Washing hands is more important than ever. As we work to fight the further spread of what is now a global pandemic, hand hygiene is our most important weapon. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds to thoroughly rid them of germs. Soap and water are known to strip your hands of natural oils that protect your skin – this can lead to dry skin.
While hand hygiene is the most important thing we can do right now, it's no secret that regular washing can dry out the skin. This can cause your skin to crack, bleed and feel downright uncomfortable in general. So how do we take care of our skin while continuing to wash our hands regularly? What steps can we take to make sure we don't get dry or cracked skin?
We recommend these five tips to protect your skin while increasing your hand hygiene:
Tip 1:Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
It is important that you make sure to moisten your hands after every wash or use of hand sanitizer. Think of this as the next step in your hand washing routine.
Tip 2:Say no to lotions and yes to hand creams
lotions? Hand creams? Is there really a difference? It turns out it's there! Although lotions smell like spring flowers, they don't do a good job of restoring your parched skin. Hand creams and even better an ointment such as petroleum jelly are recommended. Lotions are water-based and evaporate faster, which means they don't restore the skin's barrier function.
Tip 3:Be prepared. Even when you're on the go!
While social distancing is in effect as we fight this outbreak, you may still be moving out of the house. If you leave your home, chances are you'll want to wash or sanitize your hands in public areas. Good skin care shouldn't end when you walk out the front door, so it's a good idea to buy a pocket-sized hand cream or ointment.
Tip 4:Make sure you treat the cracks in your skin
While cracks in your skin are not a big deal, they are very annoying and can be quite painful. Cracks can also cause bleeding, which no one wants. So what's the best way to treat cracked skin? Apply a patch spray to these areas up to twice a day. This will close the cracks and prevent aggravation.
Plaster Spray is perfect for areas such as the hand where a normal plaster is difficult to apply. We use our hands all the time and you don't have to worry about a band-aid falling off or not being useful.
Tip 5:Do some deep skin rejuvenation
Using hand creams and ointments after washing your hands is a good way to keep the skin's surface smooth and healthy. But what about below the surface? The best way to keep your deeper skin healthy is to apply a generous amount of ointment and let it soak in. But how do you get it to soak in without it being wiped or rubbed?
The answer is easier than you might think. Buy a pair of cotton gloves, apply the ointment to your hands, and then wear the gloves. The gloves should be cotton as rubber or latex gloves will not work. The best time to do this is right before bedtime.
It may seem like a few extra steps in your daily routine, but in the end it will be good to take care of your skin in the long run.
