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Hand-Washing and Hand Care
All that scrubbin' is drying out our poor paws. We asked the experts how to give our extra squeaky hands some extra love.
With all the health recommendations of late, I've been washing my hands at every opportunity, but the soap and water leaves them feeling like crocodile skin. How can I nourish and care for my hands with the added (and often drying) sanitation? And if I use hand sanitizer in lieu of washing my hands (say, I'm on the go), do I moisturize first and then apply the hand sanny?
“We are seeing so much hand eczema due to contact irritation from washing more with soaps and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Some people are also washing their hands rather excessively as we all do our part to stop the virus,” says Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD, MBA, medical director at Twin Cities Dermatology Center.
To combat the reptilian hands we’re all developing through increased hand washing and sanitizer use, Pierre-Louis recommends:
Switch Up Your Soap and Sanny
“Reduce irritation by changing soaps or the sanitizer,” she says. “Not all chemicals are the same and the rash or irritation may improve by using different antimicrobial agents.”
Hydrate Right
“Moisturize the skin with greasy or ointment-based topical moisturizers, such as petrolatum or Aquaphor right after you wash the hands. Oils can also be helpful, such as vitamin E.”
Step Up Your Moisture Game
“If changing the cleansers and moisturization are not enough, you may need medication to help the skin inflammation,” Pierre-Louis says. “Try over the counter hydrocortisone 1% cream or ointment [on] the hands twice a day for a week.” If over the counter creams and ointments don’t ease the inflammation and dryness, consult a dermatologist via an e-visit or in-person appointment if your clinic is doing so.
Sanitize Then Moisturize
“Always use the antimicrobial agent on dry hands and rub it in to get the most bug killing activity. So, use the hand sanitizer first, then apply moisturizer over it. In no way will this make the sanitizer ineffective, and it will provide a protective barrier over the hands,” Pierre-Louis says.
