Our hands can take one heck of a beating during the course of a normal workday. Regardless of what kind of work you do, the skin of you hands is exposed to bacteria, dirt, and chemicals. Properly caring for your hands can help to prevent premature skin aging and help to keep you healthy.
Our parents had it right when they would remind us to wash our hands. The first rule of thumb when it comes to caring for your hands is to keep them clean. The skin is a waterproof organ so getting it wet will not damage it in any way. Regular hand washing can reduce our exposure to many types of communicable health problems like the flu and the common cold. Using soap helps to break down the natural surface tension of water and aids in removing dirt and bacteria. Antibacterial soaps can be effective but any good hand soap will do since the trick is to wash your hands for at least twenty seconds. Dry your hands thoroughly with a clean cloth or paper towel or, if you prefer, use a warm air hand dryer.
If preventing dry skin and keeping your hands soft and supple is important, the time to use a moisturizer is right after you wash them. Some harsh hand soaps and cleaners can dry out the skin and hand creams and lotions do little to add moisture to the skin. What these products are good for is keeping moisture in the skin by slowing down the rate of evaporation of sweat and retaining the skin natural moisture. Whether you prefer an expensive hand lotion or use the bargain brand really does not matter since even a light application of good old fashioned petroleum jelly will do the trick just as well as the pricey hand cream.
Washing dishes is always a chore and washing dishes by hand can be hard on your skin. The degreasing ingredients in many dishwashing liquids can really dry out your hands by washing away the oils in the skin. Some dishwashing liquids are less harsh than others but if you notice that your hands are dried and cracked after doing dishes, you might consider wearing rubber gloves. Gloves may take some getting used to but they do offer the best protection. Whether or not you use gloves, always wash your hands with a mild soap and apply some hand cream after your chore is complete.
Whether working in the garden or doing other types work around the house, garden gloves can save lots of wear and tear on your hands. Gloves can be especially important and are definitely required if you are working with any type insecticide or pesticide. Not only can these chemicals be hard on the skin but may cause adverse skin reactions. Even if you wear gloves, always wash your hands thoroughly to remove any traces of chemical residue. There are protective creams available that will help prevent chemicals from contacting the skin but these creams can be messy, especially in hot weather so gloves are still the best way to protect your skin.
Working on the family car or garden equipment like mowers and trimmers can leave you with grease on your hands. Never use solvents or petrochemical solutions to degrease your hands as these chemicals will de-fat the skin be flushing away the skins natural oils, and these chemicals can be very hazardous to your health. Instead, use a mild hand degreaser and then apply a moisturizing cream.
Many of us take time to care for our face and for the same reasons taking the time to care for your hands will pay off by helping to reduce the signs of premature skin aging.
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