Dry Skin Relief from COVID-19 Handwashing

By Jane Farrell

Has frequent handwashing left you with dry, cracked skin? With these tips from dermatologists you can continue to wash your hands to fend off COVID-19 (coronavirus) and heal dry skin.

Here’s what dermatologists recommend:

Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds in lukewarm water. Use soap, and wash every part of your hands, including between your fingers and around your nails.

Dry, cracked skin makes it easier for bacteria and other germs to get inside your body.

Dry your hands with a clean towel but leave some water on them. You can also let your hands air dry. While your hands are slightly damp, apply your hand cream or ointment.

Apply a pea-sized amount of hand cream or ointment into your skin, making sure you work some of the moisturizer into your fingertips and nails. Dermatologists recommend using a hand cream or ointment that:

Contains mineral oil or petrolatum

Comes in a tube rather than a pump-bottle

Says it’s “fragrance-free” and “dye-free”

This kind of moisturizer tends to feel less irritating to dry, chapped skin.

Dry, cracked skin makes it easier for bacteria and other germs to get inside your body. Applying moisturizer after handwashing helps heal dry skin.

When you use hand sanitizer, apply your hand cream or ointment immediately after the hand sanitizer dries. Because the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to kill germs, hand sanitizer can be very drying.

For more information on skin issues, click here to visit the American Academy of Dermatology’s website.