Dry Hands: Everything You Should Know Regarding The Condition

We spend so much time taking care of our face and hair to look appealing; we almost forget that the other parts of the body deserve the same treatment too. Take, for instance, our hands. They are exposed all the time to the everyday activities be it cleaning our house (the bathroom especially) or going out on winter days (the list goes on and on.) Sadly, some of us neglect our hands on a really high scale forgetting all the house chores we go through.

Has it ever happened to you to have dry hands? Well, yeah. Me too! Thankfully, having dry hands is a very common condition, which is rather irritating than a dangerous one. Some of the reasons behind dry hands might be the environmental conditions such as cold weather, frequent hand washing, the exposure to chemicals (the bleach used to clean around,) and, of course, certain medical conditions.

Don’t know what dry hands feel like? Well, you can easily find out by seeing whether your hands feel scaly and rough to the touch especially on the backside. You can find out by rubbing the backside of your hand on your cheek or in a soft spot. In case you get a feeling like someone is rubbing a piece of paper on the soft spot then unfortunately what you are having – is dry hands. All of this happens due to the lack of excess oil and moisture leading to cracks and dry skin which is mostly accompanied by pain and bleeding.

When dealing with dry hands, one should know what causes them, ways to prevent dry hands, symptoms of dry hands and also when to seek help.

Causes of dry hands

Having dry skin is not fun at all, especially not dry hands. If you’ve ever had this irritating condition, then you probably know what I am talking about. As everything happens for a reason and a cause, dry hands are mainly triggered by:

– Weather

– Environmental irritants

– Medical conditions. 

Whatever the case might be for you, this does not mean you cannot prevent the condition of dry hands.

How to prevent dry hands?

As mentioned above, some of the causes that one might consider regarding dry hands are weather, environmental irritants, and medical conditions. Knowing the causes might help you in preventing dry hands. Take, for instance, if you by any chance have to wash hands very often – whether the workplace conditions require you to do that or you simply are a cleaning freak – you might want to apply moisturizer. Or, maybe trying to wear gloves to avoid exposure to water. As for people suffering from eczema or any other skin condition, should consider taking steps to prevent flares; reducing stress and following all recommendations from a doctor. What you also should keep in mind is to avoid exposure to the sun as well as the use of hot air dryers since it will only make matters worse.

Having troubles with dry skin? You can read more about some natural ways to help you with dry skin in the article: Natural Products You Can Use To Help Your Dry Skin.

Symptoms of dry hands

Like any other condition, before getting it, our body first shows different symptoms. Signs and symptoms of having dry hands usually depend on the severity and the cause of dryness. Since our hands are exposed to everyday activities, they are quite sensitive. Often times when the sensitivity of our hands is increased, they appear red, dry or rough. Sometimes, you might end up with cracks or tight patches. What you should keep in mind is that symptoms worsen during winter time or after bathing and showering.

When to seek help?

In the article How to cope with painful, dry, and cracked skin, Verywell Health states that you should visit a dermatologist in case your hands are causing you any discomfort because of the dry skin. If you have swollen hands, bleeding, a honey-colored crust on your cracks, or if you see red streaks moving up your arm, then it is time to seek medical help immediately. This, because these are signs of more serious infections and conditions such as dermatitis, diabetes, or kidney disease.

Bottom line

Make sure to give your hand the right treatment they deserve when you see the sign and symptoms. You can combat them by moisturizing your hands. In case it doesn’t work and you end up with bleeding and infection instead of signs of improvement, then seek additional help at the dermatologist.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article: text, graphics, images, and other materials contained are strictly for informational purposes only. The Content is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Please ALWAYS seek the advice of a qualified health provider with all the questions that you have related to, or about, a medical condition.

Before you go, have a further read on the causes of dry skin.