Note: if dry skin persists for more than two weeks, it may be the symptom of an underlying medical condition and should be checked by a doctor.
What Causes Your Hands To Become Dry?
Skin dryness is most often triggered by environmental factors. In some cases, certain health conditions and irritants can also cause your skin or hands to become unusually dry. The primary causes include: • Weather: You must have noticed that your hands (and the rest of your body) tend to become drier in winters. The cold season makes the air dry. As a result, your hands can’t hold onto the moisture, thereby causing them to go dry. • Environmental Irritants/Workplace Conditions: Individuals who wash their hands multiple times daily with strong sanitizers are more likely to have dry hands. Those who spend a long duration washing dishes also tend to have dry hands. The strong surfactants in detergents and soaps can strip your skin of its natural oils, causing your hands to become extremely dry. • Certain Medical Conditions: Medical conditions like lupusi An autoimmune inflammatory condition caused when the immune system attacks healthy tissues causing fever, rash, pain, and fatigue. and diabetes that affect the blood flow to the extremities can also make your hands go dry (1). Other skin disorders like psoriasis and eczema can also cause your hands to go dry (2). 44,689 people participated in a study, 21,887 (48.98%) men and 22,802 (51.02%) women, to determine the prevalence of dermatological conditions. 43.35% of participants said they had at least one dermatological disorder or disease in the 12 months prior to the survey. Atopic dermatitis or eczema (5.5%), acne (5.4%), and fungal skin infections (8.9%) were the most common dermatological conditions reported. Though dry hands are common, it is easy to restore their health. Listed below are some beauty tips for hands that incorporate certain natural methods to treat dry hands in most cases.
How To Get Softer Hands Naturally
Rough, dry hands appear unappealing. The skin on your hand can get flaky and you may even notice your fingertips peeling. However, you can preserve their soft and smooth feel by trying out the following remedies.
1. Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)
Vaseline has powerful moisturizing properties (3). Applying it to your hands regularly can make them softer. You Will Need
Vaseline (as required) A pair of cotton gloves
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this every night to get rid of rough patches and dry skin.
2. Coconut Oil
The emollienti A substance or property that helps moisturize the skin by forming a protective barrier on the skin. properties of coconut oil can help improve skin hydration and increase lipid levels on the skin surface (4). Thus, the topical application of coconut oil can help make your hands softer. You Will Need
1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin coconut oil A pair of gloves
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This You can do this 1-2 times daily to enjoy the soothing and hydrating benefits of the oil.
3. Oatmeal
Oatmeal moisturizes and nourishes the skin and improves skin barrier function (5). Hence, this beauty solution can help relieve dry skin, thereby making your hands softer with every use. You Will Need
1 tablespoon of powdered oatmeal ½ tablespoon of coconut oil
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this once daily.
4. Egg Yolks
Egg yolks are rich in lecithin, an emollient that helps condition the skin. It is usually used in skin conditioning agents (6). You Will Need 1 egg yolk What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 3-4 times a week.
5. Sugar Scrub
The accumulation of dry skin cells over your hands can also cause them to become dry. The grainy texture of sugar granules can help in exfoliating your skin. This homemade hand scrub gets rid of flaky skin and restores its softness. You Will Need
1 tablespoon of sugar ½ tablespoon of coconut oil
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 1-2 times a week to get rid of rough skin.
6. Honey
Honey can hydrate, soothe, and moisturize your skin (7). The emollient nature of honey can soften your hands. You Will Need Raw honey (as required) What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 1-2 times daily to soothe irritated skin.
7. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera extracts are rich in polysaccharidesi A major class of biomolecules made of a chain of simple sugars, like starch and glucose. that serve as important sources of energy in plant and animal cells. that can help moisturize your skin (8). You Will Need 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This
8. Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil contains fatty acids that can help moisturize your skin and make your hands softer (9). You Will Need Sweet almond oil (as required) What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this once or more daily to soothe your hands and sensitive skin.
