{"id":7946,"date":"2023-10-05T22:18:32","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T15:18:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7946"},"modified":"2023-10-05T22:18:32","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T15:18:32","slug":"how-to-treat-dry-hands-from-overwashing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7946","title":{"rendered":"How To Treat Dry Hands From Overwashing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">I<\/span>\u2019ve developed something of a fascination with having pretty hands. In moments of boredom, I often find myself inspecting my fingers and making sure my cuticles aren&#8217;t unruly. Despite my\u00a0best efforts, though, this is a thankless task. Like Sisyphus and his boulder, I fear I will be unable to achieve the perfectly manicured hands of my dreams.<\/p>\n<p>My fixation with my hands goes beyond <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-dysmorphic-disorder-skin\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-dysmorphic-disorder-skin\/\">simple aesthetics<\/a>\u2014it stems from my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/ocd-intrusive-thoughts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/ocd-intrusive-thoughts\/\">obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)<\/a>, a mental health disorder that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK519704\/table\/ch3.t13\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK519704\/table\/ch3.t13\/\">DSM-5<\/a> characterizes as,&#8221; Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive, unwanted, and that in most individuals cause marked anxiety or distress.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For some people\u2014myself included\u2014the disorder manifests with an obsession around germs or getting sick. As a result, I&#8217;ve spent an inordinate amount of time scrubbing my hands raw in an effort to feel clean. The winter I was 15, I vividly remember picking up my pen to write notes in English class and feeling fissions open up across every knuckle. The pain danced across my hands, which had been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hydrating-hand-soaps-colder-dry-weather\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hydrating-hand-soaps-colder-dry-weather\/\">stripped from overwashing<\/a>, and was so intense it left me unable to concentrate on the text I was meant to be studying.<\/p>\n<p>In the years since, this has become a familiar pattern, and the dryness gets significantly worse during the colder months when there&#8217;s less moisture in the air to combat it.\u00a0Beyond the pain, the very visible sign that there&#8217;s something wrong is aesthetically unappealing and drags down my mood. If\u00a0I ever have to shake hands with someone at work (already a challenge\u2014the horrors of the bacteria transfer!), I try not to see their eyes flicker down to my chicken claw-esque digits as they register the unpleasant scaliness. On top of that, the dryness turns my hands bright red, which makes them stand out even more, and has led to the (very annoying) unsolicited advice that I should &#8220;just try moisturizing more.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/treat-dry-hands-overwashing\/\" current-title=\"Over-Washing My Hands Has Been a Lifelong Symptom of My OCD\u2014Here\u2019s How I Learned Combat the Harsh Effects on My Skin\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GettyImages-909223662_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-04-05\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/treat-dry-hands-overwashing\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/treat-dry-hands-overwashing\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/treat-dry-hands-overwashing\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Needless to say, the years of hand sanitizers, soaps, harsh chemicals, and\u2014on occasion\u2014scouring sponges left a lasting mark. For starters, because soap has a higher pH level than the skin (9 to 10 for soap versus 5 to 6 for skin), it messes with the acid mantle and strips the skin. Add to that the harsh, drying effects of alcohol and chemicals and the barrier-ravishing damage that scrubbing can cause, and my hands needed some serious help.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve tried countless solutions for the sake of the cause\u2014testing out different hand creams, deep-moisturizing my hands overnight, wearing heavy-duty gloves in the winter, changing up the soaps I use\u2014all to little or no avail. The best I&#8217;ve been able to hope for is a temporary respite, because eventually, each of these methods has lost its effectiveness.<\/p>\n<p>After years of these experiments, I&#8217;d pretty much lost all hope. But according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drkatherinearmour.