How To Care For Dry Hands

You use your hands every day constantly, its no wonder hands can suffer from dryness. Dry cracked hands are a problem, read on for NIVEA top tips and to find the best hand cream for dry hands.

What causes dry skin on hands?

There are many different factors affecting how dry, rough and uncomfortable our hands can feel.

Why do I Have Dry hands?

Regardless of our occupation or what we choose to do with our spare time, our hands take on the brunt of the work. As they’re constantly busy with different tasks, they’re exposed to a variety of different temperatures and conditions. This can really take its toll and leave us with dry hands that feel rough and it may even lead to cracked skin on our hands.

When it comes to skincare, the skin on the hands is all too often forgotten about, despite the fact that it’s as fragile as the skin on our face in some places. It’s about time we started appreciating our hands and giving them the care they deserve.

The causes of dry skin can range massively so it's important to know what to avoid and what can help.

If your insides are dehydrated, your hands will be too!

Staying hydrated can help keep our hands soft. Dehydrating our skin can lead to dry hands that can form callous skin. Drinking enough water to keep us hydrated can help not only dry hands but dry skin on the rest of our bodies too, for example you may find when you're dehydrated that the skin on your face also looks more dull and can feel drier than usual.

6 common causes of dry skin on hands

Cold & windy weather conditions
Exposure to UVA/UVB rays
Chemicals in household cleaning products
Washing hands too frequently
Home heating & air conditioning systems
Smoking

How to get rid of dry hands

Dry hands can be a real nuisance – find out how to restore them for hands that look and feel healthy again.

How to treat dry skin on hands

Preventing dry hands isn’t always easy, but by using the right dry skin remedies, it’s possible to give them the moisture they need. Even if you already have dry hands these products should help remedy the situation with prolonged use, and get you back to having hands that feel soft and cared for.

If your line of work means your dry hands are constantly exposed to rough materials and environmental elements, finding a good hand cream to use regularly is essential. NIVEA Repair & Care Hand Cream is an intensive treatment for instantly soothing very dry hands and chapped hands – perfect if your hands need that extra bit of care.

Another product that gives the dry skin on your hands what it needs is NIVEA Rich Nourishing Body Lotion. This product is enriched with a deep moisturising serum and almond oil to revitalise the skin on your dry hands to leave it feeling touchably smooth, even if you have dry cracked hands that feel like they'll never recover. As it’s lightweight, it’s absorbed easily making it the perfect companion for when you're on the go.

A lot of women still swear by the unique formulation of NIVEA Creme for their hands. The century-old cream provides the skin on the hands with everything it needs to stay smooth and nourished to keep those dry hands at bay.

Hands need exfoliating too

When it comes to exfoliating, the hands are often neglected, despite the fact that hand skin is thinner than certain parts of the face. Regularly exfoliating your dry hands will get rid of dead skin cells to reveal the fresher ones underneath – so you can say goodbye to dry, flaky skin. Read our how to exfoliate guide for more tips.

5 tips for preventing dry skin on hands

Avoid using hand-dryers

Drying your hands under a hot hand-dryer may seem tempting at the time, but the extreme heat and rush of air can dehydrate your hands and even make them feel irritated. Keep a pack of tissues in your handbag for drying your hands on the go to help prevent getting dry hands, and help the recovering of hands already in need.

lady wearing gloves to wash up to prevent dry hands

5 tips for preventing dry skin on hands

Wash up with rubber gloves

Washing up is a part of everyday life for most people, but few realise how immersing your hands in the hot water for an extended period of time can really dry them out as the intense cleaning properties strip the hands of their natural oils which help to keep them nourished and hydrated. Pop on a pair of rubber gloves and you’ll have sparkling dishes without the dry hands in no time.

5 tips for preventing dry skin on hands

Invest in a humidifier

Increasing the humidity levels in your home can really help to combat dry skin on hands. Dry air can cause your skin to lose a lot of moisture, especially in the rooms you spend a lot of time in. A humidifier can help to replace the moisture lost in dry hands to help keep them looking and feeling much healthier.

5 tips for preventing dry skin on hands

Don’t over-wash your hands

Washing your hands too regularly with hot water can leave them feeling dry and uncomfortable as, much like washing up liquid, the hot water strips your hands of their natural oils causing dry hands. Try to use warm water instead of hot water when you can and always make sure the hand wash you use is gentle on the skin.

5 tips for preventing dry skin on hands

Apply a deep treatment overnight

You would apply a night cream before going to sleep, so you should do the same for your hands. If the skin on your hands is ultra-dry, try applying a deep moisturising treatment overnight. Applying a generous amount of NIVEA Creme before popping on a pair of gloves before you go to sleep, this will ensure that the moisture is locked in and absorbs as it should overnight. Do this once a week and watch those dry hands disappear in place of healthy hydrated ones.

Soothing dry hands in winter

The cold, dry weather in winter can often lead to dry and cracked hands.

Wear gloves!

Hands take a battering in winter - wear gloves to help retain moisture in your hands and protect your hands from the dry winter air.

Intensely moisturise your dry hands

You need to pay extra careful attention to your hands in winter. You might feel you moisturise your hands enough but it can't hurt to go the extra mile.

Make sure to moisturise after using the bathroom after you've washed your hands to lock in the moisture you might have lost, and also when you get in from the cold outdoors.

Avoid hot taps and traditional soap

Traditional soap can damage your skins natural protective barrier, leaving hands very dry. The last thing you need in the cold winter months.

And while you might want to warm your hands up under a hot tap (or even get home and have a really hot shower) this has the opposite effect you want on your skin. Excess heat can dry hands out even further. Try using a lukewarm temperature.

Read the winter skincare guide for more tips on how to keep skin healthy.