The desert air is dry enough, so when winter hits and it seems to dry out your skin even more, you may be looking for some winter hand care tips.

Your skin has three layers comprised of the epidermis (top layer), dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. If you notice your skin beginning to feel rough, it is because the epidermis doesn’t contain enough water.

Why do our hands become so dry in the winter? Cold air does not contain as much moisture as warm air, so when the temperature drops a bit in winter, so does the humidity. This can cause problems for many different parts of the body, including the respiratory system. However, it can also become a problem for your hands.

If you find that your hands are drying out in the wintertime, here are some winter hand care tips to try at home.

Winter Hand Care Tips

Wash properly — Overwashing your hands can strip the natural oils. Also, don’t use harsh soaps. Use warm water and not hot water, which tends to dry out your hands even more.
Use a cool mist humidifier — A cool mist humidifier helps to add humidity back into the air without elevating the temperature in the room in the same way that a traditional humidifier would.
Avoid alcohol hand sanitizers — Hand sanitizers that contain alcohol can not only dry out your hands even more, but burn and sting dry or cracked hands.
Protect your hands — Use gloves when washing dishes. Also, keep those hands covered when traveling to a cold weather climate.

Following these tips all winter long will help you to keep elasticity in your hands to help maintain a beautiful and youthful appearance and prevent them from looking rough, dry, or cracked.

[Related article: 6 Interesting Hand Facts]

If your hand problems are more severe and require attention from a hand surgeon, contact Dr. Yospur to schedule a consultation. With a fellowship in surgery of the hand, he can help address any hand issues that you are having and help you keep your hands healthy.

Contact us today.