Hand Care & Coronavirus: How to Keep Your Skin in Good Shape Amidst All the Hand-washing

If you’re not washing your hands to the point of experiencing some kind of dryness, you’re not washing your hands enough! It’s the best way to protect ourselves, and others, from spreading the coronavirus. Wash your hands when you wake up, after you use the bathroom, after you touch your pets, before you eat, after you eat, after you come back from outside, just every chance you get, wash or sanitise your hands! The only drawback of all this disinfecting are dry, coarse hands but there’s nothing a little TLC can’t fix. Here’s how to keep your hands soft and supple, despite the constant cleaning:
Choose hand creams that contain urea
Using handcream to battle dry skin is the most obvious solution, but it’s important to note creams with Urea will work that much faster. Urea is a powerful hydrating agent that helps keep the moisture in your skin, leaving it hydration for a longer period of time. It’s best for people who have psoriasis, eczema or extremely dry and flaky skin.

Hydrate after every wash
Every time you wash your hands with soap and water, you strip away its natural oils and disrupt the pH balance. It’s important to hydrate after every (or every other) wash to keep your hands moisturized.

Wear gloves
Wearing gloves is not only a must when being outside, but is also important when doing tasks around the house. Make sure to wear gloves when washing the dishes, cleaning, or handling any cleaning supplies that can be harmful to your skin and health.

Try a gentler soap

Opt for fragrance free hand washes when possible to limit the exposure to harsh chemicals. Fragnance free washes will still get the job of killing all those germs done!

Cleansers with sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS, are effective but will dry out your hands. When using creams to moisturise, add a few drops of body oil or organic oils like coconut for added benefits.

Moisturise overnight

If the dryness on your hands is very extreme and is causing you pain, lather your hands in coconut or sunflower seed oil — or petroleum jelly if you don’t want to raid your pantry — sleep with cotton gloves or socks on your hands. This way the moisture stays locked in, and it will keep hydrated through the night, meaning you will wake up with soft, supple hands.
If you know any desi totkas that work even better than any of these tips, let us know in the comments below!
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