Water, heat and the sun can take a toll on the appearance and texture of your hands. By the time you hit 30, the skin on your hands becomes thinner and less able to heal itself. There are some things you can do to heal dry and chapped hands.
Step 1
Use cool-to-warm water to wash your hands. Hot water can dry your skin. Also, wear gloves while cleaning to cut down on how often your hands are exposed to hot water, such as when doing the dishes.
Step 2
Slather on the moisturizer. This is especially important after hands have gotten wet because it seals in moisture. Moisturizer that contains mineral oil is preferable. And since the sun can also cause dry, itchy hands, find a moisturizer that contains sunscreen to protect your hands from sun damage.
Step 3
Exfoliate your hands. By removing the dead and dry skin, your moisturizer will penetrate deeper to the new skin instead of sitting on the layer of dry skin. Mix 1/4 tsp. olive oil for moisture and 1/4 tsp. sugar, which removes dead skin, and use this mixture to exfoliate.
Step 4
Use a hydrocortisone cream. Extremely dry hands can become cracked, causing pain and itching. If regular moisturizers don't help, hydrocortisone cream may relieve your chapped, itchy hands.
Step 5
Crank up the humidifier. Cold weather is a double-whammy because the cold, dry air outside and the warm dry air inside can each cause dry skin. When outdoors, wear gloves to protect hands from the weather. When you're inside, use a humidifier to add moisture in the air and balance the dry heat produced from your furnace.
Tips and Warnings
- Contact a doctor if your itchiness persists. Your doctor may be able to give you a prescription strength moisturizer or determine whether you have a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis, which can cause dry hands.
Member Comments