Dry and cracked hands? What is it, why does it happen and how to solve it?
Do you notice that your hands are getting drier and drier and you don't know what to do about it? It could be that some external factor is affecting them or that you are not giving them the care they need.
Dry hands are linked to a lack of moisture in the hands, which leads to dry and cracked hands.
In truth, we use our hands for almost everything in our daily lives, and that is why they are often exposed to external wear and tear and weather conditions that can cause the skin to become dry, cracked or even chapped. In any case, we are often to blame for dry and cracked hands because we do not give them the care they need.
Often, hands that look poorly cared for can give us a bad image, since, as they are used for many actions in daily life, it is difficult to hide them.
SYMPTOMS:
Dryness usually appear on the back of the hands, because although it has hair follicles, and some sebaceous glands and melanocytes, it is a very thin tissue and tends to dehydrate easily.
However, although the palms of the hands lack hair follicles, the truth is that they have a large number of sweat and sebaceous glands, as well as fiber and fat, which help to make them more resistant.
On many occasions the dryness of our hands shows and is felt in an evident way, either because it looks rough and cracked, because we feel tightness in them or because we get a flaking on the back of the hands.
CAUSES:
There are many factors that can damage your hands and while some are unavoidable, many others may be drying out your hands and you may not even realize it.
- Cold: low temperatures are not very friendly to the skin of our hands... That's why you've probably noticed that in winter you suffer more from dry hands. This is due to the lack of moisture in the air. So you know, wear gloves during the winter!
- Sudden changes in temperature: air conditioning or excessive heating can not only cause dry hands, but also make us prone to chilblains. Be careful in both winter and summer!
- Washing your hands a lot: washing your hands is not harmful to the epidermis of our hands, as long as you follow the hand washing process to the letter and use soaps that do not dry out your hands. It is important to know that hot water dries your hands much more than warm or cold water.
- Contact with chemical products: household cleaning products, for example, are a great enemy of our hands, since apart from drying them out, they can also irritate them. Therefore, always wear gloves when using chemical products!
- Diseases: pathologies such as psoriasis, diabetes, atopic dermatitis or hyperthyroidism can cause your hands to be less hydrated than they should be.
- Medications: some acne medications, for example, can dry out your hands more than usual. Read the package insert and/or ask your doctor!
- Using sanitizing gel: the hydroalcoholic gels you use to sanitize your hands may be the main reason why your hands do not look as they should. Keep in mind that if you want to maintain good hand hygiene, it is best to wash your hands with soap and water.
SOLUTIONS:
- Vaseline: if you suffer from dry hands, it is recommended that you apply Vaseline to your hands and leave it on overnight.
- Aloe vera: applying an aloe vera gel is very good in these types of cases, since it prevents infections, wrinkles and spots on our skin.
- Almond oil: this product is wonderful if we want to repair the skin and balance its pH.
- Sugar: this sweetener can be your best ally in cases of dry hands, since when applied it will not only eliminate dead cells, but will also maintain the natural moisture of our hands.
So now you know! Give your hands the importance they have and take care of them as if they were a treasure (which they are).
