How to Prevent Dry Cracked Hands

It's a sure sign of winter dry, cracked hands. If your fingers get chapped when the weather gets cold you know how painful and irritating it can be. Once your skin dries out it's difficult to get it back without simply waiting for spring. Follow these tips to prevent your hands from getting chapped in the first place.

Instructions

1. Limit the amount of time your hands are exposed to water. Of course you need to wash your hands but try to do it as fast (but still as effectively) as possible. It's also a good idea to avoid long showers.

2. When you do wash your hands and shower don't use scalding hot water. This can irritate the skin even further and draw out any moisture you have left in your skin. Instead use luke warm water.

3. 

   Wear gloves - inside and out. When you're washing dishes wear rubber gloves. This is the best way to protect your hands because they won't even come in contact with the water. When you're outside, even for a short time, it's a good idea to wear winter gloves. You'll protect your hands from getting wind burn and the extreme cold which can lead to cracking and excessive dryness.

4. Keep your hands moisturized. After washing your hands immediately lather up with moisturizer. Be generous. If your hands are severely chapped or if your skin seems to get irritated you may need to get a moisturizer without any type of fragrance or chemicals.

5. Skin, especially hands, gets dried out and chapped during the winter for two reasons: there's less humidity in the air and the heat is turned on reducing the moisture in your skin. This means you need to keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water. Keeping your fluid intake up will help prevent your skin from drying out.