Why the skin on hands dries and cracks: causes, treatment, pictures
The problem of dry skin on the hands and cracks affecting a rather large number of people, most often such an unpleasant phenomenon for women. Cracked and dry hands can occur in winter and in summer, at zero temperature. Let's look at the reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon, we define that it, nutrition, hormonal failure, age-related changes?
Causes cracks in the skin
First, the drying of the skin and subsequent cracking of the skin occurs in the winter period. This is a very common condition, which is hardly related to medicines or a hormonal background. The problem is due solely to the fact that dry air and cold kind of "tear" the skin's top layer, the epithelium, which leads to subsequent cracking.
In addition, in winter time it is possible to find the main culprit of the fact that the skin begins to crack. The fact that the humidity in the air during winter usually significantly lower, as it is reduced indoors due to the strong heating, and the air becomes more dry.
Given that people are constantly washes his hands, is washing away all the natural oils that are present on the skin and moisturize it. This situation leads to a permanent dehydration of the skin, as a result it becomes extremely dry and cracks, and in some cases even begins to bleed.
The patient goes to a dermatologist to look for the cause of the cracks and dryness of the skin, but they are on the surface, as a result of just very dry air.
The importance of the skin barrier
Skin barrier people is a mixture of lipids, proteins, and oils. Each of these chemicals protects the skin, and how they work well and perform the protective function depends on the genetic type.
Unfortunately, if a person has a weakened protective barrier of the skin, problems with the skin in the winter will only get worse, become more pronounced. You should also note that if a patient last winter was attended by peeling skin and cracks, then with each new cold season, this problem will only get worse.
Hydration of the skin, as a first step
To reduce the risk of problems with cracking of the skin can minimize the simplest way: several times a day, apply to the skin moisturizing creams, balms or any other moisturizers. The advantages of cream is that it have a thick consistency and thus better retains moisture the skin of the hands.
In addition, you should avoid actions that increase skin dryness. When washing dishes is to wear rubber gloves and to limit manual wash kitchenaccessories.
This is not to use very hot water when there is hand washing, and when working outdoors, you must wear simple cotton gloves.
If the skin appear redness and the patient experiences itching, you can use a cream with steroid base, they need to calm the affected area. If the itching, redness and cracking of the skin are not long time, you need to consult a dermatologist.
If the skin is not just dry and starts to crack, apply moisturizing cream once a day will not be enough. We can say that the effect of a single application lasts no more than 5 minutes, in other words, the cream should be applied on the skin for at least 6 times a day, then it will be achieved a positive effect.
How to choose the right cream
Today there are many lotions and creams for hands, which should ensure normal moisturizing of the skin. To facilitate the choice of the cream, you can follow a simple rule — the drug needs to perform two main functions — to soften and moisturize the skin, respectively, it should be a substance softening and moisturizing.
You need to pay attention to the fact that the drugs must be the following ingredients:
- lanolin,
- jojoba oil
- isopropylpalmitate,
- propylene glycol,
- squalene, and glycerol stearate.
As for moisturizing the skin, on the labels of moisturizing creams must be labeled the following substances:
- glycerin,
- hyaluronic acid,
- sorbitol,
- propylene glycol,
- glycerin,
- urea and lactic acid.
We should also say that if the patient has rough, dry skin on the hands, and the cracks lead up to bleeding, use of therapeutic drugs. In first place is petroleum jelly, which protects the skin. You can also choose a thick moisturizer, which has a rich protective formula and content of the heavier components, for example, cocoa butter, Shea butter, beeswax, Dimethicone. These components and tools will help and if u immediately apply moisturizer.
If the need for hand washing is present constantly, and the skin on hands cracking, will have to use is soap and water treatment hand sanitizing gel, and use wet wipes.
Humidifiers
One option of prevention may be called the use of the humidifier, which is installed in working premises and in the apartment. Normal air humidity will not only calm dry skin on hands and helps improve skin condition, if the patient experiences itching.
If you are using a humidifier and moisturizing cream dry skin, as well as the destruction andcracking persists, you will need to consult a doctor. The patient may be prescribed a steroid cream, as we have mentioned above, and also need to pass the test and find out the true cause cracking of the skin on the hands. This should be done in order to find out what is cracked skin on the fingers.
We need this in order to eliminate psoriasis and eczema. In General, in conclusion, we recall that the constant skin care, use of cosmetics moisturizing nature will help to keep the skin in normal and healthy condition.