Dry hand skin reasons what to do

We only think about hand cream in winter, when the skin cracks and peels from frost and wind. But it’s better not to take it to extremes and always keep a tube of cream with you - especially if the skin on your hands is dry. By the way, now we’ll tell you why she becomes like this and what to do about it.

Content

1. Dry skin: main signs
2. Causes of dryness
3. Proper care for dry hand skin
4. Seasonal care
5. Hand baths
6. Diet rules for dry skin
7. Preventive measures
8. Review of care products

Dry skin: main signs

Dry skin can be caused by both genetic predisposition and external factors - the use of poorly selected cosmetic products or harsh weather conditions.

Dry skin does not retain moisture well because its natural protective layer, the hydrolipid mantle, is damaged. Particularly often, areas with thin skin suffer from this problem: eyelids, arms, neck, décolleté.

Causes of dryness

Frequent hand washing with aggressive cleansers and the use of bactericidal gels (especially important for doctors and nurses).

Using household chemicals without gloves.

Using a scrub too often and, as a result, compromising the integrity of the protective barrier of the epidermis.

Working with chemicals, solvents and other aggressive substances.

Extreme weather conditions: heat or, conversely, severe frost and icy wind.

Low indoor air humidity is a common winter problem, since when the central heating is turned on, the air tends to be dry.

To prevent your hands from becoming dry, wear gloves when cleaning and washing dishes. © iStock

Proper care for dry hand skin

Note, what do you wash your hands with and how often? you do it. If dryness and cracks on the skin of your hands are your constant problem or your job requires you to wash your hands many times a day, change the classic bar or liquid soap to a more gentle cream cleanser.

Important limit contact of the skin of your hands with household chemicals, for example, when washing dishes: use gloves or replace products with moisturizers and hypoallergenic ones.

Hand scrub is not very popular, but it doesn’t hurt to get one. Regular (a couple of times a week) exfoliation removes dead particles of the epidermis and causes cells to renew faster. The skin not only becomes softer and more tender, but also better accepts the beneficial substances that are included in subsequent care products.

Hand cream should be on every woman's bedside table (you can throw the second one in your bag, and the third one in your office desk drawer). Without it, the skin on your hands will become wrinkled ahead of time.

As an emergency treatment for quick recovery, use hand mask: This can be either a special product or any fatty cream applied in a thick layer. Wear cotton gloves on top.

Use hand cream several times a day. © iStock

Rough, dry, rough skin on your hands is not a death sentence at all if you take good care of it. Nutrition and hydration are important not only for women with skin prone to dryness, but also for everyone else: this problem often appears during the cold season, during temperature changes, and illness. Dry hand skin - what to do with it, what creams, oils to moisturize, what vitamins to add to your diet and what to avoid - read on.

What is dry skin

Dry skin means a constant feeling of tightness, tingling, peeling, and cracks on the hands. The surface of the skin on the back of the hands and palms becomes rough, inelastic, especially stretched after contact with water and soap. Household chores can cause even more harm in this situation, so it is important to use special gloves when washing dishes and cleaning.

Why does the skin on your hands dry out?

The epidermis on the hands is thinner, has no sebaceous glands at all, and contains little moisture, unlike the skin of the face. Adverse weather conditions, contact with allergens, constant washing with hot water, failure to follow basic daily rules of personal care - all this leads to dry skin on the hands. What reasons can be identified:

1. cold: if you don’t wear gloves in low temperatures, the skin will definitely become rough;
2. household chemicals: wash dishes, windows, do wet cleaning only with gloves;
3. rough work with bare hands;
4. congenital predisposition;
5. nutritional disorders, lack of vitamins, dermatological diseases.

What to do if your hands are dry

First you need to understand that dry hand skin is a temporary problem. The situation can be easily corrected if you follow useful tips and try to avoid dangerous factors in the future. Let's look at how to get rid of dry hand skin:

1. if the problem is critical: there are deep cracks, calluses, wounds, the skin is very flaky - you should contact a dermatologist or cosmetologist to select effective restorative therapy;
2. if the skin is simply dry and does not look very beautiful, various creams, therapeutic masks and oils will certainly help you.

