetable and grate it on a fine grater. Add two tablespoons of milk and one tablespoon of oatmeal to the resulting puree. The thoroughly mixed mixture is applied to problem areas and left for 20 minutes. After the procedure, it is recommended to apply olive oil.
- Sour cream. Helps moisturize the skin and relieve irritation. To prepare it, mix a glass of sour cream with the juice of one lemon and raw yolk. The resulting mixture is applied to a piece of gauze and applied to the problem skin. Hands are additionally wrapped in cellophane and cloth. Keep this mask for half an hour, after which it is washed off with plain water.
If deep cracks appear on your hands caused by increased sensitivity and dry skin, you can use a special homemade ointment to improve their condition. The medicine consists of several simple ingredients - a teaspoon of vinegar, yolk, a tablespoon of any vegetable oil.
These components are combined with each other, and the ointment is ready. It is applied to the hands, after which cotton gloves are put on. This compress should be kept overnight. In the morning, wash your hands with warm water.
Prevention measures
To preserve the attractive appearance of your skin for many years, you must follow these tips:
- It is recommended to wash your hands only in warm water. Too high a temperature leads to peeling, low temperature leads to loss of elasticity.
- Dry your hands only with clean towels made from natural soft fabrics.
- Every day before going to bed, lubricate the skin with moisturizing creams containing plant extracts, nourishing oils and vitamins.
- Every week it is recommended to make moisturizing masks using pharmaceutical or homemade products.
- Do not expose your hands to frost or wind. For protection, it is recommended to wear warm gloves.
By adhering to these rules, you can significantly improve the appearance of your skin and prevent excessive dryness and flaking.
The positive effect of cosmetic procedures will increase if you supplement them with proper nutrition and quality rest.
It's nice when your hands are well-groomed and beautiful. However, peeling often develops, dryness, wrinkles and “parchment” of the skin appear. This not only causes discomfort, because your hands are always visible, but also signals that it’s time to pay attention to them. Before you start fighting for beautiful hands, you need to figure out why the skin on your hands has become dry and what to do about it.
Causes of dry hand skin
Dry hand skin can be caused by many factors, both disease-related and unrelated. Let's take a closer look at both.
Not associated with diseases
- Skin exposure to weather factors. Wind and cold, as well as sudden changes in temperature, and the summer sun make the skin rough, causing dehydration, redness, dryness and cracks.
- The influence of household chemicals. Our hands come into contact with detergents and other products every day, without which we cannot keep our home clean. This causes dryness and irritation.
- Vitamin deficiency. It occurs mainly in spring or autumn and also negatively affects the condition of the skin of the hands.
- Insufficient or complete lack of hand care. If the skin of the hands does not receive moisture and nutrition through basic care, then many problems develop, including dryness.
Diseases that cause dry skin on hands
If this problem is caused by a certain disease, then normal daily care will not be enough. In this case, you need to consult with a specialist who will identify the cause and prescribe treatment. What diseases cause dry skin on your hands?
- Allergy. This reaction can be caused by both food and jewelry if they are made from an alloy that is not suitable for you.
- Fungal disease. This disease causes not only dry skin on the hands, but also cracks and peeling. Treatment is prescribed by a specialist.
- Iron-deficiency anemia.
- Diabetes. With elevated blood sugar levels, the skin on the hands becomes dry and itchy.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In the presence of such problems, the body poorly absorbs beneficial components from food, which causes a deficiency of vitamins and negatively affects the condition of the skin.
What to do
There are a large number of products that can eliminate problems with the skin of the hands. However, it must be remembered that if dryness and other negative manifestations are associated with the presence of a disease, then treatment should be carried out by a specialist. If the cause is not related to a serious illness, creams, ointments, and vitamins are used. Let's get acquainted with the most effective of them.
Creams
Store shelves are filled with an abundance of cosmetics. Which ones should you choose? This will depend on the individual characteristics of the skin.
Hydro active cream restores the skin of the hands and also has a positive effect on the health of the nails.- Velor cream actively moisturizes and protects hands, combats minor scratches and cracks.
- Salon spa cream moisturizes, nourishes, and relieves flaking.
- Cream “Velvet Hands” intensively moisturizes the skin of the hands, and after application it does not cause a sticky feeling, as it is well absorbed.
