
One of the best remedies for dry hands is to slather them at night with lotion or a petroleum-based moisturizer, such as Vaseline
Vaseline White Petroleum
Vaseline /ˈvæsəˌliːn/ is a brand of petroleum jelly based products owned by Anglo-Dutch company Unilever. Products include plain petroleum jelly and a selection of skin creams, soaps, lotions, cleansers, deodorants, and personal lubricants.
- Moisturize. Apply a quality moisturizing cream or lotion several times per day. ...
- Wear gloves. ...
- Decrease stress. ...
- Consider medication. ...
- Ask your doctor about UV light therapy. ...
- Treat them overnight. ...
- Ask about prescription cream. ...
- Apply hydrocortisone cream.
What is the best home remedy for dry hands?
Welcome yogurt, goodbye dry hands
- Apply 1 spoonful of yogurt (the fresh and plain kind) on your hands.
- Massage them for approximately 5 minutes (but do it gently).
- Wait about 10 minutes.
- Warm water should be used to remove the yogurt.
How do I get rid of my dry hands?
Method 2 Method 2 of 3: Keeping Them from Drying Out
- Drink plenty of water. When you get dehydrated, it can cause your skin to become flaky and dry and your hair to get brittle.
- Wash your hands gently. Do you tend to scrub your hands when you wash them, and use hot water and strong soap?
- Wear gloves when you handle harsh chemicals. ...
- Wear sunscreen in the summer. ...
- Protect your hands in the winter. ...
How to heal and prevent dry hands?
- Pull on a pair of simple cotton gloves after applying a greasy moisturizer. ...
- Cotton gloves can also be useful to wear under cleaning gloves. ...
- Part of what moisturizers do is lock in existing moisture. ...
- To keep your hands clean without drying them out, use soaps and sanitizers that feature moisturizing ingredients like aloe, plant oils, butters, etc.
Why are my hands so dry even when I moisturize?
Why are my hands so dry even when I moisturize? For the most part, dry hands are caused by some conditions in your environment. For instance, weather plays a big role in making your hands dry. Frequent handwashing, exposure to chemicals, and other medical conditions can dry your hands too. A Must-Read: Toenail Clippers for Arthritic Hands

What is a natural remedy for dry hands?
Home remedies for dry skinSunflower seed oil. A 2013 study found that sunflower seed oil improved hydration when used as a moisturizer on participant's arms. ... Coconut oil. Another natural oil that works well to treat dry skin is coconut oil. ... Oatmeal bath. ... Drinking milk. ... Honey. ... Petroleum jelly. ... Aloe vera.
Is Vaseline good for dry hands?
Vaseline is a very good moisturizer for dry skin. Applying a layer of Vaseline to dry skin helps lock in moisture.
How do you make your hands really soft overnight?
0:301:50How To Get Soft Hands & Feet Overnight - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you have a longer pair of socks clip to your elbows go nuts. The next thing you want to do is putMoreIf you have a longer pair of socks clip to your elbows go nuts. The next thing you want to do is put the socks on your hands. I know this looks silly. But. This really keeps the moisture in overnight.
How can I deep moisturize my hands overnight?
Before bed, rub a layer of Vaseline® Jelly or Vaseline® Intensive Care™ Deep Moisture Jelly Cream onto your entire hand (including the back and between the fingers). Then, put on a pair of cotton gloves to help seal in the moisture. In the morning, your hands should already feel softer!
What to do if your hands are dry?
They get itchy and painful, and sometimes they even crack and bleed. If you have chronic dry hands, the first thing to do is moisturize them right away. There are also steps you can take to keep them from drying out so much in the first place. If you have cracks or cuts, you may need to see a doctor.
How to get rid of a dry skin on hands?
1. Rub your hands with coconut oil. This rich natural oil provides a thick layer of protection and will leave your hands feeling moist and soft. Coconut oil absorbs into the skin fairly quickly, it smells wonderful, and best of all, it doesn't contain ingredients that can dry out your skin and make the problem worse.
What to do if you have to wash your hands?
If you work at a job that requires frequent hand washing, like in the medical field, try to use a moisturizing soap and put lotion on your hands immediately after washing them.
How to get soft hands?
Wear gloves to bed for soft, moisturized hands. If your hands are in need of some intensive therapy, slather them with your favorite oil or cream and put on a pair of cotton gloves. [6]
How to heal a crack in your hand?
