How to treat severely dry hands

How do you treat dry hands?

1. 1Remove rings before washing. Soap and moisture trapped underneath can irritate the skin.
2. 2Wash with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance free cleanser. For visibly dirty hands, use soap and rinse thoroughly. Do not stop necessary handwashing to manage dryness.
3. 3Pat dry gently rather than rubbing. Dry between your fingers carefully, but leave the rest of your skin slightly damp for moisturizer.
4. 4Apply a generous amount of cream or ointment immediately. Smooth it over your palms, backs of your hands, fingers, spaces between your fingers and wrists.
5. 5Reapply whenever your hands feel dry. Keep moisturizer beside the sink and within reach at work so washing and moisturizing stay part of the same routine.

Which moisturizer should you choose?

Choose a fragrance free product. For very dry hands, a thick cream, balm or ointment is a better starting point than a light lotion. If you have dyshidrotic eczema, use a fragrance free cream or ointment and avoid lotions. The greasier texture is a practical tradeoff, not a product failing its audition as a luxury hand cream.14

How often should you moisturize?

Apply moisturizer after every hand wash and whenever your skin feels dry, rather than saving it for bedtime. Moisturizers smooth and hydrate skin, but those effects do not last all day. Keeping a tube at home and another at work makes frequent application easier, because the cream cannot help from a different postcode. If moisturizer comes in a tub, use a clean spoon or similar utensil to remove it rather than putting your fingers inside.3

What should you do before bed?

Use a greasier ointment before bed if that texture is impractical during the day. Thin cotton gloves can be worn over moisturizer overnight. Cotton gloves help keep greasy moisturizer off bedclothes, which did not volunteer for a skincare routine. If the skin around your fingernails is damaged, protect that area with petroleum jelly before getting your hands wet, including before a shower. Continue any prescribed eczema treatment as directed rather than replacing it with an overnight moisturizing routine.5

What keeps drying your hands out?

Repeated washing removes natural oils and moisture, and hot water makes that loss worse. Frequent contact with water, detergents, solvents and other irritating substances can also cause hand eczema. Check what touches your hands during an ordinary day, including work chemicals and cleaning products. Tell your doctor about tasks that worsen symptoms and whether your hands improve away from work. Finding and avoiding the cause is part of treatment, not an optional extra after choosing a cream.12

Which gloves help?

For dishes and other wet work, wear waterproof gloves with cotton liners or separate cotton gloves underneath. Keep protective gloves clean, dry and free of holes. Remove and replace them if water gets inside. Keep wear periods short, ideally no longer than 20 minutes, because sweating can worsen irritation. Rinse the inside of reusable gloves regularly and let them dry. Wear warm fabric gloves outside in cold weather. For workplace chemicals, make sure the gloves actually protect against the substance you handle; simply wearing gloves does not settle that question.234

Should you switch to hand sanitizer?

Hand sanitizer can irritate dry skin too. Let sanitizer dry before applying moisturizer, and use soap and water when your hands are visibly dirty. In healthcare settings, follow your workplace infection control rules: alcohol rubs can be less irritating than repeated soap and water washing, but are not sufficient against every infection. If you have dyshidrotic eczema and sanitizer triggers symptoms, ask your dermatologist to help choose a suitable product.134

Could severe dryness be hand eczema?

Hand eczema, also called hand dermatitis, can cause thick or scaly skin, itching, burning, irritated patches, painful cracks, bleeding and weeping. It can start as dry, chapped skin. An irritant or an allergic reaction can cause it, and a history of childhood eczema increases the risk. A dermatologist can investigate the cause and arrange allergy testing when appropriate. Repeatedly adding moisturizer without addressing a trigger can leave the problem untreated.24

Tiny, itchy blisters on the palms or between fingers can occur with dyshidrotic eczema. As the blisters heal, skin can peel and develop painful cracks. Do not pop them: the skin covering the blister protects deeper layers from infection. A cool compress for 10 to 15 minutes can ease itching; let the skin air dry and moisturize immediately afterwards. Avoid scratching, which can worsen eczema and break the skin open.7

When do you need prescription treatment?

For sore, inflamed contact dermatitis, a doctor can prescribe a topical corticosteroid, a steroid cream or ointment that reduces inflammation. The strength depends on severity and location; thick palm skin sometimes needs a stronger preparation. Apply a thin layer in the amount and frequency prescribed. Ask how to space it from moisturizer, and follow that treatment plan. Steroid treatment usually starts having an effect within a few days. If symptoms do not improve, contact your doctor rather than increasing the amount yourself. Persistent severe eczema can need specialist treatment.6

How long does healing take?

There is no single healing time for severely dry hands: the cause and continued exposure matter. Dyshidrotic eczema flares commonly last about three to four weeks. After hand dermatitis looks healed, keep gentle washing, moisturizing and protection from irritants going for at least four to five months. Skin needs time to rebuild its strength, so visible improvement is not the point to abandon hand care.57

What should make you stop or seek help?

Cracked hands can briefly sting when moisturizer is applied; that alone does not mean an allergy. If a product causes a reaction or worsens irritation, stop using it and ask a pharmacist about an alternative. Keep emollients away from naked flames. Let greasy products absorb before driving or operating machinery because they can make hands slippery.36

Arrange medical care for extremely dry, painful hands when frequent moisturizer is not helping, or for new or worsening symptoms. Contact a healthcare professional promptly for pus, yellow crusting, swelling, warmth or severe pain, which can signal infection. Deep cracks, bleeding or difficulty using your hands deserve assessment rather than another round of product shopping.27