YOUR HAND SANITIZERS AND FREQUENT HAND WASHING AGEING YOUR HANDS EARLY.
Nowadays these 2 are must and absolute priorities but they too come with their fair share of shortcomings.
One thing that COVID-19 has led to is excessive use of hand sanitizers and excessive hand-washing. So much so that many have developed an OCD at performing this activity, which is leading to mild rashes, atopic dermatitis (skin swells and becomes dry), and in extreme cases, dry eczema (inflamed, itchy, red, cracked, and rough skin) and psoriasis.
Now how are they actually drying out our hands? So let’s jump straight to the point shall we? First let’s discuss about Hand sanitizers then we will talk about soaps.
HOW HAND SANITIZERS ARE AGEING YOUR HANDS?
Hand sanitizers are found in everyones bag or pocket. It helps in getting rid of the germs and microbes, they come in super handy when you are on the move and have no access to water and soap.
The key ingredient in all traditional hand sanitizer formulas is alcohol. Alcohol kills the germs and bacteria while evaporating quickly from the skin making it a convenient option to disinfect your hands.
But alcohol can be super drying, they suck the skin moisture. It leaves the skin dehydrated and destroys the skin’s protective lipid barrier. This causes the skin to age faster and forms wrinkles. It can also result in cracked hands and damaged cuticles.
Plus every time you use a hand sanitizer, it removes any hand cream or sunscreen you applied on your hands. And sun exposure also contributes to fine lines and wrinkles along with hyperpigmentation.
All this coupled with frequent hand washing can prematurely age the skin on your hands.
HOW IS FREQUENT HAND WASHING YOUR HANDS?
The most important factor here is pH, The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 7 considered neutral (pH of water), The pH value below 7 are acidic and above 7 are alkaline.
Now almost all of the soaps available in market are of that of alkaline in nature with high pH value ranging from 9-10 and pH value of our skin is slightly acidic that is around 4.5 – 6.2.
Also most antiseptic soaps are loaded with chemicals that dry out the skin and a human skin cannot bear pH more than 7. If exposed to very high pH and antiseptic chemicals multiple times in 24 hrs, our skin has to work more to maintain its pH level, not to say that multiple hand washing doesn’t even allow our skin to maintain the PH level in first place! which in turn leads to prune and dry skin.
NOW WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PROTECT YOUR HANDS.
To start with, reduce your usage of hand sanitizers. And when do you, nourish your hands afterwards. Use a moisturizing hand cream or lotion to replenish the skin with some moisture again.
And It would be better to use pH balanced soaps for hand washing so that hands don’t get too dry.
But 20-second hand washing is must since the liquid layer of coronavirus has to be destroyed.
But, if you are home, not moving out and not coming in contact with anybody from outside, there is no need to use antiseptic hand washes or sanitizers, or even wash your hands that frequently. Just maintain normal hygiene – normal moisturizing soaps and body washes are good enough. Keep hand-washing to the bare minimum.