Quarantine Hands Are A Thing. How Dry Are Yours?
We’ve been partaking in all things Corona virus for a solid month now and it’s becoming the new normal of daily life. If your hands are anything like mine, the amount of handwashing I’m doing is wreaking havoc on the skin. My hands are an irritated shade of pink, knuckles have begun to crack, the tops of them have an odd rough texture, and don’t get me started on the cuticles. With the copious amounts of hand sanitizer and time spent in the water with antibacterial soap, the natural skin barrier made up of oils and waxes is breaking down. Since we can’t stop being vigilant against this virus, here are some tips for healing chapped hands.
Use warm, not hot water to wash. Hot water will dry out the skin even more.
Use a mild, fragrance-free soap.
Apply a cream or balm immediately after patting hands dry.
Consider wearing cotton gloves at night after applying a balm.
When it comes to products, using a cream or balm is better than a lotion because they’re generally oil-based and form an occlusive barrier to hold in water. Two of my personal favorites are Avene XeraCalm Replenishing Balm and Cutemol Emollient Cream.
XeraCalm helps to reduce the sensation of itching brought on by excessively dry skin while replenishing oils and ceramides using only the most essential ingredients. No yucky fillers. Also in this line is XeraCalm Cream if you think the balm is a little too thick and an oil cleanser. All of these products are hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, paraben-free, soy-free, gluten-free, safe for atopic dermatitis and eczema, AND safe to use on infants, children, and adults. Their versatility continues since you’re able to use all of these products on the face and the body.
Cutemol is stellar for hands being incredibly occlusive by containing both mineral oil and two types of waxes along with allantoin, a favorite ingredient of the office that helps heal and hydrate skin. Be forewarned, as great as this product is, it’s greasy and will leave handprints on everything including the couch (this from personal experience). White cotton gloves are recommended with Cutemol for this reason. They’ll protect your furniture and aid in the absorption of the moisturizer. It’s recommended to wash these gloves after every wear to prevent built-up product on the cloth from spoiling and causing even more irritation to the skin.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, so if you’re just not up for ordering a new product, whatever the reason, you can always smear on your favorite retinol- and acid-free cream and then slather on a thin layer of Vaseline or Aquaphor. If dry skin persists, please call your doctor as you might have an underlying skin issue that needs a prescription.
Many studies have shown that handwashing is an efficacious way to prevent the spread of gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses. Stay deliberate with your own hygiene efforts but treat yourself to a little quarantine self-care with a soothing hand massage or you can try to talk your partner into doing it for you. Good luck with that and if you succeed please tell me your secret. If you have any questions about the products listed above please email mmericle@cofps.com for more information.