Can't stand the feeling of dry and rough skin after washing your hands frequently? Well, we can't stand it either. Give your hands a rich layer of skin cream or serum to achieve that baby soft skin.
SKINTIP
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In this skin tip , Dr. Barbara Geusens more in-depth advice on the treatment of DRY SKIN. When you suffer from dry skin, you know what an absolute burden it is to find the right treatment.
Detergents and their ability to dry out
Whatever soap you use, it contains ingredients that will surround greasy particles and dirt and then be washed away with water. We usually know these cleaning agents under the name of detergents . The scientific term for cleaning agents is surfactants . These substances have amphiphilic properties . This is a rather complicated term to indicate that an ingredient has both water-loving and oil-loving properties .
Since most of the dirt particles on our hands are oil-based, they can easily be trapped in the surfactant core. The water-loving parts of the surfactant, which are on the surface, work together with water to easily remove the dirt from the skin.
How cleansers weaken the skin barrier
Our outer skin layer (stratum corneum) consists of dead skin cells and a lipid layer that are structured as a 'brick-and-mortar' model. The stones in this case are the dead skin cells and the lipid layer is the mortar. These form the skin barrier .
This lipid layer contains ceramides along with cholesterol and triglycerides and prevents the water from evaporating from our skin. This is crucial to avoid drying out the skin. The not-so-fun fact is that when we wash our hands often , this lipid layer is basically stripped away and we lose an important part of our skin barrier, leaving us feeling dry and irritated.
Does water dry out your skin?
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it forces water out of the body. After drinking, a disturbed fluid balance arises and vitamins and minerals are withdrawn from the body. The body will struggle to get hydrated again afterwards. This disturbed balance not only causes headaches (hangover), but also leads to dehydrated skin . Considering that hydration is one of the most important factors for a healthy and radiant skin, dehydration will make fine lines and wrinkles more visible due to the lack of water. That is why it is important to drink a lot of water to restore the water balance.
Which hand soaps cause skin irritation and how to avoid them
The local form of irritation is characterized by scaly , cracked , dryskin and redness with a burning and painful sensation. This condition is called hand eczema . Even if you think that all soaps function in the same way, that is not the case.
The classic soap that comes in a block or liquid is effective in removing bacteria, viruses and dirt particles. What people like about these soaps is the fact that they lather a lot. This is often associated with a clean feeling. Foam isn't always a good thing, though, as it contains a high concentration of the more harsh surfactants that leave our skin feeling dry. In addition, they have a higher pH (pH 10) than the skin (pH 5.5) , which contributes to the aggressiveness of the classic soaps.
You may have encountered the syndets. These are formulated to contain a milder blend of surfactants. Their pH is more compatible with the skin , which is beneficial for a gentler cleaning of our hands. They are very effective in removing dirt particles, but are often rejected because people experience a less pleasant washing feeling.
How about a combination of soap and syndets ? It exists! It is called a comb . Consider, for example, the Dove beauty cream bar. It gives a gentle cleansing experience and is effective against bacteria, viruses and dirt while respecting the pH value of the skin.
Questions have been raised by scientists about the effectiveness of these different hand soaps on virus removal because they differ in composition. Some argue that using classic soaps is still the best way to remove viruses from our skin, despite the irritating sensation that comes afterwards.
The reason for this may be that a higher pH valueis less desirable for viruses to survive. In addition, hand rubbing time with soap and water has been found to also affect virus removal. A rubbing time of 15-20 seconds reduces the chance of infection over 5-10 seconds of rubbing. Keep rubbing time in mind if you prefer milder soaps like syndets or combats.
How to treat dry hands
Daily use of a good hand cream can do wonders for your skin. Use a cream that:
Contains both water and oils (lipids) . In this way, the oils will absorb the moisture into the skin and water makes the cream more pleasant to use because it absorbs better and faster.
Is not occlusive like Vaseline. This prevents water loss from the skin, but only remains on the surface. For people with very dry skin, this can help for a while, but at the same time it creates an 'addictive' feeling of the skin. We recommend using a cream that is rich in oils, but also contains a certain amount of water.
Containsno fragrances . Fragrances such as limonene, benzyl alcohol, citric acid, eugenol, etc. are associated with allergic reactions when used >0.001% in leave-on and >0.01% in rinse-off products. Since it is mandatory to mention these scents in the ingredients list, you can recognize them immediately.
Nosome Skin Tip
Your Nomige products can be used to give your hands a soothing feeling:
Use the night serum for an extra moisturizing boost as it is enriched with skin-imitating lipids such as ceramides .
You can recognize dry skin by redness, flakes or lumps. You will notice this especially after taking a shower or bath. Your skin is weakened, feels like it's going to crack and needs extra care.
