Treating Dry Skin on Your Hands

Do you have dry skin on your hands?
There are many causes for this and many treatments that are available.  In fact, some of the treatments may be closer to home, cheaper and more effective than you may realize.

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.

A Winter Dry Skin Plan

Why does the skin dry out in winter?

Some of us suffer from dry skin all year round but for some people dry skin only becomes a problem in winter, in the coldest months of the year. Cold weather can wreak havoc with our skin making it dry, itchy and uncomfortable.  In fact there is a skin condition commonly called winter itch that happens when the skin becomes dried out and irritated in the winter months. Even though the weather can be wet and cold the skin often becomes dried out as we live with central heating which sucks all the moisture out of the air. If we use alternative heat sources, we often sit too close which also has a drying affect on the skin – particularly our faces as this is the part that is uncovered and exposed.

Often we don’t think about moisturising our skin in winter as it is not exposed and on show as it is in the summertime but one of the best things we can do is to moisturise daily. Dry skin is due to lack of moisture so we are adding this back. If we moisturise when the skin is damp after a bath or shower, it will help to trap moisture in the skin. Winter itch can be aggravated by hot water and cleansers that have soaps and detergents as ingredients as these dry out the skin making it worse

Dry Skin Treatment Plan

• Moisturise daily, choose a creamy moisturiser that fully hydrates the skin.

• Dry skin can often be sensitive too, so choose a moisturiser with no irritating ingredients such as colours or perfumes.

• Cleanse gently with a cleanser that does not strip the skin of natural oils that help keep it supple and smooth in the winter months.

• Have lukewarm baths and showers – we tend to have longer, hotter ones in winter that dry out the skin.

• Have a humidifier in the home or at the least bowls of water in the bedroom to help counteract the drying affects of heating in the home.

• Protect your face from the wind and re apply an effective moisturiser if you do need to be outside.

• Treat the skin gently when washing and pat rather than rub dry.

• Seek medical advice if the skin if the mild discomfort of dry skin becomes more severe or the skin cracks or bleeds.

What can I do to help dry skin?

Dry skin is often sensitive which means you will need skincare products that are very safe and gentle. The good news is you are less likely to suffer from pimples and acne but dry skin has its own special needs to keep it looking its best. Skin care products will need to be very hydrating and this moisturising effect should be as long lasting as possible, to ensure the skin does not dry out over the course of the day. If you are subjected to air conditioners or central heating you may need to reapply moisturiser during the day.

The moisturiser should be a creamy texture and have natural oils such as jojoba, rose, rice bran and avocado that will help preserve the integrity of the skin barrier to retain moisture.  Avoid the use of products with astringents or alcohol that can be too drying and can irritate the skin. Cleansers for dry skin should be free of soaps and detergents as these can quickly strip away the natural oils that are found on the skin and help protect it. A creamy formula is best for dry skins.

• Use lukewarm water, gentle drying and products without ingredients to irritate dry skin.

• Invest in a humidifier, this will help with both central heating and air conditioning.

• Apply a moisturiser to the skin immediately after cleansing to retain maximum moisture in the skin.

• Drink plenty of water – several small glasses throughout the day is easier if you are not a big water drinker – little and often makes it easier.

• Use skin care products that are high in ingredients that attract and hold the moisture, keeping the integrity of the lipid layer.

Dry skin and diet

If dry, flaky skin is a problem for you, then apart from external factors such as wind, exposure, heating and air conditioning, excessive bathing and using harsh soaps, you also need to consider internal factors such as diet. ‘We are what we eat’ also holds true for the skin. Internal causes include reduced functioning of the glands that provide oil to the skin caused by a poor diet.

How does diet affect my skin?

A diet that is low in healthy foods and high in overly refined and processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and ‘bad’ fats will result in unhealthy skin. The better we eat – the better our skin will look. Foods that are high in water content and an adequate water intake will all help to hydrate and therefore plump the skin cells.

Fresh unprocessed foods have vitamins and minerals that help promote optimal functioning of the oil glands, keeping the skin supple and smooth. Supporting the lipid barrier keeps the skin supple and smooth and therefore less moisture is lost and the skin is less dry.

What to avoid:

• Highly refined processed foods.
• Excess caffeine and alcohol as they have a diuretic action.
• Low daily water intake.
• A diet high in fat and sugar, avoid fried foods.
• Artificial sweeteners.

What to include:

• Eat raw foods for the high water content.
• Water based fruit such as watermelon, cantaloupe and oranges.
• Water based vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes and peppers.
• Foods that contain sulphur like eggs, garlic and asparagus.
• Flaxseeds, ground or as an oil, extra virgin cold pressed oil.
• Avocados – that help the oil glands to lubricate the skin.
• Adequate hydration, particularly in hot climates or when exercising.
• Foods from all the spectrum of colours for antioxidants to help fight free radicals that damage the skin.