Dry hands may be due to harsh environmental conditions causing your skin to dehydrate. This dehydrated skin leads to irritation and makes your hands dry. In cases where hands get extremely dehydrated, it leads to cracking of skin. Such cracked skin might bleed and cause pain. The situation can get intense resulting in serious diseases such as eczema, bacterial infections, etc. Dry hands might be a result of weather conditions such as extremely cold weather or low humidity in atmosphere. Such conditions pull out your body moisture making it dry and dehydrated.
Things can get worst by excess washing of hands. If you have dry hands, keep water far away and wash your hands only when required. The causes of dry hands can be allergies and medicines as well which lead to dehydration as one of the side effects. The problem requires attention as severe cases cause alot of problem. You can use certain home based remedies to cure your dry hands.
Best Home Remedies For Dry Hands
Use Vaseline
Vaseline is an emollient and can be used to fight against the dryness of your hands. An emollient is a complex chemical that works upon the epidermal skin (upper layer of skin) to make it soft by packing moisture in it. It works by reducing evaporation of water by skin, allowing it to stay hydrated.
Wash your hands in warm water and dab them with towel. Dabbing causes soaking of excess water over hands. Make sure that you do not dry your hands completely. Let them be a little wet! Apply vaseline over damp hands by rubbing them softly against each other so that vaseline gets into your skin.
It works by packing dampness of your hands into skin, keeping it hydrated. It would be better to use the remedy at night so that vaseline gets enough time to work.
Steam
Using steam helps in opening pores. Use a good layer of vaseline on your hands and then steam them. Steaming can be performed by using vapours of hot water. It is extremely easy, fill a bowl with hot water and you’ll see steam escaping from the utensil.
Expose your hands (applied with vaseline) to the steam. Let your hands bathe in steam only till it is possible for you to bare it. If you feel that the steam is too hot for your hands, then extremely widthraw them or else the heat can cause problems.
For those who are comfortable with the heat, steam will work to open your pores allowing vaseline to get into your skin. This vaseline adds moisture deep into the skin, keeping it hydrated.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids which make skin smoother and softer. Though, virgin olive oil would work best for your dry hands. It is a natural moisturizer which keeps your skin hydrated. Just use virgin olive oil whenever your hands feel dry.
In case your hands are dirty and need to be washed, use warm water for cleaning. Wash your hands in slighly warm water and dry them using a towel. It would be best if you let your hands a little damp and then use the oil. Virgin olive oil will pack the moisture of your damp hands into your skin, preventing dehydration.
Exfoliation
Alot of dead skin comes up in case of dry hands. This should be removed timely to allow growth of new, fresh and alive skin. Exfoliation is the practice of getting rid of dead skin cells allowing the skin to breathe. Sugar is the simplest thing you can use for exfoliating your hands. Take one tablespoon of sugar and mix it with little olive oil. Olive oil should be enough to give the mixture a liquid texture so that it is easy to use. Now, rub the sugared oil all over your hands for sometime.
Wash your hands with warm water after 3-4 minutes and apply moisturizer. It is very important to use moisturizer after exfoliation as the upper layer needs to be protected. Make sure to use the process only when your hands are not dried enough to pain or bleed. Repeat it every week for best results.
Almond Oil
Almond oil is rich in vitamin E which is an essential for perfecr skin. It deeply nourishes skin and avoids any damages. The oil can thus be used to cure dry hands. Wash your hands in warm water to get rid of any impurities. Apply little almond oil over your hands with continuous rubbing.
It easily seeps inside skin protecting it from any environmental damage and keeps it deeply nourished. All the necessary oil will be absorbed by your skin in around 5 minutes, after which the excess oil can be wiped off with a towel. Wipe of gently to let a thin layer of oil stay over your hands, make sure not to rub the towel hard.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is a completely hydrating formula for your dry hands. It just contains everything you need for your hands. Oil (fats) and eggs form the major ingredients of the product, both of which nourish skin. Fats are also known for moisturizing skin.
Apply mayonnaise all over your hands and keep them undisturbed for around 20 minutes. Hands can then be washed with warm water, do not use any soap for this. Mayonnaise can be mixed with a little oil (baby oil, olive oil, almond oil) for better results.
Just mix the two in 2:1 ratio where quantity of oil is in minority and apply the mixture over your hands. It can then be washed with warm water after 15-20 minutes.
Salt
Salt can be used to prevent dry hands. Wet your hands in warm water and then massage with a little salt. It helps you to get rid of dead skin cells making skin smoother.
Make sure you do not use the procedure if your hands have started cracking and bleeding due to dryness. Salt works well to avoid dry conditions and to remove any excess dead skin caused due to mild dryness.
Honey
Honey is a natural moisturizer and can be used over dry, chapped hands for relief. It contains certain amino acids which let it lock skin’s moisture. Sugar level in the product helps your skin retain it’s moisture. Take one tablespoon of honey in your hands and rub the two hands together as if washing hands. This applies the ointment all over, make sure you apply it between your fingers as well. Let the remedy work for 5 minutes, after which you can rinse your hands with warm water.
Caution: Please use Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.
