Hand cream for dry hands: what to choose and how to use it

Which hand cream should you choose?

Look for both fragrance free and dye free on the label. Creams and ointments with mineral oil or petrolatum tend to feel less irritating on dry, chapped hands. Many suitable options are thick products in tubes or tubs rather than pump bottles. A tube or tub can be a useful shopping clue, which gives the container something to do besides look respectable beside the sink.1

What can you do about dry hands?

Repeated contact with water, detergents and cleansers can remove the protective oils that keep hands moist. Hand cream helps smooth and hydrate skin, but those effects do not last all day. Reapply whenever your hands feel dry.2

Use this sequence when washing:

1. 1Remove rings and bracelets if possible.
2. 2Wet your hands with lukewarm water and apply soap.
3. 3Wash for at least 20 seconds. Cover palms, backs of hands, spaces between fingers, thumbs, fingertips and around the nails.
4. 4Rinse thoroughly.
5. 5Dry your hands, then apply cream or ointment. For dry skin care, leave the skin slightly damp before moisturizing.

Keep a small tube at work and a larger pot at home, so the hand cream is not always enjoying a day off in another room. Before bed is another useful time to apply moisturizer. Cotton gloves over the cream or ointment can keep bedclothes from getting greasy.2

How should you dry your hands?

For dry skin care, use a clean towel and leave a little moisture on the skin before applying cream. Air drying until your hands are slightly damp is another option. Dry carefully between your fingers and avoid leaving moisture trapped beneath rings. General hand hygiene instructions call for completely drying your hands with a disposable towel; follow your workplace's hand hygiene rules where these apply.123

What should you dry your hands with?

Use a clean towel or a disposable paper towel. After washing, you can use the disposable towel to turn off the tap. Whichever option you use, follow drying with hand cream rather than treating drying as the end of the routine.34

Can you use hand cream after sanitizer?

Yes. Let hand sanitizer dry, then immediately apply cream or ointment. When soap and water are unavailable, use sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol and rub it over all hand surfaces until dry. Use soap and water instead when hands are visibly dirty or after handling pesticides or other chemicals: alcohol sanitizers do not remove those chemicals.14

What if you have hand eczema?

For diagnosed dyshidrotic eczema, use a fragrance free cream or ointment rather than lotion, which can worsen this type of eczema because it contains too much water. Wash gently with a mild, fragrance free cleanser and lukewarm water. Avoid antibacterial and deodorant soaps. Remove rings before washing, moisturizing and sleeping.5

Apply moisturizer after washing and whenever skin feels dry. Your dermatologist can recommend a barrier repair cream containing dimethicone or help choose a sanitizer if ingredients trigger flares. Protect hands before contact with water, detergents or household cleaners. For wet work, wear cotton gloves beneath waterproof gloves; for dry tasks, cotton gloves can provide protection. Avoid scratching, which worsens dyshidrotic eczema.5

What if hand cream stings?

Moisturizers sometimes sting on cracked, sore hands, and greasy products can warm the skin and worsen itching. Stinging alone does not mean an allergy; it usually settles as irritation improves. Ingredient irritation is more common than allergy. If a product seems to worsen irritation, ask about a paraffin based alternative.2

Keep oily moisturizers away from naked flames. Allow greasy products to absorb before driving or operating machinery because hands can be slippery. Do not share moisturizer pots, and use a clean spoon or similar utensil to remove product from a tub.2

When should you see a dermatologist?

See a dermatologist if dryness persists despite regular moisturizing and careful handwashing. Some people need a prescription cream or ointment, or treatment for an underlying skin condition. Do not reduce necessary handwashing to manage dryness.1

Keep up hand care after irritation looks better: the skin can remain vulnerable for several months.2