How to Treat Dry Chapped Hands

Dry, chapped hands are red, rough, dry and cracked. If your hands feel like sandpaper you have chapped hands. Fall and winter are the prime seasons for chapped hands.

Instructions

1. 

   Wash your hands with warm water rather than hot water. Water dries out the oils on the skin and hot water dries them even more. Use only a mild soap.

2. 

   Use a hand cream or ointment every time you wash your hands. Lotions don't have enough moisturizer for dry chapped hands.

3. 

   Pat your hands dry rather than rubbing them on a towel. Avoid blow dryers in public restrooms. The hot air is too drying for already dry skin.

4. 

   Rub Crisco into your hands. Apply a little at a time and rub it in thoroughly. Reapply as often as you'd like as long as your hands don't feel overly greasily. Crisco moisturizes and protects the sensitive skin.

5. 

   Wear 2 layers of gloves for housework. After apply your moisturizer, put on white cotton gloves and wear rubber gloves over the top. The cotton is less irritating and the rubber protects your chapped hands.

6. 

   Wear gloves to bed. This is like a night time spa treatment for rough, dry, chapped hands. Take a pair of white cotton gloves, turn them inside out, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly directly on the gloves, be sure to cover completely. Let the petroleum jelly soak into the cotton gloves for about 5 minutes or so, turn the gloves right side out. Apply moisturizer to your hands and put the gloves on. The petroleum jelly acts as a barrier to stop the cotton from absorbing the moisturizer.