What should I do if the skin on my hands is very rough?
May 05, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wan
Introduction
There are many causes of rough skin on the hands, often related to frequent contact with alkaline cleansing and care products without adequate hand care. Daily hand care is essential: avoid using alkaline soaps, laundry detergents, or liquid detergents when washing hands, doing laundry, or performing manual labor; instead, opt for acidic or neutral cleansing products. Additionally, regularly apply hand cream to keep your hands moisturized and protected.
In daily life, our skin is constantly exposed to the external environment and thus is most susceptible to injury—especially the hands. When performing physically demanding tasks, the skin on the hands often thickens, leading to roughness. So, what can be done when hand skin becomes excessively rough?
What to Do When Hand Skin Becomes Rough
There are many causes of rough hand skin, commonly related to frequent contact with alkaline cleansing products without adequate skincare. It is essential to maintain proper daily hand care. Avoid using alkaline soaps, detergents, or laundry liquids when washing hands, clothes, or performing manual labor. Instead, opt for acidic or neutral cleansers. Regularly apply hand cream. For pronounced roughness, topical treatments such as urea-vitamin E ointment or triamcinolone acetonide-urea ointment may be used. Aloe vera gel is also a suitable option.
Dry, rough hand skin may indicate chronic keratotic eczema. Management includes the following measures: 1. Minimize contact with alkaline water and strongly alkaline detergents; avoid exposure to irritants such as sand, soil, or cement. 2. Systemic therapy: Oral supplementation with vitamin A, vitamin E, and compound glycyrrhizin tablets. 3. Topical therapy: Apply mometasone furoate cream first, followed one hour later by urea ointment. At bedtime, occlusive therapy using plastic wrap may be performed. 4. Consistently use medical-grade moisturizing skincare products.
During winter, dry ambient air leads to transepidermal water loss, resulting in xerosis (dry skin). To alleviate this, soak your hands nightly in a basin of warm water mixed with a small amount of olive oil for approximately 25 minutes while gently massaging—this helps soften the stratum corneum and provides initial improvement in skin roughness. We hope this article proves helpful to you.
