Keep them safe, keep them soft
Moisturise your hands after washing
One of the most effective ways to beat the coronavirus, according to the World Health Organisation, is by washing our hands properly with soap and water — which ideally should take about as long as singing the Happy Birthday song twice. And in the absence of soap and water, use hand sanitisers liberally. That’s how we can protect ourselves and those around us. But this has also led to our hands bearing the brunt of it — dryness and roughness have become our hands’ constant woes.
SOAP CAN BE HARSH ON SKIN
Soaps can alter the pH of the skin, making our hands more alkaline. This is what causes the dryness of skin. Repetitive hand washing can also damage the protective lipid barrier of the skin, resulting in peeling of the skin or cracks on fingers and palms.
THE GOLDEN RULE IS TO MOISTURISE
With the pandemic, washing hands with soap cannot be avoided. What you can do is moisturise your hands generously after every wash and wear gloves whenever possible. If you do not have a moisturiser, you can even use coconut or almond oil.
You should also avoid using hot water as it can rip the moisture away from your skin. Avoid using scrubs as they can increase dryness.
Use a moisturiser which has vitamin E, squalene, shea butter, cocoa butter, or jojoba oil.
Make sure you dab your skin after washing and leave the skin a little damp. Apply the moisturiser on damp skin to lock the moisture in.
Grace Cyril
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FOR PEOPLE WITH SKIN CONDITIONS
If you have a skin condition, opt for medicated gentle washes for hands. Avoid using hand wash or soaps with fragrance. You should also use a moisturiser with a thicker consistency and make sure to spread it evenly all over your palms and the back of your hands. petroleum jelly can help a lot in such cases.
DIY MOISTURISER
You can break four capsules of vitamin E (available as Evion 400) and add it to some coconut oil. This works as an effective hand moisturiser, which hydrates as well as repairs the skin.You can even use almond oil or olive oil to prepare this DIY moisturiser.
For those with particularly sensitive skin or skin that is prone to cracking, mix 2 tbsp of coconut oil with 2 tbsp of almond oil and add aloe vera and vitamin E to it. ■ (Inputs by dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad) ■ grace.cyril@hindustantimes.com ■