9. Sugar And Olive Oil
Sugar granules help exfoliate your skin and get rid of dead skin cells. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants that help fight free radicals to prevent skin damage and may even promote dermal reconstruction (10). It also possesses anti-inflammatory properties and may reduce the risk of skin cancer. You Will Need
1 tablespoon of sugar ½ tablespoon of water ½ teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil A pair of cotton gloves
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 1-2 times a week. You can also use salt to make your hands soft. Chas, a blogger, likes to make her hand scrub using salt, avocado oil, and lemon juice in her recipe. She writes, “This awesome DIY salt scrub will help your dry hands or dry skin by exfoliating and moisturizing them (i).” These simple solutions for healthy skin can make your hands softer with time. But it is important to prevent your hands from going dry again. In the following section, we have covered a few ways you can achieve the same. Aside from these remedies, Kris Adair, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, a seasoned family nurse practitioner, suggests the following ingredients. She says, “Lemon has many natural properties that improve skin health. It contains alpha hydroxy acid, which can be found in a lot of skincare products as it is helpful for removing dead skin cells, encouraging exfoliation, and aiding in skin cell turnover. This helps improve the skin barrier. When paired with the right moisturizing products, it helps improve skin softening, especially in our hands.” She adds, “Baking soda is a great pantry staple for skin as it acts as a skin exfoliant, helps lift and remove impurities from just below the skin surface, and increases skin permeability, allowing moisturizers to penetrate the skin and encouraging better hydration and softer skin.” Kris also recommends the following method to soften your hands. She says, “Softening hands overnight can be done with a few simple at-home ingredients like fresh lemons, baking soda, and honey and creating easy masks or scrubs to exfoliate and soften your hands. One of my favorite home remedies is a skin mask for your hands. It consists of 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1.5 tablespoons of baking soda, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1-2 drops of black pepper oil. Mix them together to make a paste. Scoop the mixture into the palm, rub your hands together, and leave it on for 10-15 minutes.” She continues, “For added hydration, wrap your hands in a plastic wrap after applying the mask and leave it on the skin for 10 minutes. After 15 minutes, wash your hands, pat them dry, and immediately apply neem salve, neem cream, or a peptide-rich moisturizer to your hands. You can use this mask 1-2 times a week for gentle exfoliation and hand-softening benefits.” There are many natural ways to exfoliate hands. But why it is important to include exfoliation in your hand care regimen? Learn more in the next section.
Importance Of Exfoliating Hands
Exfoliation is essential for maintaining soft hands because it efficiently gets rid of dead skin cells and uncovers the healthy, new skin underneath. This process helps to improve the texture of your hands and increases the absorption of moisturizers, enabling penetrate deeper. The advantages of any moisturizing treatment can be greatly increased by incorporating a basic scrub into your skincare regimen. Your hands will feel smooth and soft due to regular exfoliation, which also helps to avoid dryness and rough spots. Discover more simple tips and tricks to prevent your hands from drying by scrolling below.
How To Prevent Your Hands From Becoming Dry
Avoid using soaps or detergents that tend to make your hands dry. Opt for plant-based and natural products. Wear gloves if you are going to expose your hands to water for prolonged periods. Use a humidifier in your room to keep the air inside moist. Manage your stress as certain conditions like eczemai It is a chronic skin condition that causes dryness, irritation, blisters, inflammation, and red rashes on the skin. (that could be caused by stress) can make your hands go dry. Avoid using air dryers to dry your hands. Use tissues instead. Exfoliate your hands once a week to get rid of the dead skin cells that could be making your skin dry. Use DIY solutions for hand care and moisturize daily. Apply sunscreen while stepping out in the sun to keep your hands protected from UV rays. Get immediate medical help to manage skin disorders like psoriasisi A chronic skin condition that causes itchy and scaly patches on the skin. The common triggers include cold, stress, or infection. and eczema.
How can I keep my hands soft during winter? Apply a thick layer of moisturizer daily, wear gloves outside, and use a humidifier indoors to fight dry air if you want to keep your hands soft throughout the winter. How long will it take to soften my hands? Your hands can take a few days to a couple of weeks to become soft. You can apply a deep moisturizer like coconut oil or Vaseline to your hands and then wear gloves to help the oil penetrate your skin. Why are my hands peeling? This could be related to eczema, a skin disorder characterized by the peeling of skin on your hands and fingers. A sunburn or a fungal infection can also cause your hands to peel. Please consult your doctor for diagnosis. What is the best hand lotion for treating dry and cracked hands? Hand lotions containing natural ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and oatmeal can be effective in treating dry and cracked hands. Other over-the-counter formulations include Cetaphil and Vaseline. How often should you apply a homemade hand mask for optimal results? The frequency of using homemade hand masks depends on the kind of ingredients that are going into the recipe for the mask and its purpose. If it is a hydrating hand mask with ingredients, such as honey, coconut oil, oatmeal or aloe vera, you can use it 1-2 times a day or as an overnight leave-on mask. But if it is an exfoliating mask that contains granular sugar or baking soda, use it only 1-2 times a week as overuse can worsen dryness. Are there any herbal remedies that can be used to promote soft, supple hands? Yes. You may use 5-10 minute hand soaks using diluted lavender, calendula, or rosemary essential oils, immediately followed by moisturizers. Likewise, you may use hand products containing these ingredients. The aloe vera, and coconut and almond oil remedies, mentioned in the article are also wonderful herbal moisturizing remedies to achieve soft hands.
Illustration: Ways To Make Your Hands Soft Naturally
