We all know by now that washing our hands, along with wearing a face mask, is a major step in the prevention of spreading COVID-19, but all that hand-washing can start to add up. If you've noticed that the skin on your hands is looking a little dryer and redder than usual, then you're not alone. Many of us across the world are doing our best to wash our hands or use hand sanitizer to keep ourselves and others healthy, but still, dry skin really sucks and is not exactly the look for summer than anyone wanted.
Thankfully, however, adding a few new steps into your hand care routine can have the double effect of keeping hands clean but also to reduce irritation and damage in the long-run. Make sure you're doing the following to have the best hands in town.
Watch how you're washing - Experts like Dial thankfully know a thing or two about correct hand-washing procedures, but the quick version is to simply use a high-quality liquid hand soap (bar soap is okay but get a soap dish that drains the water out) and wash with cold or lukewarm water for around 20 seconds. Make sure to wash the backs of your hands, your wrists, and in between your fingers and thumbs as well. If in a pinch, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol is a good substitute.
Be careful with faucets - Faucets in of themselves aren't particularly dangerous, but if you're using one in a public restroom or in a household with several different people living under one roof, then ensure you aren't touching the faucet handle after you've washed your hands. This is because the handles could also hold the germs you've just worked so hard to remove with soap and water, and touching the handle gets you back to step one again. Either use your elbow or a piece of toilet paper or paper towel to turn it off so that your skin remains safe.
Protect your skin when cleaning - Even if we all hate it, there comes a time when we simply must clean our home. As all those disinfectant sprays are pretty strong against surfaces to remove germs, make sure you're wearing rubber gloves when you start cleaning. The chemicals are great at killing bacteria in the bathroom and kitchen, for example, but you don't really want them on your skin!
Always moisturize after washing your hands - After you wash your hands, the trick to avoiding dry, cracked hands is to apply moisturizer that's hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, as this will ensure you won't get any more skin irritation. Dry and cracked hands weaken your body's defense against germs and make it more likely to get an infection. You can keep a few bottles of moisturizer around you, such as the bathroom, kitchen, car, your handbag, etc., as then there's always one within reach when you need it. Applying moisturizer before sleeping is a great way to heal damage on your hands while you rest. Any product with ingredients like urea, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid are always good in our books. You could also wear cotton gloves when sleeping to avoid scratching or damaging your hands even more overnight.
Don't worry so much! - The fear of having dry hands shouldn't mean you need to ease up on washing them! Keep your hands hygienic as much as possible, but also step up your aftercare routine to have clean, supple hands that can't be beaten.

WRITTEN BY

Clara Rose