- Nivea cream is an excellent remedy that relieves inflammation, flaking, and retains moisture in the upper layers of the skin.
These products can be purchased at any pharmacy. Which ones are the most in demand?
- Boro Plus is a universal ointment that fights skin inflammation, restores the metabolism of the skin layers and the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
- Radevit relieves inflammation, protects, reduces itching, gives the skin softness and hydration.
- Bepanten is a product that restores and perfectly moisturizes the skin, accelerates metabolic processes, and fights cracks and scratches.
Vitamins
To help the skin of your hands recover, it is necessary that the body receives a sufficient amount of vitamins and other useful components. Not only vegetables and fruits will help, but also, if necessary, multivitamin complex preparations.
- Neurovitan. Contains B vitamins. The drug is taken for 2-4 weeks, 2-3 tablets per day.
- Alphabet of cosmetics. Combines all the microelements and vitamins necessary for the body. Should be taken for 15 - 30 days, 2 - 3 tablets daily, the interval between doses is at least 4 hours.
- Supradin Rosh. A multivitamin complex that helps restore the skin and mucous membranes. Duration of use: at least 30 days, 1 pill per day.
Homemade hand moisturizer
Baths
- Mix a tablespoon of berries and lingonberry leaves with 2 tbsp. l. St. John's wort herbs. Pour the mixture into a thermos and pour 2 cups of boiling water, strain after 45 minutes and let cool slightly. The infusion is ready for use, dip your hands in it for a quarter of an hour, then use the cream.
- Mix horsetail, hawthorn inflorescences, peppermint and St. John's wort in a ratio of 1:4:2:2. Take a tablespoon of the resulting mixture and pour 500 ml of boiling water, leave for half an hour, then make hand baths for a quarter of an hour. Finish the procedure by applying a moisturizer.
Paraffin baths
This procedure is very effective: it normalizes water balance, heals cracks, removes dryness, flaking, and restores smoothness, elasticity and softness to the skin.
Melt 2 kg of cosmetic paraffin in a water bath. Treat the skin of your hands with scrub and lotion, apply cream. Dip your hands into liquid and not too hot paraffin for 5 - 6 seconds, stretch them out, then repeat the immersion for 10 seconds and so on 7 - 8 times so that the paraffin layer is thick. After which, to enhance the effect, it is recommended to wear plastic gloves and mittens for 20 - 25 minutes, then remove the paraffin, wipe your hands with a damp cloth and lubricate them with nourishing cream. The procedure can be performed twice or three times a month.
Masks
Hand masks are useful in the fight against dry skin. If used regularly, cracks, peeling and redness of the skin will become a thing of the past. Choose the appropriate recipe from those suggested below.
- Sunflower oil. This is an excellent method recommended by traditional medicine to combat peeling. The oil needs to be slightly heated so that the temperature is comfortable. Immerse your hands in the liquid for 15 - 20 minutes, and then remove the remaining oil with a napkin.
- Olive oil. A very effective product that helps improve the condition of the skin. To prepare the mask, mix a tablespoon of oil with a small amount of warm boiled water. Keep your hands in the prepared liquid for half an hour, then use a napkin to remove any remaining product.
- Mask based on rye bread. Pour boiled milk over a piece of Borodino rye bread and leave for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the bread and mash with a fork. Add 2 tsp to the resulting mass. starch, one yolk and 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Mix everything well and apply to your hands, put on plastic gloves and immerse your hands in a basin of hot water for 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water. The procedure is carried out every other day for 3 weeks.
- Mask based on boiled potatoes. Boil two potatoes in their skins. Using them you can prepare three types of masks: potatoes + a small amount of warm milk, potatoes + 2 tsp. cucumber juice, potatoes + 2 tsp. lemon juice. Apply one of the masks warm to the skin of your hands and cover with a napkin, rinse after 15 minutes and apply a nourishing cream. These masks do a great job with peeling and cracks.
- Honey + yolk + butter. Mix the yolk with 2 large spoons of vegetable oil and one spoon of honey. Apply to the skin of your hands for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water and apply a nourishing cream.
Preventive measures
To prevent dryness, peeling, cracks and other troubles in the future, it is recommended to follow some rules for caring for the skin of your hands.
