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.

Dry skin has a relatively low level of sebum or oil production and look parched – a result of its inability to retain moisture.  Moisturisers should be able to keep the skin hydrated all day and keep the skin supple and smooth. This is important to the function of the skin but also the feel – dry skin can feel tight and uncomfortable. Moisturising also locks in moisture and is best done after cleansing when the skin is still moist.

Avoid using any soap on the skin. Soaps and detergents can be very alkaline which also can be drying to the skin. Although the skin needs to be thoroughly clean at the end of the day to remove the build up of dirt and impurities, a creamy cleanser that will not strip the skin of its natural oils will clean gently and effectively.

Keep your dry skin well hydrated by drinking water throughout the day.  If the weather is hot or you have been exercising you will need to increase your intake.  Flying can also sap your skin of moisture – the humidity inside an aircraft can reach as low as 1% and be very hard on already dry skin..Caffeine and alcohol can also act as a diuretic and cause you to lose water so keep these to a minimum. If you live or work in buildings that are air conditioned or centrally heated you will also be losing moisture from the skin so compensate by drinking more or by having a humidifier.

If you suffer from dry skin on the body, limit the length of your showers and baths  and moisturise all over while the skin is still damp.  A traditional way to bathe dry skin that is also sensitive is to have an oatmeal bath that will soften and soothe the skin.  Try to limit the length of your bath and keep the temperature down and pat your skin dry gently.

Dry skin is a common skin type but shouldn’t be ignored as it could lead to further problems. A good skin care regime can not only help treat dry skin but may also play a preventative role in some skin conditions. Has your skin suddenly become red and inflamed? Or dry and itchy? You may have a skin condition called contact dermatitis. Untreated dry skin can result in dermatitis. Moisturisers can play an important role by helping to keep skin well hydrated and maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier, thus helping to prevent some skin conditions. Choose a moisturiser that is high in ingredients that will keep the skin hydrated all day long – try the skinsaviour range of products. Skinsaviour is especially formulated to soothe and hydrate dry skin with ingredients designed to help preserve the integrity of the skin barrier.

Severe dry skin can also be prevented by following a skin care regime for dry skin. Over time dry skin can become worse and therefore is harder to treat.  Severe dry skin can lead to cracking of the skin which makes it more prone to bacterial infections as the skins’ defence barrier is broken. Within a few minutes of having a shower or washing your face and body, smooth on a moisturiser to help lock in moisture and prevent dry skin.  Look for moisturisers that contain Shea butter, Olive Oil, Hyaluronic acid and other natural moisturising factors that soothe and fully hydrate dry skin. Keeping the skin well moisturised is also a preventative for fine line formation – the drier the skin the more the skin is prone to fine lines forming

Our skin is naturally protected by oils that keep it moist and soft. Therefore it is important to keep to minimum, external factors that we can control that strip the skin of this vital physical barrier.

Some of these factors include:

• Long hot baths and showers
• Swimming
• Cold windy weather
• Hot windy weather
• Sun exposure
• Dry saunas
• Harsh soaps and detergents
• Over cleansing
• Clothing that makes us itch
• Sun exposure
• Radiators
• Air conditioning
• Indoor heating

Many of these external factors we can regulate or keep to a minimum. Combined with a skin care regime especially formulated to deal with dry skin we find that we can easily keep our dry skin supple and smooth and looking its best, while preventing further skin problems.