Getting a Handle on Healthy Hands

By Christy Masterman Owner of Dermatology Solutions & Dermatology Nurse Practitioner

Our hands are vital for many everyday activities such as eating, embracing, and earning a living. We open doors, soothe our loved ones, and even use them to effectively communicate without a second thought for how regularly over-worked they are.

However you choose to use your dukes, there’s no denying that maintaining healthy hands is important. Here are a few handy tips to help you save your shakers.

Cold and dry weather can cause chapped and cracked skin, which is extremely painful, especially for body parts that require intricate and continuous movement like our hands. Over-washing, and the use of scented or anti-bacterial soaps remove necessary moisture from the skin and ironically can put you at a higher risk for skin infections. Replace lost moisture from handwashing by moisturizing your hands with a thick unscented cream or petroleum gel before your skin fully dries, every handwashing. Also, try to avoid direct contact with harsh chemical cleaners as much as possible by wearing protective gloves or by replacing them with hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners.

If you have severely dry and chapped hands, dampen them and then follow up by moisturizing them while they are still wet and then cover them with gloves overnight.

Anytime we talk about our health in general, whether it’s heart health, eye health, or nail health, a balanced nutrition is key. Fingernails are made of a protein called keratin, so, it’s reasonable to assume that a protein-rich diet would help facilitate healthy nail growth. In addition to a healthy diet, healthy nails need healthy cuticles. Yes, that’s right, the skin that the nail technician tries to remove during your manicure actually has a really important function. That little border of fine skin protects the nail matrix which is responsible for creating new skin cells (aka growth) and pushing out old dead ones. For healthy nails and growth, you want healthy cuticles.

Anti-Bacterial/Anti- Microbial soap is more effective than regular soap.

Handwashing with soap is key. If you are prone to dry or irritated skin, steer clear of anti-bacterial or anti-microbial soaps which strip additional moisture from the skin.

Drinking more water helps to improve skin hydration.

It is unknown if drinking more water helps to hydrate dry, chapped or cracked skin. The best way to hydrate your skin is by avoiding continuous exposure to hot water, and to moisturize your skin while it’s still damp.

It is best to wash your hands with warm soapy water.

Both warm and cold soapy water remove the same number of germs. That said, it’s considered more pleasant to wash your hands with warm water over cold water.

Whether you’re home or traveling, consider having these items on hand!

• Disposable gloves

• Petroleum jelly

• Tweezers

• Hand sanitizer

• Hydrogen Peroxide

• Q-Tips

• Band-Aids/Sterile Bandages or Gauze and Tape

• Nail File - to smooth out rough nail edges

• Cuticle Oil

• Unscented Moisturizer

• Clear Base Coat/Nail Strengthener

• Top Coat - to prevent chipping

• Nail Clippers - for loose skin, or to remove damaged cuticles. Always cut. Do not pull