While some of us are in isolation, some of us get set up to work from home, and our hard-working Health Care Professionals on the frontline, are all furiously washing and sanitising hands and not thinking about the effects it is having on our skin. We find that all of a sudden our hands are feeling the pain of dry, cracked skin. If this sounds like you, I have some good news for you. You can continue to sanitise and wash as much as you have been you just need to add a step to protect your hands.
For those who are prone to eczema & dermatitis your best friend is now our Protective Hand Cream which will enable you to continue washing and disinfecting.
For those who have normal skin but find the extra washing and sanitising is having an effect, you can add the Working Hands Cream into your routine.
This is not just an aesthetic issue either. As Dr. Ismat (a dermatologist at Pulse Light Clinic) explained in metro.co.uk on the 11th of March, 2020:
‘Whilst washing your hands is the best way to clear any germs we may harbouring, repeated handwashing can be very drying and irritating for the skin. ‘Irritated skin is vulnerable to becoming cracked and sore and then has an increased risk of infection. This is even worse for people with already sensitive, damaged or fragile skin such as eczema.
‘Itchy, dry, cracked skin reacts to irritants even more and is more permeable to infection, because of damage to the outer skin “barrier” layer allowing easier passage of irritants and infection. ‘The damaged barrier also means skin has difficulty retaining moisture and its natural skin bacteria are disrupted. ‘
It’s really important to maintain the skin’s barrier layer, reducing vulnerability to infective agents and irritants as well as reducing water loss. ‘Keeping the skin well moisturised and avoiding irritants is key.’
You can read more of the article HERE
More and more medical professionals are being urged to use a hand moisturiser after washing their hands for this very reason. So, as we protect ourselves, our families, and each other, protect your hands so you can continue to wash and sanitise your hands while protecting your skin's natural barrier.