Vitamins for dry hands

If the cause of dryness is seasonal disorders of the body, then vitamins are a mandatory element to get rid of the problem. Vitamins B, A, C, E help best for hydration. It is necessary to include in the diet foods rich in essential substances: liver, fatty red fish, nuts, herbs, fruits. Water balance is important: you need to drink a lot of clean liquid a day and do not drink alcohol. Vitamins for dry hand skin can be taken in capsules, in the form of ready-made complexes.

How to moisturize your hands at home

To moisturize the skin of your hands at home, you need to apply nourishing, softening creams daily, eat foods rich in healthy fats, and keep your hands clean and safe. What to use on your hands for cracks and dryness? Simple recipes for moisturizers that can be prepared from available natural ingredients will help solve the problem. Prepare them yourself or choose special cosmetics that can be bought at any store.

Hand baths for dryness

Baths are a convenient and effective procedure. They saturate the skin with all the necessary substances, thanks to their aqueous structure, long-term effects penetrate deep into the skin and normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands. Herbal tinctures also heal flaky areas, small wounds and cracks well. Several recipes for homemade hand baths for dry hands:

1. A liter of linden blossom decoction, 7 drops of patchouli essential oil, can be replaced with orange, 1 tsp. glycerin. Place your hands in a hot bath and hold for 30 minutes.
2. Oat flour. Add 3 tbsp to 0.5 boiling water. l. flour, stir, cool to a comfortable temperature, place your hands in the mixture, hold for 20 minutes.
3. Potato or celery broth. Cool the liquid and hold your hands for 20 minutes.
4. Heat the milk slightly, add a teaspoon of honey, 2 drops of oil (avocado, jojoba, olive, sage). Stir and keep for about 20 minutes.
5. Half a liter of kefir, 2 raw yolks, 1 tsp. flaxseed, olive or other vegetable oil. Mix well and keep your hands in the bath for 20 minutes.

Hand mask for dryness and cracks

For the effect of the procedures to be noticeable, hand masks against dryness and cracks should be done regularly, 2 times a week. Before doing this, you need to wash your hands thoroughly, dry them with a towel, and massage them. The procedure can be done both at home and professionally, at an appointment with a manicurist or cosmetologist. What masks can be made from improvised materials:

1. Raw yolk, any vegetable oil, honey. Mix a tablespoon of honey and oil with the yolk, grind, apply to your hands, rinse with warm water after 15 minutes, or leave overnight, wearing thin gloves on top.
2. Juice of one slice of orange or lemon, vegetable oil. Apply the mixture to your hands, wait 15 minutes until it is half absorbed, and rinse.
3. Banana, 1 tsp. butter, 1 tsp. honey Mash the banana, mix with the rest of the ingredients, apply a compress to your hands, wrap them in cellophane and put on warm gloves. Leave for 30 minutes.
4. Soak the white bread crumb with hot water, add a drop of lemon juice and any oil, grease your hands, put on thin gloves. Wash off after 10 minutes.

Remedy for dry hands

Peeling of the hands can cause a lot of discomfort, both aesthetic and internal, since the skin becomes more vulnerable, exposed to external factors. A good remedy for dry hand skin is paraffin baths and wax masks, which can be made at home, if you have the necessary ingredients, or from a professional for a small amount. Special medicinal cosmetics, which are sold in pharmacies, have a quick, guaranteed safe effect. When selecting, you need to try each product on yourself and follow the instructions.

Cream for dry hands

Creams prepared at home are natural and harmless, but they can be stored for a short time, up to 2 weeks, and in some cases they can cause allergies if the composition is incorrectly selected. Beeswax, paraffin, fish or pork fat, butter and glycerin are good bases for a homemade cream for dry hands. The product must necessarily contain essential oils and other natural emollient ingredients.

