In winter, there are a number of reasons why our skin can become so very dry. In addition to the cold temperatures and harsh winds, humidity levels plummet, making it difficult for the skin to retain moisture. Staying inside doesn't exactly solve the problem; indoor heating is another common cause of parched skin. Dermatologist Dr. Hadley King says that it's important to protect your hands from the elements as much as possible (a good pair of gloves will do the trick) as well as moisturizing frequently to avoid dry, cracked, and irritated skin.
Yes, it is possible to find rich, hydrating, and non-greasy hand creams at a drugstore price. Dr. King recommends this pick from Dove's Body Love line, which is infused with a restorative ceramide serum. "It contains the ideal combination of humectants, emollients, and occlusives," she explains. "Their studies show that it provides moisturizing benefits for 48 hours."
Not only does this formula contain nourishing ceramides, emollients, and vitamin E to soothe dryness, it's also boosted with sclareolide, a plant-derived ingredient that helps to improve the appearance of discoloration.
Boosted with niacinamide to reduce inflammation, this fragrance-free and paraben-free formula also contains hydrating glycerin as well as shea butter to soothe and soften."By helping to suppress inflammation, both that inherent to hand dermatitis itself and secondary to day to day exposures like cold weather, pollution and UV radiation, the skin barrier can get to work repairing itself uninterrupted," says Dr. Rachel Maiman, a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical. "Even better? Less inflammation equals less itch."
CeraVe has been applauded for its simple, effective formulas at an affordable price, and the Reparative Hand Cream is no exception. "This is a fast-absorbing, non-greasy cream that contains hyaluronic acid as well as three essential ceramides to create a protective barrier to lock hydration into the skin," Dr. King says. Plus, it's fragrance-free, so it's great for sensitive skin.
Glycerin and sucralfate combine to help hydrate and repair dry skin in this fast-absorbing formula. If you wash your hands frequently, this might be a great cream for you; Dr. King notes that Avène's studies showed that it lasts through five hand washes.
"This formula was designed and clinically proven to treat eczema on the hands specifically, along with the often associated dryness and cracked skin," says Dr. Maiman. Its combination of colloidal oatmeal and sweet almond oil help relieve itching, while jojoba and sunflower seed oils and shea butter soften skin. Plus, coconut oil and glycerin act as occlusive fatty acids to help repair and optimize the skin barrier.
Certain harsh ingredients in detergents and soaps can also exacerbate winter dryness. "In some cases, the culprit substances cause hand eczema because they are known to be potentially irritating in everyone, whereas in other cases, the causative ingredient is something to which the person is uniquely allergic," Dr. Maiman says.
If an underlying skin condition like atopic dermatitis or psoriasis is the cause of dry hands, she continues, prescription treatments may be necessary. "This may be limited to topical therapies like topical steroids and other topical anti-inflammatory creams and ointments, though in some cases may require systemic medications, depending on severity," she says.
But when it comes to climate-induced dryness, the right combination of ingredients can render hand cream extremely effective.
If you're dealing with severely dry skin, any old hand cream won't necessarily work the way you need it to. The key, according to Dr. King, is to look for something that contains humectants, emollients, and occlusives. Humectants are substances that help your skin absorb moisture — hyaluronic acid is a great example. Emollients, such as squalene, fatty acids, and ceramides, are rich moisturizers that aid in skin barrier function. Occlusives are oils and waxes (such as beeswax, mineral oil, and silicones) which physically block moisture from leaving the skin.
"All three components will be very important for those with dry skin," Dr. King says.
While good hand cream is an essential part of winter skincare, it can only go so far. Dr. King says that there are a few other ways to keep dry skin in check; your handwashing habits, for instance. "I recommend Dove Deep Cleansing Deep Moisture Hand Wash," she says, "because it effectively cleanses the skin with gentle soap substitutes that won't strip the skin, and it contains moisturizing ingredients as well."
When washing, Dr. King recommends using lukewarm water and minimizing the time and frequency in the water as much as possible. "Immediately after you've sanitized or washed, before your hands have dried, apply a moisturizer to help lock in the moisture," she adds.
As an overnight treatment, Dr. King suggests wearing cotton gloves over a heavy hand moisturizer to sleep, which will help the ingredients penetrate more deeply. Hand masks can also be beneficial, she says, but continuing to apply hand cream throughout the day is important for maintaining moisture.
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