Today’s environment isn’t very skin-friendly. With things like harsh chemicals and drying weather working against us, our skin doesn’t seem to stand a chance. Here, we offer a solution no matter what your skin faces.
Healthy skin is relatively smooth, well-moisturized and itch-free. It’s even resistant to common skin irritants like an annoying collar tag or a creepy, crawling spider. Those who suffer from dry skin, however, don’t get to enjoy these luxuries, and they’re prone to unnecessary skin hypersensitivity. Dry skin is itchy, burning, and downright bothersome. In some cases, it’s a medical condition. The good news is that a quality hand cream can relieve the symptoms of dry skin and restore it to its natural, healthy state within the first, few applications. Here’s what we know.
Ignoring Hands is a Mistake
If there are only two parts of the body that we continuously exploit almost to the point of abuse, they’re our hands. We expose hands to harsh chemicals, drying weather and liquids, and highly absorbent materials like gloves and powders on an almost daily basis. Everything we touch, in fact, has an impact on the skin, which left unchecked, can leave hands dry, cracked, sore, and unattractive.
But because hands are so critical to almost everything that we do, it’s important that we keep them as healthy as possible. Healthy hands give the impression of overall health, and they form a favorable impression as soon as they’re extended for a handshake. No one wants to shake a dry, cracked hand, after all.
Restore and Protect Hand Health
Whether your hands already suffer from dry skin or you simply want to prevent them from doing so, you’ll benefit from using a hand cream that’s designed to circumvent the effects of drying. A good hand cream is made with thick, rich moisturizers like borage, olive, or almond oils. And because these oils don’t evaporate as quickly as some other, lighter ingredients, their moisturizing effects last longer by giving skin time to absorb them.
Creams made with colloidal oatmeal and shea butter are great for itchy, flaky skin, while creams made with vitamin C and E (two anti-oxidants) are great for dry, aging skin. Creams made with exfoliating alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic and lactic acids) help remove the dead, scaly skin that contributes to itching.
Only in extreme conditions is there a need for something more extreme like medicated salves. Common treatments for excessively dry skin include prescription creams made with corticosteroids or immunomodulators. Eczema sufferers do fairly well with these types of creams, but for the majority of us, that is, for those of us who aren’t suffering from rashes and inflammation, a non-prescription strength hand cream can do wonders.
Overnight Treatment is Key to Immediate Results
The best way to treat dry hands is by applying the appropriate cream and letting it work overnight while you’re sleeping. That way, they’re not exposed to the drying elements or activities that are typically encountered in the daytime. Wearing protective gloves during this time not only prevents the application from rubbing off onto the bed linens, it additionally warms the skin so that its pores open wider and absorb creams more efficiently.