- After washing your hands, dry them with a soft towel (not a waffle towel).
- If you use warm or hot water to wash your hands, it is recommended to rinse them with cool water to activate blood circulation in the surface tissues.
- In the cold season, hands should be protected with gloves or mittens, and in the warm season with a cream that will reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
- It is recommended to use a moisturizer containing glycerin after morning and evening hygiene procedures. If you have time, then after applying the cream you should wear cellophane gloves for 30 minutes. This will enhance the effect of the cream.
- Cleaning the room and washing dishes using detergents is best done with protective latex gloves.
- A scrub has a good effect, removing everything unnecessary from the skin - impurities and dead skin cells.
Women need to remember that hands are an indispensable tool that should be taken care of daily.
Many people are familiar with the problem of dry hand skin. What to do in this case? Peeling, wrinkling and “parchment” condition of the skin are not only a phenomenon that causes discomfort, but also a signal that you should immediately begin taking care of your hands. First of all, it is worth identifying the reasons for this unaesthetic and discomforting manifestation. Dry hand skin, cracks and other unpleasant symptoms appear for a reason. Let's figure out what circumstances provoke this unpleasant picture?
Dry hand skin: causes
Vitamin deficiency, insufficient care, dry air and other stress factors negatively affect the condition of our skin. As for the hands, as a rule, all these negative impacts are reflected first.
Hand washing with very hot water and aggressive sulfate products has a negative effect. Dry skin may bother you after using the wrong shower gel or liquid soap.
It is advisable to treat your hands with moisturizing and nourishing cream every time after contact with water. As for the choice of cream, it does not have to be expensive: there are very affordable products that cope well with their function. You can only understand whether a cream is right for you or not by trying it.
Diseases that cause dry skin
Unfortunately, dry hand skin can be caused by certain diseases. Creams and masks in this case will be ineffective. If you have very dry skin on your hands, you should consult your doctor. Here are some possible reasons:
- Allergic reaction. This manifestation can be caused by anything - from wearing rings made of the wrong alloy for you to food. A dermatologist will identify the problem, and tests can accurately determine what exactly causes such a reaction.
- Fungal disease. Unfortunately, dry hand skin, cracks and discomfort can be caused by a fungus. This option is especially likely if a person's feet are affected by this disease.
- Iron-deficiency anemia. This disease negatively affects the condition of the body as a whole, including the skin of the hands.
- Increased blood sugar. It's no secret that people with diabetes suffer from dry skin.
- Gastrointestinal diseases. If the body does not have the ability to fully absorb microelements from food, of course, a lack of vitamins will arise, and the poor condition of the epidermis will not take long to occur.
Myths about dry skin
1. A good cream is enough to cope with this problem.
In fact, any skin problem should be approached comprehensively. To completely get rid of dry skin and, as a result, prevent its aging, you should definitely pay attention to your diet, as well as use various procedures to deeply moisturize problem areas.
2. Moisturizing and nourishing hand creams are needed only for dry skin.
It is not true. In fact, all skin needs hydration. And the better the care is chosen, the more comfortable the sensations will be, the longer your hands will look young.
3. Dryness is caused only by a lack of water in the skin.
Actually this is not true. In addition to moisture, the skin needs sufficient fat secretion.
4. Dryness is a genetic predisposition.
Not at all necessary. This unpleasant phenomenon may well be caused by regular improper or insufficient care and a lack of vitamins and microelements.
Where to begin?
First of all, to relieve discomfort, you should use hand cream as soon as possible. After each contact with water and before each exit outside, this manipulation should be performed. If the situation is very advanced and you have very dry skin on your hands, then remember: the richer and more nutritious the cream, the better.
Please note that when combining the oral intake of several vitamins, you should consult a doctor so as not to accumulate an excess of them in the body.
Natural masks for dry hand skin
At home, you can deal with dry hand skin using some products. For example, vegetable sunflower oil helps a lot. It should be slightly warmed up to a comfortable temperature. Then your hands should be soaked in the oil for about 20 minutes, after which the remaining oil from the skin should be wiped off with a napkin.
