It is true that people whose hands are always occupied with housework tend to get rough hands and calloused palms because of the harsh detergents and other chemicals. Even artists like potters and sculptors suffer from callused hands. Nevertheless, a little tender loving care can make one’s hands soft and smooth again, fixing all the damage. Let’s find out how to get soft hands.
HOW TO GET SOFT HANDS
Many daily activities of man make troll on our hands and make them feel very rough and calloused. Below are some activities that restore our palms to that soft and smooth feeling:
- Physical protection
- Sunscreen
- Proper washing
- Hydration
- Moisturizing
1. PHYSICAL PROTECTION
One hands can be protected physically from becoming rough or restored from being rough by using hand gloves. Gloves help in totally protecting our hands and keeping them soft, like on a cold day when one is outside the cold air can dry and chap the hands, but by putting on warm gloves, it can reduce the moisture loss and keep the natural oil on the skin.
Wearing rubber gloves for household chores like cleaning the bathroom and washing dishes can also help greatly in keeping a good grip, protecting the skin from hot water and harsh chemicals that can irritate and dry out the hands and cause them to be rough.
Gloves can also be used as part of a treatment for skin repair by improving the softness of the hands, giving the skin on the hands some extra care and this can be done by putting on cotton gloves, which helps by liberally applying moisturizer to the hands.
2. USE OF SUNSCREEN ON THE HANDS
The skin on the hands is very vulnerable to the ranging damaging effects of the ultraviolet rays of the sun just like the skin on skin of other part of the body.
Note: When the environment is too warm to wear gloves, applying a sunscreen with a high SPF will protect and help keep the skin of the hands soft and supple.
3. WASHING OF HANDS WITHOUT DAMAGING THEM
One of the primary reasons we wash our hands is to avoid catching and spreading germs through contaminated and dirty surfaces we touch. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers guidelines for handwashing that include washing your hands frequently and washing them for at least 20 seconds in clean running water.
WAYS OF WASHING OUR HANDS WITHOUT DAMAGING THEM
Washing your hands frequently can damage the skin and make the hands dry and rough. Below are some ways to limit potential damage if the hands:
- Using warm but not hot water to wash the hands.
- Using a moisturizing soap rich with ingredients like lanolin and glycerin is very important.
- When washing the hands ,do it gently, not aggressively to get a soft palm.
- Blotting the washed hands dry instead of rubbing them aggressively to dry.
- Apply a good moisturizer to the hands after washing and drying them.
- Occasionally replace soap and water handwashing with a good hand sanitizer.
4. STAYING HYDRATED
Drinking enough water helps greatly to flush out your body, which helps in improving the skin and giving it a more radiant glow. So water is very necessary in achieving a soft hand not just for washing.
Note: It is recommended by doctors that we drink at least 8 glasses of water a day for proper hydration of the body.
5. MOISTURIZING THE HANDS
Moisturizers assist greatly by holding water in the outer layer of the skin. Most moisturizers are water-based lotions, gels, creams, gels, and serums that can contain the following substances:
i. Humectants: These are chemical ingredients which include glycerin, urea, and alpha-hydroxy acids. They are used to draw water into the skin.
ii. Occlusives: These are chemical ingredients which include petrolatum, shea butter, and allantoin. They are used to retain or hold water in the skin.
iii. Emollients: These are chemical ingredients which include jojoba oil, lanolin, and sunflower oil. They are used to provide smoothness to the skin.
Natural oils are very essential in treating rough hands, and they are also a good alternative for people who do not want to buy lotion. Natural oils can be used on the hands just like any other regular lotion. The below listed oils are natural oils and are used for cooking but are nourishing and healthy for skin, nails, and hair when applied regularly. They include: avocado, almond, aloe vera gels, coconut, cocoa butter, sunflower, olive.
Some other common ingredients in recommended moisturizers include: almond oil, avocado oil, aloe vera gels, coconut oil, cocoa butter, egg yolks, honey, oatmeal.
HOW TO GET SOFT HANDS: IMPORTANCE OF MOISTURIZERS
Moisturizers are very important ointments that are to be applied daily to our skin and their importance are:
- Moisturizers help in preventing dry skin.
- Moisturizers are used in treating dry skin.
- Moisturizers are used in protecting sensitive skin.
- It is used in improving skin texture.
NOTE: Applying moisturizer or hand cream while skin is still damp is one of the most effective ways to make the hands softer. After washing the hands and patting the skin dry with a towel but not completely dry, allowing some moisture to remain before applying a moisturizer. If a medical doctor has prescribed a medicated cream like corticosteroid, it is advised that you wait at least 30 minutes after using it before applying a moisturizer.
SOME IMPORTANT KEY NOTES
1. You can make a homemade exfoliant scrub, which when combined with some lotion helps to scrub off dead skin. Example:
Combine a few tablespoons of white sugar with olive oil or coconut oil to form a paste, and rub it on your hands for two minutes. Rinse with warm water, and you should be left with hands that are much softer than prior to your scrub. It is optional to add a few drops of peppermint or lavender essential oil to give a nice smell to the lotion. Note: If you do not want to use sugar, you can use grated beeswax or salt.
2. Conditioning the hands every few weeks in winter. When the temperature is reduced or drop, the skin suffers. People living in cold areas can use a deep-conditioning treatment with an old pair of socks to keep their hands soft. It’s simple and very effective, and it can be archived by:
i. Heating a pair of very clean socks in the microwave for 15 seconds. Put a generous amount of your favorite lotion on your skin but avoid rubbing it in.
ii. Put on the clean socks on the hands letting the hands, soak it all the lotion in for 10-20 minutes. Remove the socks and continue rubbing in the remaining lotion. You can do this and leave the socks on overnight to help with extra dry skin. While it might seem weird, socks are usually better and easier to clean than gloves.
iii. Using a deep-conditioning salve when necessary is very important if one’s hands are peeled and cracked and bring out the big guns. A good conditioning hand salve, like Bag Balm, or a similar product is great and works like magic. Salves are gel-like creams used to heal deeply dry skin. It can be rubbed into the knuckles, palms, and other problem spots for several days until the skin has softened.
MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT THE SKIN
Certain medical conditions can affect the softness of your hands greatly, including certain conditions that cause skin inflammation like psoriasis or eczema. Certain infections may cause one to experience dry hands, it also causes the skin to peel and crack. People with autoimmune disorders, such as lupus or diabetes, may have lowered blood circulation in their hands, and this could cause the hands to become more easily irritated, thereby affecting the softness of the hands.
CONCLUSION
Most people, dry hands come as a result of their busy lives. However, it can be treated and become softer with some lifestyle changes, such as wearing gloves and applying moisturizer. Cold temperatures can get one soft skin looking like the Grand Canyon in the middle of winter.
Although, one hands can get rough in any season of the year. To get soft hands regardless of the time of year, all that is necessary is to treat the existing dryness with lotions, natural oils, sugar scrubs, protective coverings, and the occasional deep-conditioning salve.
You should also prevent your newly softened hands from getting rough by switching to gentle hand soaps, avoiding hot water, staying hydrated, and wearing gloves to avoid exposure to drying elements. Soft hands look and feel fantastic, and are easy to get for nearly everyone willing to put in the effort.