Frequent hand washing making your skin dry? This is how you can keep them soft and supple

Is over-sanitisation leaving your hands all high and dry? Worry not as we have got you covered.
ganglion cyst
Ganglion cyst can go away on its own. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Team Health Shots Updated: 3 Apr 2020, 15:05 pm IST
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From Priyanka Chopra Jonas to Sachin Tendulkar–everyone is taking the hand wash challenge. But we have one grievance that we wish they would address: how to deal with the dry and chapped skin that we are left with afterwards? 

While they are yet to answer this question, we have some simple tips for you that will help your skin heal. So let’s begin, shall we?  

alcohol cure for coronavirus
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer dehydrates your skin. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Apply oils and ghee on your palms to hydrate your skin
You must have noticed that after applying a hand sanitizer, a white layer of dryness appears on your palms and fingers. Well, that’s because these sanitisers suck out the water content from your skin. 

Dr Sharad Kulkarni from Kama Ayurveda says: “The first and foremost rule is to prevent excessive usage of alcohol-based sanitizers, as they can make your hands dry and dehydrated. It is instead advisable to wash your hands with soap as and when required.”

To cure that dryness that even soap can bring about, he suggests: “Apply sesame or coconut oil to your hands 15 minutes before stepping in for a bath. You can also apply olive oil every night before you sleep. In case of severe dryness, olive oil can be mixed with ghee and applied each night.”

benefits of ghee
Let good-old ghee come to the rescue of your chapped hands. Image courtesy: Shutterstock.

The more you wash, the more you must moisturize
Well, according to experts if you are looking for soft and supple hands then you have to live with this golden mantra.

“Moisturizing your skin is one of the ground rules of skincare. Health experts have advised us to wash our hands frequently with soap to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. While the properties of the soap prevent the spread of the virus, frequent hand washing can also dry out your skin immensely,” says Dolly Kumar, founder & director of Skinella, a natural skincare brand.  

“Dry skin can also feel itchy and appear wrinkled. To avoid this, make sure you always apply a moisturizer after drying your hands. This will leave your hands soft and supple,” she suggests. 

Now that you know, you must now take a pledge that you will not shy away from washing and sanitizing your hands every now and then as now you have got the magic trick to keep them supple forever. 

(With inputs from IANS)

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