It is better to apply cream for chapped hands at night for better effect, to maximally moisturize your hands and prevent the appearance of new cracks. Here are homemade recipes you may need:

1. Butter – 2 tbsp. l., 1 tsp. honey, 1 tbsp. l. St. John's wort decoction. Store in the refrigerator, rub into the skin of your hands daily before bed.
2. A solution containing vitamins A and E – 1 tsp, 1 tsp. any honey, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp. oil, preferably olive, 1 tsp. low-fat cream. Apply with a cotton pad.
3. Night cream, to be applied and kept under gloves: 1 tbsp. l. strong green tea, 1 tsp. shea butter, 1 tsp. orange oil, 1 tsp. beeswax, 2 capsules of a vitamin complex (for example, aevit). Heat the mixture in a water bath, stir, and cool.
4. A mixture of herbs (chamomile, celandine, St. John's wort) - 2 tbsp. l., pour half a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour. Mix 2 tsp. sea ​​buckthorn oil, 3 tbsp. l. melted wax, half a teaspoon of propolis and strained tincture. Apply in the morning and before bed.
5. Glycerin – 4 tbsp. l., 3 tsp. lemon juice, 3 tsp. starch, 2 tbsp. l. vodka. Heat in a water bath, stir, cool, use every day.
6. Take a tablespoon of cocoa butter, 3 drops of bitter orange oil, half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix, heat, beat with a fork or whisk, cool.

Hand oil for dry hands

Oils are a natural source of moisturizing and nourishing the skin. If you eat the right amount of fatty foods, add natural oils to cereals and salads, you can get the necessary fats to maintain softness and balance of the skin. Hand oil for dry hands can be used as part of masks or in its pure form. Regular care with oils will help your skin stay smooth during cold periods. Which oils are effective:

1. Cacao butter. Can be applied solid or melted.
2. Shea butter, coconut, natural cream.
3. Nourishing mask: a teaspoon each of avocado, grape seed, almond, apricot, orange, olive oils. Mix, heat slightly, treat especially damaged areas of the hands and elbows.

Ointment for dry skin of hands

If the situation is serious and your hands become very dry and crack, daily, careful care may be required. Cracks and dryness can occur over time, in old age, especially if you previously engaged in rough physical labor (work in the garden, in production). You need to start dealing with this problem on time - with the help of daily care, help the skin return to a soft, delicate state, do not forget to use creams and protective gloves. What ointments for dry hand skin will you need:

1. From calendula: grind half a glass of dry plant into powder using a blender or by hand, add a glass of melted lard. Heat in a water bath, stir, cool, store in the refrigerator.
2. Mix plantain powder with a teaspoon of any oil and a tablespoon of Vaseline.
3. Grind homemade rose petals into a pulp, mix with lard, leave for several days.
4. Smooth hernia: combine 100 g of crushed plant and 2 tbsp. olive or almond oil. Infuse for a week.

Treatment with pharmaceuticals

Cosmetics offered in pharmacies are good because they contain a ready-made set of active ingredients, the effect of which has been clinically proven. The downside is the high cost of such products and the unlikely but possible allergy. However, if you don’t want to bother with preparation, treatment with pharmaceutical products is also a solution: they can thoroughly moisturize the skin and protect it from the aggressive effects of the external environment. If you follow the instructions on the packaging and use the cream regularly, the development and renewal of skin cells will begin quickly.

What remedies are effective:

1. French cosmetics Vichy, La Roche Posay, Eucerin, Lierac;
2. ingredients for homemade creams: glycerin, paraffin, wax, herbal preparations, healthy oils;
3. vitamins A and E in capsules: for oral administration and dilution with oil.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Iron-deficiency anemia. This disease negatively affects the condition of the body as a whole, including the skin of the hands.
4. Increased blood sugar. It's no secret that people with diabetes suffer from dry skin.
5. 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.