Coronavirus has changed our habits to such an extent. We constantly wash our hands, and often with products we do not know the contents of. We wash our hands everywhere we go, again often with soaps we would not even use at home.
Here are 7 good tips from Nulallergi's doctor Kaspar Nielsen to keep your skin healthy in a time of frequent hand washing and hand alcohol.
- Be sure to use a hero allergy-free soap with a high content of moisturizing substances. Bring a small bottle of hand soap and a hand cream. Just like you can do it with rubbing alcohol.
- Use lukewarm water for hand washing. Very hot water dries out the skin and removes the natural protective oils, and very hot water is no more effective. Be gentle when washing so as not to damage the skin further.
- Dry your hands thoroughly but gently. You can consider patting and airing them dry whenever possible. Remember that wet hands are a magnet for dirt and bacteria. Paper napkins are fine, but so are towels, as long as you remember to change them so they are clean and dry.
- Use a good one allergy-free moisturizer after each wash. Make it a habit. Feel free to use cream instead of lotion. Lotion contains a lot of water and this can actually lead to further extraction of water from the skin. A good moisturizer makes your skin restore its protective barrier function more quickly.
- Feel free to wear gloves if it is cold. Gloves protect the skin from drying out from the weather and wind, and they actually also retain moisture and prolong the effect of your hand cream.
- Vary your hand hygiene. Switch between using water and soap and rubbing alcohol. It can be a really good solution, but make sure you also choose hand sanitizer without allergens.
- Also remember the rest of your skin. There is a lot of focus on the hands now, but the rest of the body also needs a healthy skin barrier. So be good to yourself and use good allergy-free products.