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What Are the Best Tips for Hand Care?
Dry, wrinkled skin on the hands can make a person look older than she really is. The best tip for hand care may be keeping the hands moisturized by using lotion. Protecting the hands from chemicals and other drying agents, such as hot water, also keeps the skin soft and healthy. Hand care also involves removing dead, dry skin and keeping the nails and finger tips healthy and clean.
The skin on a person's hands loses moisture as she becomes older. Using lotion is key to hand care. The lotion should be put on throughout the day, especially after washing the hands, as soap and water contribute to the skin's dryness. For best results, a person should use a lotion that contains SPF, as the sun also damages and ages the hands. Hand washing is essential to good health, and a person should use soap that contains lotion to keep her hands soft and healthy.
Another way to care for hands and keep them moisturized is to apply a thick lotion on them just before bed along with a pair of gloves. The gloves keep the hands warm, which helps the lotion melt into the skin. This trick also works in the wintertime if a person is going to go outside wearing a pair of gloves or mittens.
Hand care also involves protecting the hands from harsh elements or damaging agents. When washing dishes, a person should wear gloves to protect his hands from the drying effects of hot water and dish soap. He should also wear gloves when cleaning around the house, handling any harsh cleaning chemicals, such as bleach, or when out in the cold air.
Exfoliating the hands every so often also keeps the skin soft and the hands healthy. A gentle scrub, such as a sugar scrub or a scrub designed to be used on the face, should be enough for hand care. To use the scrub, a person should place a small amount on her hands and then rub them together to slough off the dead, dry skin. After the dead skin is removed, she should use lotion to keep the new skin soft.
Finger tips and nails are an essential part of hand care. Nails should be kept short and should be shaped with a file. Lotion will keep the nails and cuticles moisturized. A clear polish helps them to look healthy, locks in moisture, and protects them from environmental damage.
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![Hands should be thoroughly dried after washing.]()
By: Lasse KristensenHands should be thoroughly dried after washing. -
![Clear polish on the fingernails helps keep them looking healthy.]()
By: Valua VitalyClear polish on the fingernails helps keep them looking healthy. -
![Using gloves when washing dishes can help prevent dry hands.]()
By: Subbotina AnnaUsing gloves when washing dishes can help prevent dry hands. -
![Nails should be trimmed often and kept at a short length.]()
By: ponsulakNails should be trimmed often and kept at a short length. -
![Hand washing is an effective way to prevent the spread of germs.]()
By: S.KoboldHand washing is an effective way to prevent the spread of germs. -
![Applying petroleum jelly to the hands before bed helps keep them soft and smooth.]()
By: Graça VictoriaApplying petroleum jelly to the hands before bed helps keep them soft and smooth. -
![Using skin products that contain sugar, a gentle exfoliator, help to keep hands looking healthy.]()
By: bit24Using skin products that contain sugar, a gentle exfoliator, help to keep hands looking healthy. -
![Moisturizing lotion helps prevent dry, wrinkled hands.]()
By: roblanMoisturizing lotion helps prevent dry, wrinkled hands. -
![Hand cream should be applied daily.]()
By: Subbotina AnnaHand cream should be applied daily. -
![The fingernails should be shaped regularly using a nail file.]()
By: terexThe fingernails should be shaped regularly using a nail file. -
![Gloves should be worn when cleaning, as the harsh chemicals may cause cracking of the skin.]()
By: Tiler84Gloves should be worn when cleaning, as the harsh chemicals may cause cracking of the skin.
Discussion Comments
One of the best ways to keep your hands looking nice is to get a manicure occasionally. That's just my opinion, of course, but I think it makes the whole hand look nice.
If manicures are really expensive in your area, go to the local cosmetology school. Most of these places offer haircuts, manicures, etc., at a great price. The senior students do it for practice. I've had a manicure for $5 there, before, and they do a good job. Their instructors are keeping an eye on them so they don't mess anything up. But a manicure is pretty hard to mess up, anyway.
A guy I used to work with used to get old fashioned chilblains on his hands in cold weather! His hands would get so red and the knuckles would just get raw. I told him about collodial oatmeal lotion and he tried it and loved it. He said his hands felt so much better once he started using that lotion.
I like the collodial lotion, myself, for my hands and my face. I also use olive oil on my cuticles to keep them from looking dry. They use all these fancy oils when you get a manicure, but olive oil works just fine. You just rub the oil into the cuticles every night. It seems to make my nails stronger, too, but that may be all in my head.
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