Obsessively Washing Your Hands? Here's What to Use to Keep Them Moisturized - Modern Brown Girl - 1.png

With the recent increase in hand washing, using hand sanitizer, and wearing gloves, many of us are likely experiencing extremely dry hands. We all know the feeling you get post-washing a pile of dishes after a huge party or being outside in frigid temps with no gloves.

Below are some quick and simple tips from Dove on how to prevent and care for super dry hands during this time – from easy ways to keep them healthy, smooth, and moisturized all day, Dove has you covered!

Tip 1: Hand-washing

According to Dove Dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara, when washing your hands make sure you use a gentle and moisturizing cleanser. Wash to ensure your skin barrier stays healthy, so it can do its best to defend against external irritants and microbes. Try to avoid harsh cleansers such as traditional soaps. They strip your skin of essential oils leaving your hands extra dry, flaky, and rough. Also, make sure you wash your hands for as long as it takes to sing “happy birthday” in either warm or cold water but not too hot as this may cause them to become dry quickly.

Tip 2: Drying your hands

To dry your hands, Dr. Gohara suggests to always use a separate face and hand towel. Remember your eyes, mouth, and nose are susceptible to virus transmission and your hands can pass the germs, so separate towels work best. When drying your hands, be careful with rubbing them against each other too hard. Instead, gently pat them. This will prevent over-drying your hands and help preserve your skin’s own natural moisturizers.

Tip 3: Moisturizer is key

Don’t forget to moisturize! While your hands are still moist (either from washing or from applying hand sanitizer), layer on a good moisturizer.

Tip 4: Stay hydrated

Your skin has always reflected what you eat, so staying hydrated is key! Therefore, don’t forget to “eat, drink and be merry.” Eating foods rich in nutrients such as nuts and avocados can help overall hydration. And don’t forget that water is a must.