Skin care for hands that wash all day
Frequent handwashing is hard on skin, and sore hands get skipped. Here’s how to keep yours clean and comfortable.
Why it matters
Healthy skin is your first barrier against germs. Every wash strips away some of the natural oils that hold moisture in, and after enough washes and glove changes, skin dries, cracks and gets inflamed. That’s contact dermatitis, and it’s common among nurses.
It matters for more than comfort. Cracked skin holds more germs, and when hand hygiene hurts, people do less of it. Looking after your skin is part of looking after your patients.
Five habits that help
Rub instead of wash
When your hands aren’t visibly dirty, alcohol rub causes less irritation than repeated soap and water.
Skip the hot water
Warm and cold water clean equally well. WHO advises against hot water because repeated exposure raises the risk of dermatitis.
Dry completely
Pat your hands fully dry after washing. Wet hands also spread germs more easily.
Moisturize often
Use lotion or cream on breaks and after shifts. Regular hand cream reduces the dryness and roughness that frequent washing causes.
Use approved products at work
Some lotions weaken latex gloves or reduce how well chlorhexidine works. Your facility’s approved lotion avoids both.
Lotion or cream?
Creams contain less water than lotions, so each application does a bit more. Either works if you actually use it. Pick something with little grease and little or no fragrance, so it doesn’t bother patients or rub off on what you touch.
Apply product and massage into your hands until lotion (skincare cream) is evenly distributed.
Step 1: Apply lotion on the back of your hand and distribute evenly on both hands.
Step 2: Rub the product over the back of your hands being sure to interlock your fingers so you cover the entire hand.
Step 3: Rub the lotion on the fingertips and cover your cuticles since they have a tendency to crack.
Step 4: Completely massage the lotion all over your hands and be sure to cover your wrists.
Quick questions
Is hand sanitizer worse for my skin than soap?
Usually not. CDC notes that alcohol-based hand rub causes less skin irritation than frequent soap-and-water washing, and most sanitizers contain moisturizers.
Can lotion make sanitizer less effective?
Some lotions can interfere with chlorhexidine antiseptics, and petroleum-based products can weaken latex gloves. At work, use the lotion your facility provides or approves.
When should I see someone about my hands?
If redness, cracking or itching doesn’t improve with regular moisturizing, see occupational health or a dermatologist. You may be reacting to a specific product, glove material or fragrance.
- CDC. Clinical Safety: Hand Hygiene for Healthcare Workers.
- Boyce JM, Pittet D. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. MMWR. 2002;51(RR-16).
- WHO. Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. 2009.
- WHO. How to Handwash (poster).
- Kampf G, Ennen J. Regular use of a hand cream can attenuate skin dryness and roughness caused by frequent hand washing. BMC Dermatol. 2006;6:1.