Neutrogena hand cream: how to use it for dry hands

Which hand cream should you choose?

Check your Neutrogena tube's ingredient list and directions before choosing or applying it. For dry hands, look for a fragrance free, dye free cream or ointment. Useful moisturizing ingredients include glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which help hold water in the skin; ceramides, which are skin barrier lipids; and mineral oil or petrolatum, which help keep moisture from escaping. These are ingredients to look for, not an ingredient list for your particular tube. A cream or ointment in a tube is a better choice for dry hands than a thin pump lotion.1

Creams generally absorb quickly and feel less greasy, making them practical during the day. Ointments are thicker, greasier and more moisturizing, so they suit very dry, thickened skin and nighttime use. Creams and ointments serve different jobs, even if the packaging would prefer to call everything intensive. An ointment should not be used on weeping eczema.3

How do you apply hand cream?

1. 1Wash with lukewarm water and a gentle moisturizing soap, then rinse well. Very hot water removes healthy skin oils and can worsen dryness.
2. 2Pat your hands dry rather than rubbing them. Leave the skin slightly damp instead of drying away every last trace of water.
3. 3Apply your hand cream promptly, following the amount and directions on your tube. Smooth the moisturizer gently over your skin rather than rubbing vigorously.
4. 4Reapply after each wash and whenever your hands feel dry or tight. After using hand sanitizer, wait until the sanitizer has dried before applying moisturizer.

How often should you use it?

Let handwashing and dryness guide reapplication rather than saving hand cream for bedtime. General emollient guidance suggests applying moisturizer at least three or four times a day, with extra applications as needed. An emollient is a moisturizing treatment that helps trap water in the skin. Keep a tube by the sink and one at work, so hand cream has a better chance of reaching your hands than becoming a permanent resident of a drawer.3

In cold weather, moisturize more frequently, especially after wetting your hands. At bedtime, you can apply a cream or ointment and wear cotton gloves. A bedroom humidifier can also help when the air is dry. These are general hand care measures, not reasons to apply less often during the day. Moisturizing after washing does not undo the cleaning, and dry hands are not a reason to abandon necessary handwashing.12

What should you expect?

A moisturizer helps soothe and hydrate dry skin by leaving a protective film that traps moisture. Repeated washing removes natural oils and moisture, so regular reapplication matters more than a single generous application. Do not set a fixed deadline for cracked hands to heal. If frequent lotion use is not enough, try a cream or ointment; if your hands still do not improve, contact a healthcare provider.234

What helps stop the dryness coming back?

Wear protective gloves when washing dishes or cleaning, particularly if your hands are already very dry. Reduce unnecessary time with your hands in water while maintaining good hygiene. Mild soaps or nonsoap cleansers, protection from extreme cold and wind, and humid indoor air can all help prevent chapping. Hand sanitizer is not a substitute for washing visibly dirty hands, and sanitizer itself can irritate skin.24

When your hands will be exposed outdoors, apply a separate sunscreen unless your hand product supplies the needed protection. Choose broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Sun exposure can contribute to dryness, roughness, wrinkles and discolored spots on the hands, as well as skin cancer risk.1

What if you use prescription creams or get irritation?

If you use a steroid cream or another skin treatment, leave 20 to 30 minutes between that treatment and an emollient, and ask your doctor which to apply first. Burning or stinging that persists, or inflamed hair follicles, needs advice from a pharmacist or clinician. Keep emollients and fabrics carrying their residue away from flames and cigarettes; washing does not completely remove the residue.3

When is hand cream not enough?

See a dermatologist if your hands remain extremely dry and painful despite moisturizing throughout the day. Deep painful cracks, bleeding, itchy blisters, weeping skin, crusts or pus can occur with hand eczema, which can resemble ordinary dryness but needs more than moisturizer. Frequent wet work, detergents, solvents and allergic reactions can contribute. Treatment involves identifying and avoiding the trigger, with moisturizer or prescription treatment as appropriate. If symptoms repeatedly worsen during work or particular chores, tell the dermatologist about those exposures rather than simply switching hand creams.5