If you live in a cold weather climate, you know what it means to have dry, cracked, irritated or broken skin on your hands. Or, maybe you work in the health care industry and you constantly have to wash your hands, using harsh soaps to kill germs but causing your skin to dry out and feel like sand paper. In any case, we can all suffer from dry skin at some point and you can take some easy steps to remedy the problem by yourself.
So, how do you know if you have a problem? Firstly, just by your own physical examination of your skin, you can see if it is dry or not. If it looks flakey and dry, you have dry skin. But, for many people it goes beyond that. When your skin is exposed to dry, cold winter weather or harsh chemicals, it can turn red, crack and even start to bleed if you don’t do something to help your skin heal.
First, you need a good moisturizer. A lot of people have a favorite but did you know you may need to use a different moisturizer when the air is dry – for example, in the winter months? You need a heavier moisturizer that is going to penetrate deep in your skin and help relieve dry, cracked or bleeding winter hands. Consider trying a nut oil. You most likely have it in your cupboard and it’s great to help nourish the skin and heal it quickly and easily.
Once you have a moisturizer, take the following steps:
1. As you are getting ready for bed, gently exfoliate* hands to remove any dry skin.
2. Rinse and dry hands slightly.
3. Apply your moisturizer while the skin on your hands is still slightly damp and gently rub into your skin until it is fully absorbed.
4. Wear cotton gloves (even cotton socks work great) overnight.
In the morning, you will see a noticeable difference in your skin. There will be less irritation, redness and even the cracks will miraculously be healing.
Do this every night until no longer needed.
*Note: step 1 is usually only needed once per week. There is no need to over do exfoliation.
Finally, one of the easiest and most basic solutions is to ensure you drink enough water. This is often overlooked as a remedy but it really is an important one. If you don’t try to replenish your skin from the inside, you most definitely will have problems. So, drink an extra glass of water. If you are not normally a water drinker, try to add a glass here and there until it becomes more habitual.