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.drkatherinearmour.com.au\/\">Katherine Armour, MD<\/a> a cosmetic dermatologist in Australia and the founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/bespokeskintechnology.com\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/bespokeskintechnology.com\">Bespoke Skin Technology<\/a>, I shouldn&#8217;t give up just yet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDamage to hands caused by over-washing is almost always completely reversible,\u201d she says. Although it takes diligence and commitment, \u201cthe outlook for this condition is very positive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Knowing this, I recently set out to try some\u00a0<em>new<\/em> experiments to care for my hands\u2014this time, using the advice of dermatologists and skin-care experts to back up my attempts. First, I wanted to find a hand cream that\u00a0<em>really<\/em> worked to meet my needs, and after testing out a few different options, I finally discovered one that fit the bill: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ultimate-Strength-Hand-Salve-2-5oz\/dp\/B00EKT4MCY\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ultimate-Strength-Hand-Salve-2-5oz\/dp\/B00EKT4MCY\/\">Kiehl\u2019s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve<\/a> ($22).<\/p>\n<div class=\"theme-main-2020\">\n<div class=\"wg-inline-shopable\">\n<div class=\"pb-[20px] sm:pb-[35px] sm:flex justify-between\">\n<div class=\"w-full\">\n<figure class=\"block w-full wg-inline-shopable__figure p-0 m-0 mb-[25px]\"> <a data-vars-event=\"product image\" data-vars-info=\"Kiehls%2C+Ultimate+Strength+Hand+Salve+Moisturizer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ultimate-Strength-Hand-Salve-2-5oz\/dp\/B00EKT4MCY\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ultimate-Strength-Hand-Salve-2-5oz\/dp\/B00EKT4MCY\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/kiehls-hand-cream-ultimate-strength-hand-salve-150ml-000-3700194708399-front.webp\" class=\"block w-full no-pin\" alt=\"\"\/> <\/a><figcaption class=\"text-center text-caption--article text-gray-light block mt-[10px]\"\/> <\/figure>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ultimate-Strength-Hand-Salve-2-5oz\/dp\/B00EKT4MCY\" class=\"wg-inline-shopable__subtitle-link\" data-vars-event=\"product name\" data-vars-info=\"Kiehls%2C+Ultimate+Strength+Hand+Salve+Moisturizer\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ultimate-Strength-Hand-Salve-2-5oz\/dp\/B00EKT4MCY\"> <\/p>\n<p>Kiehls, Ultimate Strength Hand Salve Moisturizer \u2014 $32.00<\/p>\n<p> <\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"text-big mb-[5px] wg-inline-shopable__content mt-[10px]\">\n<p>Given the speed at which I go through hand creams, I\u2019m typically hesitant to invest in pricier options, but this formula is absolutely worth the money. The star ingredients are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/shea-butter-benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/shea-butter-benefits\/\">shea butter<\/a> (which is rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, and helps retain moisture by forming a protective seal on the surface of the skin); <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/avocado-oil-benefits-for-skin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/avocado-oil-benefits-for-skin\/\">avocado oil<\/a> (which is packed with fatty acids to condition the skin and help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/linoleic-acid-skin-benefits\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/linoleic-acid-skin-benefits\/\">strengthen the skin barrier<\/a>); and sesame seed oil (which has skin-softening properties)<\/p>\n<p>The salve absorbs quickly and leaves only a hint of residue, and the consistency is thick enough that it feels like it\u2019s actually doing something\u2014a quality that many cheaper products lack. The effect is fairly long-lasting, and with a pleasingly neutral smell, there aren\u2019t any immediate downsides to the product.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, a little bit of this stuff goes a long way\u2014which is a definite bonus given that it costs $32. Immediately following a light application, my hands feel softer and smoother. And after regularly using it overnight, the dry spots between my fingers pretty much disappeared.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>To maximize my moisturizing efforts, I also integrated the widely recommended technique of sealing my hand creams in with gloves overnight. Historically, I&#8217;ve used cotton socks to do this, but the pros say that investing in cotton or specialty gloves (which will run you around $10) is absolutely worth the expense. Not only do they prevent me from feeling like an amateur sock puppet artiste, but they also lock in the formula in all the right places to ensure that my <em>whole<\/em> hand is reaping its benefits.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A practical home tip is to use a damp pair of white cotton gloves followed by a dry pair over your thick moisturizers and prescribed medical remedies,&#8221; says Dr. Armour. &#8220;This occlusion increases penetration of your moisturizer and medical remedies and will help flares settle more quickly. It&#8217;s also really soothing for cracked areas of the hands.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>I found this ritual particularly relaxing at the end of the day, and began supplementing my daily applications (and re-applications) of Kiehl&#8217;s hand cream with a heavy, glove-covered dosage at night. Over time, I noticed real improvements in my skin as well as the quality of my nails and cuticles.