Summary
Hand care: fragile skin
Protecting your hands: adapted care.
Hand care products
Where and when to do a hand treatment?
Whether it’s during transportation, at work, or to say hello, our hands are frequently in contact with germs and bacteria. Impeccable hand hygiene and hand care are therefore essential.
Hand care: fragile skin
If we take a closer look at the anatomy of the skin of the hands, we notice some notable differences with the rest of the body that explain their fragility and tendency to dryness:
– The skin covering the top of the hand is much thinner and more fragile because there is very little fat in this area.
– There are few sebaceous glands, i.e., glands that secrete sebum, on the top of the hand. Therefore, the protective film is less dense, water evaporates more efficiently, and the hands dry out quickly.
– The skin on the hands’ palms is thicker due to the presence of grease, and the corneal layer is also thicker to protect it from the shocks of daily work.
There are no sebaceous glands or hair on the palm; however, many glands produce sweat, hence the sensation of sweaty hands.
– It is also strongly recommended to protect your hands with the appropriate care.
Products for hand care
After cleansing the skin, hand skincare is necessary. This begins with a scrub before applying a cream.
Hand scrub: an exfoliating treatment
The weekly hand scrub removes dead cells on the skin’s surface, small skin in the nails’ corners, and reduces calluses on the hands’ palms. For an effective exfoliation :
– you can use a specific scrub sold in stores, but the one for the body or facial skin is just as good, and you can also do your homemade scrub;
– apply the product and insist on the palms of the hands, the phalanges, and the cuticles;
– Rinse with clear water before carefully drying your hands;
– Finish the treatment by applying protective hand cream.
The hand cream: a moisturizing treatment
Once the hands are rid of dead skin thanks to the scrub, they must be moisturized and nourished. The cream allows depositing a protective film on the skin’s surface to avoid water’s evaporation and the skin’s drying. It is recommended to use compound products :
– A butter or vegetable oil: sweet almond oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, to nourish and protect the skin;
– a sun filter to protect the hands from the sun’s UV rays;
– without artificial perfumes and coloring agents, often allergenic;
– without synthetic preservatives such as “methylisothiazolinone,” which replaces paraben in many cosmetics and is highly allergenic.
Where and when to do hand care?
For soft and protected hands, the application of a moisturizing cream should be made generously, every day, summer and winter:
– as soon as the need arises;
– before bedtime, a thicker layer is applied so that it penetrates your skin during the night.
The exfoliation, as for a facial treatment, should be done only once a week, at home or in a beauty salon.
We will end on this note – our hands are our presentation card to the world and our best daily work tool. They are exposed to various factors and environmental elements that can deteriorate them and cause alterations. Because they are so important in our daily lives, we must take special care to keep them in good condition, looking young and pretty.
Hope the above helps you take care of your hands. Remember to share your experience below.