Trim the sides of deep cracks. If you have very deep cracks that aren't bleeding, you can help them heal by trimming away the dead skin on the sides of the cracks. When you wash your hands, soapy water could be getting into the cracks and preventing the skin from healing over properly.
How to tell if you're dehydrated?
If you're not sure whether dehydration is a problem, look at your urine. If it's clear or light yellow, you're well hydrated. If it's medium to dark yellow or even darker, you need to drink more water.
How to restore moisture to hands after sun exposure?
Use aloe after sun exposure to restore moisture to hands.
How to get rid of dry hands?
A person can try these remedies as a first line of treatment for dry hands: 1. Use moisturizers. Many moisturizers are designed for the hands and are available commercially. A person should use a moisturizing cream on their hands after every wash to help restore the natural moisture to the skin.
How to treat dry hands overnight?
People with extremely dry hands may want to try to treat them overnight. To do this, they should use copious amount of moisturizing lotions or creams. Once they have applied lots of cream, a person should put socks, gloves, or mittens over the hands. The coverings help to keep the moisturizer in touch with the skin, so it is absorbed overnight.
How to prevent eczema flares?
People with eczema and other skin conditions should take steps to prevent flares. This may include reducing stress and following all recommendations from a doctor. All people can try to limit their sun exposure. Also, most people should avoid using hot air dryers if dry hands are a problem.
How to help someone with eczema?
9. Avoid hot air dryers. Hot air dryers tend to dry out the skin. The hot, dry air can overdry the hands. It is better to try and use paper towels when possible and pat the hands dry. 10.
What to wear when you have dry hands?
Wear gloves. Share on Pinterest. Wearing rubber gloves when the hands are in contact with water may help prevent dry hands. People who spend a lot of time with their hands submerged or in contact with water should consider wearing rubber gloves.
Why do my hands get dry?
Dry hands are primarily caused by the following: weather. environmental irritants. medical conditions. Weather is responsible for dry hands that mainly occur in the winter. When the weather turns cold, the air dries out, and the body cannot hold onto to moisture. The lack of moisture in the air causes dry skin and hands.
Why do people have dry hands?
Others, such as dishwashers or hair stylists, may also be more prone to dry hands due to repeated exposure to chemicals and soaps.
How to treat a dry skin on the hand?
The best treatment, according to Reed, is prevention. If possible, avoid over-washing, especially with lathering soaps containing detergents that can further dry the skin. Moisturize several times a day with a thick, emollient (lubricating) hand cream or lotion. Look for ingredients like petrolatum, wax, and shea butter.
What is it called when your fingers are dry?
Cracks in your fingers can make even the simplest tasks, such as typing, turning a page, or buttoning a button very painful. Medically, dry skin is called xerosis. It is often a natural part of aging, though it can also be an early sign of a condition such as dermatitis. Most often, the skin becomes drier and more irritated in the winter months. ...
How to get rid of irritated skin?
Moisturize several times a day with a thick, emollient (lubricating) hand cream or lotion. Look for ingredients like petrolatum, wax, and shea butter. A gentle hypoallergenic cleanser like Cetaphil tends to irritate skin less than soaps that contain lathering detergents.
What is the best glue for skin cracks?
Believe it or not, a popular solution for painful skin cracks is super glue. Part of a group of adhesive chemicals called cyanoacrylates, super glue can be used for very superficial cuts and cracks, according to Reed.
Why do my nails bleed?
If your skin becomes too dry, the cracks may begin to bleed and the pain may intensify. According to Reed, cracks or “fissures” near your nails are “small but powerful enough to get your attention.” It can even become so painful that it wakes you up at night. These cracks can become infected if bacteria enter the open skin.
Why is my skin getting thinner?
Causes. With age, everyone's skin naturally becomes thinner and drier. The sun, wind, and other elements we expose our skin to over the years can take its toll on the health of our skin. Certain people are more susceptible to severe dry skin, according to Reed. “Some people just make less oil in their skin, and others are more sensitive ...
What to do if your hands are swollen?
Reed recommends speaking to your dermatologist or healthcare provider if your hands are causing you discomfort. In particular, seek medical attention immediately if your hands are swollen, bleeding, have a honey-colored crust on any cracks, or if you see red streaks moving up your arm.
Why do my hands get dry and cracked?
