Your hands need extra care in the winter – here are six products that can help | Canada Voices

In the aftermath of record-breaking snowfall, and the hours of shovelling it demanded, chances are your hands need a break in more ways than one. “Hands are basically the hardest-working part of your skin,” says Dr. Annie Liu, a dermatologist who splits her time between Toronto and Los Angeles. For starters, the skin on these extremities is thinner and has fewer oil glands, which play a key role in skin health by locking in moisture. “Cold, dry air strips away ceramides and natural moisturizing factors in the skin,” says Liu, who is also the co-founder of DermCafé, a national, no-fee virtual clinic. But the perfect storm develops when other factors collide.

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“Cold weather sets the stage, but everyday habits do most of the damage,” she says, “Hand washing, sanitizer, dish soap and harsh cleansers are far more destructive than winter air alone.” Once the skin barrier is disrupted, hands can get caught in a cycle of feeling dry, rough, inflamed and unable to hold onto to moisture.

To turn things around and find lasting relief, the secret is to repair, not just hydrate. Understanding the difference between the two is essential, says Liu. “Hydrating products add water. Barrier-repair products replace ceramides and lock moisture in,” she says. Ceramides are the lipids, or natural fats, in skin that create a strong outer layer. “Hydration without barrier repair is like pouring water into a leaky bucket.”

Her winter hand-care prescription starts with replacing foaming or antibacterial hand soap with a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser and La Roche-Posay Lipikar Syndet AP+ Body Wash are her top picks. “If your hands sting after washing, your soap may be part of the problem,” she says. Follow up by applying a thick cream or ointment that contains ceramides, niacinamide and occlusive ingredients, such as petrolatum or dimethicone, that will trap moisture.

“Most people are using lotions that hydrate but do not seal. If your hands feel dry again within five minutes, the product is too light,” she says. Consistency is also critical. “I wish people would moisturize after every single hand wash,” says Liu, listing bleeding cracks, painful fissures, oozing, burning, or redness that does not improve with basic care as red flags to seek medical help.

Building good hand-care habits can also help if the season is doing a number on your fingertips. “Our nails are made up of keratin, just like our hair, and without hydration they get dry and brittle,” says Sarah Alaina, a Toronto-based freelance manicurist. Using cuticle oil during the day will keep nails strong and healthy while softening any excess dry skin around the edge of fingers. “It is so tempting but don’t pick it; that only makes the skin grow back thicker and causes pain,” she says. Using an exfoliating mitt to buff each hand is her preferred technique for dead skin removal.

For maximum impact with minimal effort, the pros encourage wearing winter gloves during the day and adopting a nighttime hand-care routine. “I keep both cuticle oil and moisturizer on my nightstand and apply them every night before bed, so they have the most time to be absorbed,” Alaina says. For the ultimate overnight treatment, she slathers hands with a healing ointment and slips on a pair of 100-per-cent cotton gloves. “You can find them at the drugstore for under $4,” she says, “It’s the best thing I’ve found for my eczema-prone hands.”

Six buys to try

SOS for dry hands and nails, starting from $13