Dry skin on your hands can range in severity from mildly dry to severely chapped.  The causes can vary greatly too, but generally dry skin on your hands is the result of reduced water and moisture content in your skin, something that can affect skin across your entire body.  However, when dry skin affects just your hands, the chances are that this is caused by a genetic condition, age, dry air, too much indoor heating, prolonged hot showers/baths or possibly using too many harsh detergents or soaps on exposed skin, windburn, sunburn, allergies, eczema, excessive hand washing and too many chemicals being used on exposed skin.

There are many symptoms of dry skin on hands, though not all may be apparent at the same time or with the same severity.  These can include tenderness, sensitivity, cracking, peeling, redness, dryness, roughness and itching.

Though there are many hand lotions available for the dry skin on your hands, the best ones will contain no colorants, preservatives, additives or perfumes and will contain glycerine or olive oil.  However, if you wish to treat your dry skin on your hands naturally, you can use the following remedies:

• Oil/sugar – 1 tablespoon olive oil with 3 tablespoons brown sugar; mix well; massage into hands for 5 minutes; rinse with clean, warm water; this removes dead skin cells and moisturizes
• Lime/sugar – 1 tablespoon warm water mixed with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon lime juice; mix well and massage into hands for 5 minutes; rinse with clean, warm water; exceptional for softening very dry or chapped hands
• Almond oil/rosewater – 1 teaspoon rosewater, 1 teaspoon organic honey, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon almond oil mixed together well; massage into dry or chapped hands for 5 minutes; rinse well with clean, warm water; excellent for severely dry or very chapped hands
• Almond oil/buttermilk – 1 cup organic buttermilk mixed with 1 tablespoon of almond oil; mix thoroughly; massage into hands for 5 minutes; leave on for half an hour and apply again; use before bed and wear fabric or plastic gloves whilst sleeping; rinse hands well with clean, warm water after waking up; a good emergency method for severely chapped hands; helps to eliminate itching and dead skin cells

Having dry skin on your hands is more common than you may think.  Though it can be unsightly, uncomfortable and embarrassing, you can treat your dry skin at home cheaply and affectively with home remedies.

Body Basics

Skin that is healthy is covered in a thin layer of natural lipids forming a lipid defence barrier. Lipids are a fatty like substance that helps to protect the skin from foreign invaders but also prevent excess moisture loss, keeping the moisture in and therefore the skin soft and supple. We need to look after this layer to keep our skin looking and feeling good.

External

• Avoid long, hot showers.
• Dry gently.
• Moisturise regularly and  immediately after bathing.
• Combat drying from central heating and air conditioning with a humidifier.
• Avoid clothing or detergents that irritate the skin.
• Gently exfoliate with wash cloth or make your own by mixing soft brown sugar, a little olive oil and add water slowly to get the desired consistency.
• Avoid soaps, detergents and sulphates.

Internal

• Drink enough water to keep the body well hydrated.
• Eat a balanced diet, a broad spectrum of all the colours in fruit and vegetables.
• Keep the body ‘oiled’ with all the good fats such as cold pressed virgin olive oil, avocado, walnuts, flaxseed, evening primrose oil and cold water fish such as tuna and salmon.
• Include wholegrain and foods that not overly processed.
• Over consumption of alcohol can have a drying effect on the skin.