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Have you been experiencing dry and flaky hands from washing your hands just too much? This pandemic has made it very easy to get dry hands because we have been told to wash for at least 20 seconds and disinfect our hands often to prevent the spread of the virus.

When we wash our hands, the handwashing process cleanses our hands off any specks of dirt or pathogens. In as much as we keep our hands free of pathogens, it is also important to pay attention to the side effects on the hands as well. Frequent handwashing removes sebums and intracellular lipids that protect the skin barrier and this results in excessive dryness of the hands

The main cause of dry hands

Studies have shown that frequent handwashing with soap, constant dampness of your hands and frequent use of disinfectants such as sanitizers to prevent infections can cause hand irritation. I am not trying to say, don’t wash your hands often. It is very important that you do but it is also important you pay attention to your hands as well to prevent premature aging and irritation of the skin.

You might notice that your hands start getting irritated showing cracks, dry, itchy, and other forms of irritation. The affected hands become prone to pathogens making it easier for bacteria to replicate. This may actually lead you to pass infections to another person even without you knowing it. In order to avoid further spread of infection, it is vital to keep your hands well hydrated after washing. This means the application of moisturizers will help put back lipids on the surface of the skin to create a smooth, soft, well-hydrated, and improved skin appearance.

tips to moisturize and hydrate your hands

1. When looking out for hand creams, look for one that is thicker than your body lotion. Basically, you would want to use hand cream because the consistency is thick and it locks in moisture to keep your hands healthy and hydrated.

2. Hand cream usually contains up to 40% oil, 5-15% humectant and 45-80% water which makes it more preferable compared to normal body moisturizers.

3. Hand creams that add silicone derivative to their products are more water-resistant for up to 4-6 handwashing than those without silicone derivatives.

4. Lastly, most hand creams contain glycerin, petrolatum, and dimethicone to help seal in moisture making it last longer.

10 best hand creams to treat dry hands

Skinfix eczema hand repair cream

shop now at amazon This product is great for dry hands. If you look at the name well, you will notice it says “eczema”, eczema is a condition whereby the skin is dry, flaky and it comes along with itchiness. This condition is usually diagnosed by a healthcare practitioner. But in most cases, it can be treated with the use of over the counter products. The ingredient list contains sunflower seed oil, shea butter, glycerin to keep the skin barrier healthy and hydrated. It also comes with antioxidants such as Aloe, Allantoin, oatmeal. This is generally a good product for dry chapped hands.

Trader Joe’s Ultra Moisturizing

shop now at amazon Housed in a tube, this products makes sure that all the active ingredients are well intact. It comes with 20% shea butter making the texture thick for a smoother finish on the skin. Other stars ingredients such as sunflower oil, coconut oil, hemp oil give it its antioxidants properties. This product makes sure that moisture is locked in resulting in a softer well-hydrated healthy-looking hands

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hand Gel Cream

shop now at amazon I love Neutrogena brand as I find them not as expensive as other brands plus they make really good products. This gel-cream is lightweight and it is easily absorbed into the hands. It contains petrolatum which is one of the most effective moisturizing ingredients in the market today. And according to studies, it reduces transepidermal water loss by 99%. It also includes glycerin and dimethicone for softer smoother skin.

Dove Dermaseries replenishing hand cream

shop now at amazon Dove has really expanded in the market place and they have made a name for themselves. Their products can be found in most drugstore or marketplace. This hand cream by Dove is non-greasy and it is easily absorbed into the skin. It contains antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and B to ward off any free radicals and emollients to keep the hands nice and supple.

Gold Bond Ultimate Intensive Healing Hand Cream

shop now at amazon This product is remarkably inexpensive as it contains all the ingredients that help the hand stay healthy and hydrated. It contains antioxidants and humectants to keep the seal in and provide long-lasting moisture. This is an impressive formulation especially if you are looking for a hand cream that is not expensive and well rounded great for dry hands.

yes to coconut ultra-hydrating hand and cuticle cream

shop now at amazon This is an Isreal brand skincare products that contain different emollients such as almond, coconut, jojoba, avocado and shea butter to reduce transepidermal moisture loss. It also comes with antioxidants to help with very dry hands and cuticles. It comes at a very great price too.

Avon anew clinical absolute even spot correcting hand cream

shop now at amazon This is an all-rounder hand cream that contains SPF 15 for reliable sun protection. It contains Retinol (Vitamin A derivative) to reduce signs of aging on the hands and also comes without any form of greasiness. That is not all, it also contains glycolic acid (AHA) to exfoliate while making the hands well hydrated and improve the skin texture. The combination of SPF, Retinol, AHA helps reduce any sign of uneven skin tone on the hands. This is actually what I call a powerhouse anti-aging hand cream.

Clinique Deep comfort hand and cuticle cream

shop now at amazon Clinique is another brand that is leading the way when it comes to moisturizers and serum and they maintain that their product are fragrance-free. This product is good for all skin types as the texture is so elegant with essential ingredients such as antioxidants, fatty acids and skin-repairing ingredients giving your hands and cuticles a pleasant feel. Its lack of fragrance is something I definitely love about this.

Neutrogena Norwegian Fast Absorbing hand cream

shop now at amazon Mentioning Neutrogena again because their products are excellent and inexpensive. This product is a silky lightweight formula that makes dry chapped hands smooth and soft. This contains a good mixture of antioxidants, humectants and emollients to seal in and hold up moisture when handwashing

nia24 age recovery for decolletage and hands

shop now at amazon This product is lightweight and it is ideal for normal to combination skin type. The name Nia stands for Niacinamide which is a powerful ingredient to reverse sun damage on the skin and even out skin tone. Aside from Niacinamide, it also contains antioxidants such as vitamin E, Olive seed oil and other skin brightening and soothing ingredients to help keep the hands hydrated for a long time.

5 tips for dry hands treatment with hand creams

It is essential that you do not use hot water when washing your hands, doing this is strip the oils on the skin and dry out your hands. Make sure you are using lukewarm water instead of hot water.

Moisturize your hands after you have finished washing them. The perfect time to moisturize is when your hands are moist because that will lock in moisture from the water used. If you put hand creams on after drying out your hands, you may not get a lot of benefits from the moisturizer

If a moisturizer claims to be anti-aging without sunscreens in it, ensure you get a sunscreen. That way the anti-aging ingredients of the hand cream will work effectively.

Avoid moisturizers with strong fragrance in it because fragrance will likely cause skin sensitivity in the long run.

No matter the “12-hour” claims of hand creams from manufacturers. Washing your hands frequently will likely strip the hydrating properties of the hand creams so you might need to re-apply.

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conclusion

Proper handwashing techniques and following the guidelines from CDC is important to avoid the spread of infection. But in most cases, we forget the importance of taking care of our hands while doing so. I hope this post has changed your perspective to take care of your hands and applying hand creams are essential to further limit infection spread. I do hope you are keeping your hands healthy and hydrated and staying safe. Till next time 🙂

Photo by Shiny Diamond from Pexels

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