Give Your Hands The Gentle Loving They Deserve

by Bhavya Kaushik · April 3, 2019

If you suffer from dry and rough hands, then this would probably be the last guide that you will read. Ideally, there could be numerous reasons for getting dry or cracked hands. If you do heavy labor all day long or need to wash your hands multiple times a day, then you can suffer from overworked hands too. Not just that, even exposure to the sun or pollution can also make our hands rough.

Don’t worry – we are here to help you, so that you can get nourished and soft hands once again. After all, who doesn’t want to have a sensitive touch with their hands, right? In this guide, we will explore some of the common reasons for getting rough hands and also provide numerous working solutions to attain soft hands again.

What causes overworked or dry hands?

Before we discuss how to overcome this issue, it is important to know what could have caused your cracked hands in the first place. From sun damage to pollution, there could be numerous reasons behind it.

Medical conditions: This is one of the major reasons for getting cracked hands. For instance, individuals with diabetes or lupus often have dry hands due to the restricted blood flow through their hands. Also, skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis can also cause this issue.

Weather: Extreme weather conditions can further damage our skin. In winters, we suffer from rough and parched skin due to dryness in the air. Even in summers, our hands can get damaged by sunburn.

Other reasons: Daily habits as well as the environment around us are some of the major reasons for getting rough hands. If your hands are exposed to chemicals, dry air, hot water, etc. a lot, then it can damage your skin. Also, if you use hand sanitizer or soap quite frequently, then it can cause irritation and dryness.

Easy Home Remedies to Treat Your Overworked Hands

To start with, you can work on some home-based treatments or take preventive measures to heal your dry hands. Here are some easy suggestions that will help you get soft and sensitive hands again.

Avoid soap and hand sanitizers

This is the most important thing that you should consider if you want to have soft and gentle hands. Most of the liquid and hand soaps and chemically processed and are based on sulfate. Additionally, an average hand sanitizer has more than 60% ethanol that works as a disinfectant. Though, its frequent use can harm your skin and cause sudden dryness. Therefore, instead of using soaps and sanitizers, consider trying a cleansing moisturizer instead.

Use a hand cream

Needless to say, this is one of the best ways to treat your dry hands in less time. You can get an appropriate hand cream that would suit your skin type. While buying a hand cream, make sure that you carefully read its ingredients. It should not contain paraben, sulfate, or any harsh chemical product that can cause more harm to your skin than good. Try to buy a natural or organic cream that would nourish your skin from within.

Moisturize your hands as much as possible

The lack of moisture results in dry and rough hands – it is really as simple as that. If you want to get back the lost luster of your skin, then consider moisturizing it as much as possible. You can always keep a skin-friendly moisturizer or hand cream handy and apply it after washing your hands. You can apply it as many times as you want, whenever you feel your hands are getting dry. I would recommend applying a cream generously right before going to bed, so that it can stay intact and nourish your skin while you sleep.

Avoid hot air dryers or warm water

You might have already heard this before, but never thought of implementing the suggestion. While hot dryers might seem like a hassle-free alternative to dry our hands, their daily use can lead to extreme roughness of skin. It might even make your skin cracked in some places. Similarly, warm water can also take away the natural glow of your skin and cause unwanted dryness.

Wear gloves

Yes – sometimes the best solutions are really that simple! If you wash a lot of dishes, do manual labor, or get your hands exposed to chemicals, then you should certainly wear gloves. Not only will it protect your skin from dryness, but will also act as a safety measure as well. The lesser you get your skin exposed to harmful chemicals or hot water, the healthier it would stay. Also, you can consider wearing gloves at night after applying hand cream. This will make sure that the hand cream will moisturize your skin all night without getting wiped unintentionally.

Exfoliate your skin

We often exfoliate our face or neck, but forget our hands in the process. Just like your face, the skin on your hands also has pores that can be clogged due to dirt, sweat, etc. Therefore, to get rid of these impurities, you can simply exfoliate your hands every now and then. A natural scrubber would be the best way to do it. You can also make a scrubber at home by mixing sugar and olive oil (or honey) together. Rub it gently in circular motion to clean your hands. Just make sure you don’t overdo it. Ideally, it is recommended to exfoliate our hands 2-3 times a week only.

Apply Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is one of the best things that you can apply to your skin. After all, there is a reason why so many beauty products are based on this miracle plant. You can easily buy Aloe Vera gel from a leading store or get its extract. Just be sure that you are getting it from an organic store so it won’t have any preservatives. If you have some space, then you can even plant Aloe Vera in your home as well. It has amazing anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that will cleanse your hands and heal them from within.

Use Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is one of the most affordable and long-term solutions to treat dry and damaged skin. If your hands feel stretched and dry due to the change in weather or any other issue, then why not pour some coconut oil on them. Since coconut oil is a natural source of fatty acids, it will help in lipid formation that will heal your hands. It will also fill the cracks in your skin, making it smoother without any side effects.

Take an Oatmeal bath

This is another natural home-based treatment for overworked hands that you can follow in minutes. Since oatmeal has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it can nourish your skin and heal it from roughness. You can simply put powdered oatmeal in your bath or use an oatmeal based cream to nourish your hands. Taking an oatmeal bath on a daily basis will gradually show evident change on your entire skin.

Drink more water and milk

We all know that dehydration can lead to dry skin. This is because when we are dehydrated, the pores on our skin are shrunk that reduces natural oil formation. To avoid this, make sure you drink enough water on a daily basis. You can also consider applying the cold cream obtained from milk on your hands to nourish them. Not just that, drinking milk is also good for your skin. It is a natural source of phospholipid fat that can be extremely beneficial for our skin.

Use a humidifier

Humidifiers are mostly recommended for people with respiratory issues so that the air around them would be clean and moist. Though, it can also be extremely beneficial for your skin as well. In winters, a humidifier will make sure the air won’t remain too dry and that your skin can breathe naturally. You can place a humidifier near your bed for maximum effect.

Apply honey

Honey is quite beneficial for our health and can do wonders to your skin. For years, honey has been extensively used in numerous natural-based treatments for skin. This is because honey has anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Not only will it heal your cracked skin, but would keep it moisturized for a long time. There are different ways to apply honey on your skin. You can apply it raw, dilute it a bit, or even mix it with other things like lime juice.

Petroleum jelly

This is an affordable, easy, and widely popular solution to treat dry skin. Mostly, petroleum jelly is recommended to treat dryness caused by aging. You can consider applying it several times a day or before going to sleep to keep your hands protected from dryness.

While these suggestions will help you get softer skin, make sure that you don’t stay stressed. As surprising as it might sound, severe stress can lead to a wide range of skin problems and can even cause ailments like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. Also, keep an eye on your eating habits and make sure you include healthier food in your diet. Consider getting a natural moisturizer and exfoliate your hands with sugar every week. Go ahead and try some of the above-listed suggestions to get softer hands in no time.

Featured image source: Instagram

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