How to relieve dry hands

What should you do after washing your hands?

1. 1Wash with lukewarm water and a gentle, fragrance free cleanser or moisturizing soap. Rinse well. Hot water and harsh soaps remove the natural oils that help keep moisture in your skin.
2. 2Pat your hands gently with a towel rather than rubbing. Leave them slightly damp, then apply moisturizer straight away to help seal in that moisture.
3. 3Smooth the moisturizer gently over your skin. Reapply throughout the day whenever your hands feel dry or tight, not just after washing. Aim for at least three or four applications daily.

Which hand cream should you choose?

Choose a cream or ointment rather than a thin lotion: both provide more moisture. Look for ingredients such as glycerin, dimethicone, petrolatum or shea butter. Choose a label that says fragrance free; unscented products can contain ingredients that hide smells and irritate dry, sensitive skin.1

Keep a small tube at work or in your bag so you can moisturize away from home; hand cream need not spend its entire career beside one sink. A cream is less greasy than an ointment, which gives the keyboard less opportunity to join your skincare routine.4

What helps very dry hands overnight?

For very dry hands, apply petroleum jelly and cover your hands with cloth gloves while you sleep. Ointments are thick, greasy and useful for very dry skin, but should not be used on weeping eczema. Keep moisturizer contaminated gloves, clothing and bedding away from flames and cigarettes. Washing fabrics reduces product buildup but does not remove the fire risk completely.34

How do you stop your hands drying out again?

Wear protective gloves for wet work and contact with cleaning chemicals. Keep gloves clean and dry inside. For longer tasks, use cotton lined gloves or cotton gloves underneath. Choose glove material suited to the chemicals you handle, and avoid materials you are allergic to. Repeated contact with soap, detergents and water can cause irritant contact dermatitis, an inflammation of the skin caused by direct contact.5

Should you stop using hand sanitizer?

Do not abandon hand hygiene to protect dry skin. Use sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable, and wash visibly dirty hands. Apply moisturizer after sanitizer has dried. Alcohol hand rub generally causes less dryness and irritation than soap and water, although frequent use can still dry your hands. Brief stinging can happen on cracked skin, and reactions are more likely with sensitive skin or existing dermatitis.26

When do dry hands need medical care?

See a healthcare professional if dryness persists despite these changes, or cracking causes pain. Itching, swelling, blisters or an inflamed rash can be signs of hand eczema rather than simple dryness. Increasing soreness, crusting, oozing or spots can indicate infection. Tell your dermatologist if moisturizer burns, stings or irritates your skin.125

Persistent or severe contact dermatitis can need allergy patch testing. Hand eczema sometimes needs prescribed steroid treatment; use it as directed. Keep applying emollients, meaning moisturizers, while dermatitis is active and for some weeks afterwards as the skin barrier recovers. If you use a steroid cream or another skin treatment, leave 20 to 30 minutes between it and your emollient, and ask your doctor which goes first.457

How do you relieve dry skin?

For dryness elsewhere, keep showers lukewarm and limited to five to ten minutes, then moisturize damp skin immediately. Avoid scrubbing flakes away, since exfoliation can strip protective oils; flakes are not an invitation to start a polishing project. A bedroom humidifier can help counter dry indoor air. Clean it regularly to prevent mold.13