Hand care in winter

By Aliki Nassoufis Dec 5, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Berlin - Hands are often troublesome in winter, becoming dry, chapped and red, and sometimes even developing eczema. While many people simply use hand lotion in summer, more thought has to be given to correct hand care during the cold months.

Gabriele Haeusler, chairwoman of the Berlin-Brandenburg branch of the German Cosmetologists Association, noted that someone with dry hands often had split fingernails or dry facial skin, too.

'The skin is made up of several layers and has a horny outer layer,' said Gertraud Kremer, a member of the Association of German Dermatologists. This horny layer, she said, is especially thick on the palms to provide better protection for the hands. 'When the horny layer dries out -- due to dry air, for example -- it becomes chapped,' Kremer said. This happens more frequently in winter.

In the skin are sebaceous glands, which secrete an oily substance called sebum. 'When temperatures drop below seven degrees centigrade, though, the sebaceous glands reduce their production somewhat,' Kremer said. Less sebum is produced to lubricate the skin, 'which makes the skin drier and more chapped.'

Cold is not the only thing that skin is up against in winter. As Haeusler pointed out, 'People tend to drink less fluids than in summer, and the air is drier. This also takes a toll on hands.' A hand cream can help.

'Creams with a water-in-oil emulsion are ideal in winter,' remarked Ursula Sellerberg, spokeswoman for the Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists. She said they tended to be fatty creams that did not wash off with water alone.

'The fat in the creams also repels water outdoors, which is particularly important in winter,' Sellerberg said, noting that moisture from rain, snow or fog conveyed cold to the hands. Creams with moisturising factors are good as well, 'including urea and glycerol,' she said. 'They hold moisture in the skin.'

People who want to do more for their skin can treat themselves to a moisturizing pack. 'In the evening you can rub in a thick layer of hand cream and wrap your hands in a warm cloth for 20 minutes,' Haeusler said.

Hardly anything should be done outside without gloves in winter. 'You've got to experiment to find out what's best for your own hands,' Haeusler said.

While some people swear by fleece gloves, others sweat in them. Haeusler's advice: 'You should choose materials that breathe and that draw away moisture such as sweat.'

Dry hands are often caused by improper cleaning. 'Conventional soaps generally have a different pH value than the skin, so the skin becomes more alkaline after washing than it really is. This damages the skin's protective acid mantle,' Sellerberg said. 'The upper horny layer swells as a result, and the skin becomes rough.'