Hand hygiene is as important as any body care routine. We rely heavily on the use of our hands every day. Because our hands are so busy, we rarely give them a second thought while they endure the wear and tear of daily work and living. We put them through a lot of work and expose them to various chemicals and other things.
Preserving the hand\’s health over the long term requires consistent and diligent care. If you don\’t give your hands the proper hand care they need to withstand their daily use, you\’ll notice a decline in their condition.
The Importance of Hand Hygiene
Just like other types of skincare, taking care of your hands will help you maintain healthy-looking skin and prevent damage.
According to the World Bank, hygiene promotion is the most cost-effective health action to reduce disease. So hand hygiene is crucial to seal necessary moisture that maintains our hands healthy and clean.
Dry skin and poor skin care can lead to premature aging and weakening of the hands. No matter how we use our hands for different works, we expose them to external irritants and risks. It is why treating them with the same level of care as other body parts makes sense.
A hand care routine should be a part of your daily skincare routine. But if you\’re unsure if you need to take better care of your hands, continue reading for your guidance.
Hand Care Tips
In this section, we\’ll review some general hand care tips and offer best practices to identify and stick to the best care regimen for your hands.
Keep Your Hands Clean
It is essential to keep proper hygiene practices to keep your hands clean. It should be no surprise that frequent hand washing is the cornerstone of this hand care regimen. Our hands are always in contact with objects that are contaminated. Regardless of what else is on this list, washing your hands frequently during the day is a requirement.
Moisturize Your Hands
After washing, it\’s crucial to hydrate hands with high-quality skincare products to maintain them soft and smooth. To avoid the soap and water from rinsing the hands of their natural oils, moisturizers should be gently massaged into them after each washing.
To ensure you always have it on hand for when you need it, we advise carrying a non-greasy hand cream in your handbag anytime you leave the house.
Choose from hand moisturizers, including sensitive skin hand creams and hand serums. Naturally, each has unique advantages, and the ideal hand moisturizer for your hands will depend on the state and type of your skin.
Shea butter, beeswax, hyaluronic acid, and aloe are excellent moisturizing ingredients for dry skin and chapped hands. While hand creams containing the antioxidant vitamin C can help to even out skin tone and lessen the appearance of dark spots.
Exfoliate Your Hands
Exfoliation involves removing old skin cells to reveal younger skin cells underneath. Use the exfoliating technique that is most effective for your skin. For oily skin, scrubbing works better; chemical exfoliants are advised for dry or sensitive skin.
It\’s advisable to exfoliate your hands twice a week because exfoliating too frequently can irritate the skin and prematurely remove perfectly healthy skin cells. You should avoid exfoliation if you have sensitive skin or open wounds on your hands since it can irritate them.
Apply Sun Protection
Some people remember to apply sunscreen to their faces as part of the morning skin care regimen. But they usually forget to apply sun protection for their hands from the sun\’s damaging UV rays. Exposure to the sun can result in early symptoms of aging, sunburns, age spots, and overall pigmentation. That is why it is an essential step in any hand care regimen.
Before going outside in the morning, apply sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to the tops of the hands. If possible, reapply the sunscreen after washing your hands and applying any hand cream.
Protect Your Hands
Use protective gloves to avoid extended contact with cleaning supplies and other chemicals when doing laundry, dishes, or other work. Cover your hands in the winter to avoid drying out your skin. Low humidity and freezing temperatures frequently cause less moisture, which can result in dry and cracked hands.
Factors to Consider in Your Hand Hygiene Routine
Harsh Chemicals
Exposure to harsh materials and chemicals is the most frequent consideration for hand care. Especially if you find yourself cleaning your house or washing your hands more frequently than normal, they include abrasive soaps, hand sanitizers, and other disinfectants.
In addition to typical household cleaners like dishwashing liquid and detergent, these chemicals might contain topical or oral medications that may negatively affect your skin.
Weather and Environment
Other considerations include the weather and environment. The sun, wind, and humidity influence skin dryness and hand care. Going from an air-conditioned home to a sunny sidewalk can cause even little temperature fluctuations to impact your skin.
Lifestyle
The third aspect consists of your regular activities and lifestyle choices. The foods you eat and personal habits like sleep, alcohol consumption, smoking, weight gain or loss, and stress levels all fall under the category of lifestyle choices.
Work
Your daily job is another important factor when choosing a hand care regimen. Depending on your line of work, you can require more hand care than others. Some tasks have constant hand contact, necessitating more frequent hand washing and care than usual.
You must wear proper hand protection if you do tough work, such as construction and its intensity. Wearing proper hand protection in your workspace is essential in keeping your hands safe and secured from any hazard and risk that may arise as you do your work.
Hand Hygiene 101: Key Takeaways
We must give them additional tender, loving care to make our hands soft and smooth. You may maintain healthy hands by frequently washing, exfoliating, moisturizing, and protecting them from dangerous materials and chemicals. Your nails and hands will also benefit from foods rich in vitamins and proteins. So, follow these hand hygiene tips to get soft, healthy hands.
