Bubble trouble — The good and bad of washing hands

By Meighan Dingle Blanco, FNP-BC
Posted 12/4/17

We welcome the precious family-time, good tidings, and holiday cheer the winter months provide. Winter also means cold and flu season is here, and nobody wants to spend the most wonderful time of the …

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Bubble trouble — The good and bad of washing hands

Posted

We welcome the precious family-time, good tidings, and holiday cheer the winter months provide. Winter also means cold and flu season is here, and nobody wants to spend the most wonderful time of the year sick in bed.

To combat the germs, we wash our hands … a lot. Soap does a great job removing dirt and germs, but it also removes the natural oils that protect our skin, leaving our skin dry and fragile. Why does this matter? Because the more fragile your skin is, the more likely it is to crack open, leaving your skin more susceptible to infection.

How do you do keep your hands germ free without destroying your skin?

First and foremost, use a mild cleanser, free of fragrance or harsh chemicals. Product ingredients change frequently, so even if you have been using a product for as long as you can remember, ingredients change without warning and you can become allergic. Typically your cleansing product is too harsh or you may be allergic if your hands become increasingly red, itchy, rashy, or irritated.

Stop using a product immediately if you suspect an allergic reaction. If you have a red, itchy rash, over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream mixed with unscented moisturizer can be applied to the affected sites twice daily for a week. This should decrease redness and discomfort. Please visit a dermatology health care professional if redness and discomfort persist. You may require a stronger or alternative treatment.

Severely dry hands should also be addressed as they can become itchy, painful, cracked, and possibly infected. This is a little more difficult to treat as it requires self-discipline from the patient. Initially you may find your hands are red, itchy and burn when you apply lotions or creams.

I find the best fix for this is to apply a small amount of Vaseline (or Aquafor or coconut oil) to the WET skin. Seriously, apply it to your soaking wet hands. Rub your product of choice in well and BLOT dry.

This will trap moisture and provide a protective coating on your hands that has been destroyed by harsh weather and products without leaving your hands greasy. You may need to do this three times daily for three or four days until your skin has healed a bit and moisturizers no longer sting.

Large cracks may require bacitracin and hydrocortisone ointment covered with a band-aid twice daily for two weeks to improve. For maintenance, you will need to moisturize your hands after each hand washing, protect your hands from harsh temperatures and weather, and try to use Purell and alcohol-based cleansers only when really needed.

What happens if you find yourself with red, itchy spots that are also warm and painful? It is likely that you have developed an infection and a healthcare provider should evaluate you. An oral or topical antibiotic may be needed along with good skin care practices.

As with anything, if you ever have questions regarding your skin, just give me a call.

Meighan Dingle Blanco, FNP-BC is a nurse practitioner with South County Dermatology.

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