<\/p>\n<div class=\"theme-main-2020\">\n<div class=\"wg-inline-shopable\">\n<div class=\"pb-[20px] sm:pb-[35px] sm:flex justify-between\">\n<div class=\"w-full\">\n<figure class=\"block w-full wg-inline-shopable__figure p-0 m-0 mb-[25px]\"> <a data-vars-event=\"product image\" data-vars-info=\"Zentoes%2C+Moisturizing+Gloves+With+Gel+Lining\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ZenToes-Moisturizing-Sleeping-Gloves-Treatment\/dp\/B0876H5323\/\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ZenToes-Moisturizing-Sleeping-Gloves-Treatment\/dp\/B0876H5323\/\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/719VejQNI0L._AC_SL1500__falsexfalse_true_70.webp\" class=\"block w-full no-pin\" alt=\"\"\/> <\/a><figcaption class=\"text-center text-caption--article text-gray-light block mt-[10px]\"\/> <\/figure>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ZenToes-Moisturizing-Sleeping-Gloves-Treatment\/dp\/B0876H5323\/\" class=\"wg-inline-shopable__subtitle-link\" data-vars-event=\"product name\" data-vars-info=\"Zentoes%2C+Moisturizing+Gloves+With+Gel+Lining\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ZenToes-Moisturizing-Sleeping-Gloves-Treatment\/dp\/B0876H5323\/\"> <\/p>\n<p>Zentoes, Moisturizing Gloves With Gel Lining \u2014 $13.00<\/p>\n<p> <\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"text-big mb-[5px] wg-inline-shopable__content mt-[10px]\">\n<p>These speciality gloves take the guesswork out of the \u201cwet\/dry\u201d process that Dr. Armour mentioned. Lined with jojoba oil and Vitamin E-infused gel, they\u2019ll lock in moisture while offering additional deep conditioning benefits to your hands.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-shopable-pros\">\n<ul>\n<li>Lined with gel <\/li>\n<li>Reusable <\/li>\n<li>Contains their own moisturizing ingredients <\/li>\n<li>Comes in multiple colors <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"pb-[20px] sm:pb-[35px] sm:flex justify-between\">\n<div class=\"w-full\">\n<figure class=\"block w-full wg-inline-shopable__figure p-0 m-0 mb-[25px]\"> <a data-vars-event=\"product image\" data-vars-info=\"Cotton+Gloves+%2830+Pieces%29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/OKAM-Moisturizing-Resistant-Stretchable-Inspection\/dp\/B087Z4BXBB\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/OKAM-Moisturizing-Resistant-Stretchable-Inspection\/dp\/B087Z4BXBB\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/71d5vbQJnBL._AC_SL1500__falsexfalse_true_70.webp\" class=\"block w-full no-pin\" alt=\"\"\/> <\/a><figcaption class=\"text-center text-caption--article text-gray-light block mt-[10px]\"\/> <\/figure>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/OKAM-Moisturizing-Resistant-Stretchable-Inspection\/dp\/B087Z4BXBB\" class=\"wg-inline-shopable__subtitle-link\" data-vars-event=\"product name\" data-vars-info=\"Cotton+Gloves+%2830+Pieces%29\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/OKAM-Moisturizing-Resistant-Stretchable-Inspection\/dp\/B087Z4BXBB\"> <\/p>\n<p>Cotton Gloves (30 Pieces) \u2014 $10.00<\/p>\n<p> <\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"text-big mb-[5px] wg-inline-shopable__content mt-[10px]\">\n<p>In this case, the basics may be all you need, and that\u2019s where these bare-bones cotton gloves come in. Use two at a time (one wet, one dry) to get maximum results from your hand moisturizers.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-shopable-pros\">\n<ul>\n<li>Affordable <\/li>\n<li>Easy to wash and reuse <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-shopable-cons\">\n<ul>\n<li>Requires a little bit of legwork to perfect the \u201cwet\/dry\u201d method. <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>These days, I&#8217;ve learned to manage my OCD so that it&#8217;s a far less invasive presence in my life. It&#8217;s still there, but most of the time it&#8217;s a mildly irritating convenience instead of a debilitating condition. And with the help of a proper product and expert-approved technique, my hands have healed to the point that I&#8217;m learning to love them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block-thin post-citations mt-[40px] mb-[30px]\" data-module-init=\"main-2020\/post-citations\" data-module-immediate=\"true\">\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mb-[24px]\"\/>\n<div class=\"post-citations-content flex flex-col gap-[24px]\">\n<p>Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ol class=\"!ml-[18px] !mt-0\">\n<li>\n              Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 3.13, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Comparison. Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK519704\/table\/ch3.t13\/            <\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mt-[24px]\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve developed something of a fascination with having pretty hands. In moments of boredom, I often find myself inspecting my fingers and making sure my cuticles aren&#8217;t unruly. Despite my\u00a0best efforts, though, this is a thankless task. Like Sisyphus and his boulder, I fear I will be unable to achieve the perfectly manicured hands of &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}