We are repeatedly advised to wash our hands by health experts due to the coronavirus outbreak. Of course, everyone has been doing everything they can to prevent the spread of this deadly infection, especially by washing their hands more frequently than usual. On the other hand, repeatedly washing your hands can cause dry, itchy, and flaky skin. You ought to moisturize your hands to prevent these skin issues.
How to Keep the Hands Moisturized?
Following hand washing and drying, use a moisturizer. Make sure the moisturizer you choose is a quality one. A quality moisturizer contains:
- Humectants (moisturizing chemicals that help in preserving natural moisture of skin)
- Emollients (medicine used for avoiding dry and scaly skin)
- Occlusive (acts as a barrier; keeps the moisture sealed in and protects the skin against hazardous particles)
- Ceramide (prevents dryness, traps moisture in the skin, and serves as an anti-aging agent)
- Filaggrin (prevents numerous dermatological illnesses, i.e., Ichthyosis Vulgaris)
Benefits of Using Moisturizing Hand Cream and Lotion
The most significant and delicate part of our bodies, our hands require similar care to that given to our faces. A quality hand cream with moisturizer can accomplish the job perfectly. Some of the top advantages of utilizing a moisturizing hand cream or lotion include:
1. Moisturizing Properties
The fact that hand creams and lotions maintain our hands well-moisturized is the main advantage of utilizing them. Use of hand cream or lotion on a regular basis can assist to avoid chapped or cracked skin. Your hands have fewer oil channels than the rest of your body, which causes the skin on your hands to dry out more quickly than that of other body parts. The dryness is countered by moisture when the hands’ skin is kept coated and moisturized with a good hand cream or lotion.
2. Protection from Sun Rays
The most exposed portion of your body to sunlight is your hands. For this reason, selecting a hand cream or lotion with SPF 15 or higher is recommended. Reapplying hand cream or lotion will protect your hands from the sun’s damaging rays in addition to keeping them hydrated.
3. Infusion of Other Beneficial Ingredients
The majority of hand creams and lotions contain additional components that are beneficial to the skin. For instance, some hand creams and lotions contain various oils and botanicals that may include vitamin E and A. Vitamin A and E injections can aid in reducing scars, wrinkles, and inflammation.
4. Rejuvenation and Renewal
Salicylic or glycolic acid-containing hand creams and lotions can aid in skin renewal. The renewal of the skin can benefit from additional ingredients like beta hydroxy acid. Most hand creams and lotions contain vitamin C, which can make your hands look younger and more vibrant. Finally, retinol and peptide creams promote the development of collagen.
5. Relieve stress
Applying hand cream has a ritualistic quality that helps to reduce stress and relax the nerves. It all comes down to taking care of yourself and finding brief moments to regain your motivation and reason. You can do any activity if you alleviate your mind and your dry skin.
What Happens When You Don’t Moisturize Your Hands Regularly?
Have you ever considered what may occur if we stopped moisturizing our hands? We frequently neglect to moisturize our hands while living busy daily lives. However, constantly remember that moisturizing our hands should always come first. Here are several typical harms that can happen if hands are not routinely moisturized:
1. Make them dry and dull
Your hands’ skin dries out if it isn’t moisturized correctly and frequently, which is harsher in the winter or when there is little humidity. As a result, it starts to appear flaky and drab.
2. Your hands will age faster
When the skin is dry, wrinkles can be seen more clearly. Without moisturizer, hands appear more wrinkled and aged than usual. However, when your skin is hydrated, wrinkles frequently go away or become less noticeable as a result of the moisture. So be sure to hydrate your hands.
3. The skin of your hands will become vulnerable
The barrier created by moisturizing cream or lotion keeps harsh products like salicylic acid and retinoids away from your skin. You definitely don’t want to encounter damaged, red, or peeling skin, which is why you should moisturize your hands before applying such items.
4. More inflammation
Your skin demands moisture, and if it doesn’t get it, its natural protective barriers and pH levels may become out of balance. When your skin’s protective barrier is disrupted, you may experience dryness, redness, and a mild amount of irritation. Skipping moisturizer can exacerbate inflammation in people who are already prone to it, such as individuals with acne or rosacea.
5. Sun damage
Today’s moisturizers frequently contain SPF, so skipping moisturizer also likely means skipping a second sunscreen step, which could result in UV damage.
6. Itchy and tight skin
It is common knowledge that dry skin can start to feel tight and uncomfortable. Moisturizing aids in keeping your skin soft and relaxed. Lack of moisture causes skin cells to contract, resulting in itchy, unpleasant, and tight skin.
Conclusion
The majority of people frequently overlook the fact that our hands, just like our faces or any other part of our bodies, need to be taken care of. It is always advisable to moisturize hands because doing so has both short-term and long-term advantages. Skin that is moisturized, healthy-looking, and smooth are among the immediate advantages of moisturizing your hands. The prevention of cracked skin and maintenance of healthy skin cuticles are among the immediate advantages. Last but not least, maintaining moist hands will keep your skin looking young and healthy
Always keep in mind that after washing your hands, you need to reapply moisturizer. Because every time hands are washed, the moisturizer’s protective barrier is torn away, causing the skin’s natural moisture to be lost. Reapplying the moisturizer will therefore aid in preserving its natural moisture and avert harm.
If you need more tips and recommendations when it comes to moisturizers, you may check out our Guide to Selecting Beauty Moisturizers.