Caring for Frequently Washed Hands

Cleaning professionals, now more than ever, are focusing on washing hands and personal safety from infectious diseases. All of this handwashing can dramatically degrade your hands due to the removal of oils and moisture in your hands from soaps and sanitizers. Additionally, winter’s cold weather further dries out our hands.

Fortunately, there are four key tips to maintaining healthy hands.

1. Most common soaps for your hands can remove the natural oils on your hands that are essential for keeping hands moisturized. Dermatologist-recommended hand cleansers, like CeraVe, Cetaphil, and Avène, can be a great alternative to harsher soaps.
2. Throughout the day, it is also important to apply a hand lotion.
3. When dealing with harsh chemicals such as bleach, laundry detergent or other cleaning agents, wear gloves. Additionally, wearing mittens or gloves while in cold weather is important.
4. Applying oils such as coconut oil, argan oil, or sweet almond oil can help to replenish those lost from washing with soaps. Be sure to sample oils in case of an allergy.

For more information from Popular Science on their advice for hand care, read the article in its entirety here.