When cold winters or dry summers roll in, the loss of humidity can have mild to severe effects on your hands in their ability to hold moisture. When moisture is lost faster than your body can keep up with, flaky and itchy skin can develop. In some cases, drying may be so serious that cracks in the skin can develop. When facing dry hands, there are several treatments that can help add moisture.
Lotions with Emollients
The market is flooded with different brands of lotions that can vary in active ingredients. Emollients are substances in lotions that provide a layer of oily protection over the skin, slowing the rate in which moisture evaporates from the skin tissue. Common emollients in these lotions can include cocoa butter or shea butter.
Lotions with Humectants
Hand lotions also can use humectants to help heal dry hands. Humectants are substances that attract and hold water next to the outer layer of skin, helping it to stay moisturized. Common humectants include urea, glycerin and lactic acid.
Mild Soap
Choosing your soaps wisely can also help combat dry hands. Harsh soaps can remove too much of the protective oily lipid layer off the skin, causing the skin to dry out faster. When shopping for soaps, the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology recommends looking for brands that are gentle on the skin.
Quick Baths, Showers
Limiting your baths and showers to about 15 minutes also may help reduce problems with dry skin, suggests the Mayo Clinic's website, as too much time can wash away the protective lipid barrier on the skin. Like the water from baths and showers, washing dishes also can dry out your hands. If you have chronically dry hands, consider using rubber gloves when doing your dishes so that your skin does not come into contact with the water.
Humidifier
In dry winter months, a humidifier can go a long way in your fight against dry skin. With winter comes a severe drop in humidity, reducing the amount of moisture in the air available for your skin to absorb and increasing the rate in which moisture is lost from the skin. Humidifiers replenish moisture in your home.
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