Baths with olive oil will significantly improve the condition of your skin. To do this, you need to pour a tablespoon of oil into a small amount of warm boiled water and hold your hands in this mixture for half an hour.
Compresses made from mashed potatoes and baths of broth perfectly soften the skin.
If you prefer natural remedies when caring for yourself, you will certainly like the oatmeal mask for dry hands. Oatmeal is one of the few foods that contain hyaluronic acid. Any oil is added to the porridge, after which this mixture is applied to the hands.
Adding oil vitamins, honey and other additives will enhance the effect and healing effects of the product on the skin. Applying homemade mayonnaise prepared on the basis of any vegetable oil and eggs also helps greatly.
Natural animal fats, such as bear or badger, are very rich in vitamins. After all, these animals hibernate, and their body stores in reserve a balanced and powerful complex of all the microelements necessary for life.
If you have very dry hand skin, it makes sense to increase the duration of any procedure to one hour.
Paraffin therapy - deep skin hydration
Many people know how much discomfort dry skin on the hands can cause. What to do in this case, you ask? A procedure loved by many - paraffin therapy - copes well with dryness. Contrary to the belief that this is a purely salon procedure, it is quite possible to carry it out at home yourself. To do this, you will definitely need special cosmetic paraffin, a couple of plastic bags, two towels and an unnecessary container or other container. Other devices, like a special bath and mittens, of course, make the procedure easier and more enjoyable, but you can easily do without them.
So, the entire pack of paraffin is melted in an unnecessary container in a water bath. While the piece in our container turns into a homogeneous liquid mass, thoroughly scrub the skin of your hands with a scrub for several minutes. This way you will get rid of dead skin particles and allow the nutrients to work harder during the procedure.
When the mixture is completely melted, grease your hands with your favorite cream, then dip them in paraffin. Of course, before immersing your hands entirely, try to see if the temperature of the composition is comfortable to avoid burns. Keep your hands in the paraffin for 10 seconds, then take them out, let the resulting film “set” for a few seconds, then lower them into the composition again. Such dives can be done up to 7 times. Before the last time, bring your fingers together tightly, as a result you should get a very dense layer of paraffin. Then you need to put the bags on your hands and wrap them in towels for 20–30 minutes. During this time, the skin receives deep hydration and nutrition. Blood circulation and metabolic processes are accelerated, the applied cream is intensively absorbed. The sweat released in such “greenhouse” conditions is absorbed back, while all impurities and toxins remain on the paraffin. In addition to the fact that dry skin on your hands will no longer bother you, this procedure allows you to perfectly care for your cuticles, strengthen your nails and accelerate their growth.
At the end, the paraffin films are removed from the hands and thrown away, and the remaining composition remains in the container until the next time.
Treatment with pharmaceuticals
In advanced cases, dry skin on the hands cracks and bleeding wounds appear. In this case, it is necessary to take special care of hand hygiene, disinfect these areas with chlorhexidine or miramistin, and smear the wounds with healing ointment. These can be panthenol-containing drugs, Solcoseryl or any other non-hormonal drug.
Extra care
Dry skin on your fingers and palms may be caused by not using protective gloves when working around the house. Make it a rule: they should be worn not only when using obvious aggressive chemicals (for example, when washing a toilet, oven, bathtub). For any everyday work around the house that involves contact with cleaning agents and detergents, it is advisable to wear such gloves.
Always dry your hands and do not let them dry on their own. And before going out into the sun, don’t forget to apply sunscreen to this dry and aging area.
Be sure to exfoliate your hands with a scrub 2-3 times a week. You shouldn't do this more often, but moderate exfoliation never harms the skin. After this manipulation, always apply a nourishing cream.
What to do if you are allergic to hand cream?
Unfortunately, this happens quite often. If you always have an allergy to hand creams, try taking a nourishing protective baby cream. Such products for babies are quite inexpensive, but they do their job remarkably well and practically do not cause allergic reactions.
A little trick
In addition to paraffin therapy, you can also do less energy-consuming procedures at home. Simply wrap your hands with your favorite cream in plastic bags for a period of 20 minutes to one hour.
And remember, the more hydrated the skin of your hands is, the younger, fresher and healthier it will look. By taking care of yourself, paying attention to every detail, right down to the tips of your nails, you will look much younger than your age.