Winter months always do a number on the hands with dry, chapped hands often becoming the normal situation by late January and certainly by February. As winter weather takes hold the cold temperatures pull most of the moisture out of the air, along with frequent hand washings because of the cold and flu season and high amounts of circulating air from heaters; the hands take the brunt of the winter according to health care experts.
According to Dr. Ellen Marmur, there are some simple steps that the research has shown to be very effective at keeping your hands healthy and soft throughout the winter even in the coldest of places such as Minnesota. Moisturizer is the first defense against, especially if a persons hands are already showing the signs of drying and chapping. According to research from the University of Minnesota Medical School, moisturizer may need to be applied up to six times per day during the driest times. This according to Dr. Marmur means that placing jars of moisturizer in easy to reach places is key in order to make it a habit that can be done frequently.
In choosing a moisturizer the research is clear that two main ingredients are most important, these are emollients and humectants. Emollients are lubricants that fill the small openings between skin cells and help the healthy cells adhere together longer. Common emollients are lanolin, isopropyl palmitate, and jojoba oil.
Humecants are ingredients that actively draw moisture from the environment to the skin and can often be the main ingredient that helps to assist the natural healing process because they actually increase the water content of the skin. Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and lactic acid are common humecants in moisturizers that can assist in drawing moisture into the skin and help speed the recovery process.
For more extreme cases such as when the hands are already chapping and cracked. Research shows that using a thicker application and product such as petroleum jelly to slow the process as which the moisturizer is dried from the skin surface can help dramatically. Other research, says Marmur, include adding a humidifier to the room you spend the most time in and wearing gloves when you are outside, both actions help to keep the moisture in, and the cold, dry weather from pulling moisture out.
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