Sometimes dry, cracked hands that do not heal with home remedies or over-the-counter creams are a symptom of a skin issue that needs medical treatment, such as eczema.
How to keep hands soft and hydrated?
Put more vaseline on your hands, as needed, to keep them soft and hydrated. If your hands are really cracked and dry, apply the vaseline on and then put plastic bags or cloth gloves on your hands. Leave the bags or gloves on overnight. You should wake up with softer hands.
How to get rid of cracked skin on hands?
Vaseline, or petroleum jelly, is great for hydrating your skin and locking in moisture. It can also help to heal cracked skin. Apply a generous amount of vaseline on your hands and let the vaseline dry. Put more vaseline on your hands, as needed, to keep them soft and hydrated.
How to make your hands feel moisturized?
Use shea butter on your hands. Shea butter is another good natural remedy for hands that are in desperate need of moisturizing. Apply the shea butter to your hands and let the butter seep into your skin. You can apply the shea butter to your hands as needed throughout the day. [2]
How to get rid of irritated hands?
Try antibiotic ointment or cream. If your skin is irritated and dry, try applying over the counter antibiotic ointment or cream like Bacitracin or A&D ointment on your hands. You can also apply the ointment then put on cotton gloves and wear them overnight. Keep these gloves in a plastic bag as you will use them over and over if you have to deal with dry, cracked, irritated hands often.
How to make your hands hydrated?
The amino acids and silica in oats are good for hydrating your skin. Combine one part milk with one part rolled oats in a bowl big enough to fit your hands. Then, place your hands in the milk and oats .
How to get rid of a swollen ear?
1. Wash your hands with mild, natural soap and warm water . When you wash your hands, avoid using harsh cleaning agents that contain dyes, artificial ingredients, or fragrances. Instead, go for mild soap that contains natural ingredients like olive oil, lemon, or shea butter.
How To Treat Dry Hands?
Use a good moisturizer or hand cream to replenish the moisture lost from your hands. Hand creams may contain occlusives like petroleum, mineral oil, shea butter, etc. Occlusives form a thin film on the skin to prevent water from escaping. Humectants attract moisture from the air into the skin. Emollients provide smoothness to the skin.
Why do my hands get dry?
Medical conditions like diabetes and lupus can lower the blood circulation to your hands, causing dryness. Eczema and psoriasis (an autoimmune disorder) causes skin inflammation and eventually, dry hands, peeling and cracking of skin.
Why Do My Hands Get Dry And Cracked?
Weather conditions like winters and extremely dry climatic conditions tend to make your hands drier. Lack of moisture in the air makes the hand go thirsty for hydration.
How to get rid of dead skin cells on hands?
Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells from the hands. Dead skin cell buildup often damages the skin and leads to dry and chapped hands. Use a pumice stone or olive oil mixed with granulation as exfoliators.
Can chapped hands be avoided?
Well, given the amount of handwashing, chemicals and environmental aggressors your hands are repeatedly put through in a day, dry and chapped hands are not easy to avoid. It is not a surprise that dryness is one of the common concerns related to hands. If you wish to heal and prevent dry hands, keep scrolling.
Can you use paper towels to dry your hands?
If you are used to drying your hands using hot air dryers, stop! Hot air can remove the moisture from your skin. Use paper towels instead. Hot showers can also have a similar effect on your hands too.
Can Washing Your Hands Too Much Cause Dry Skin?
The outermost layer of your skin (epidermis) acts as a protective barrier by preventing the entry of bacteria and exit of water. Handwashing can disrupt the regular functions of the skin barrier and hence, water is lost way too quickly from the skin. This makes the hands dry and chapped.
What is the best way to treat dry hands?
Among the best home remedies for dry hands you’ll ever meet is honey. Remember how good it is for solving hair problems? Its natural properties are amazing for cracked hands. The skin that’s covered in even a little bit of honey will get back its usual smoothness and you’ll have soft hands once more. “Guilty” for this are some of our world’s most unique properties, which can only be offered by a bee: antioxidants, humectants, and antimicrobials. Add to these anti-aging qualities and you have one of the best products for your dry skin. Getting the most out of honey is as easy as A, B, C.
How to get rid of dry skin on hands?
Another great home remedy for dry skin on hands is almond oil. Vitamin E is the main ingredient which makes almonds such great allies in the fight against extremely dry hands. The latter will feel revitalized as soon as an almond oil massage is performed. Blood circulation will be improved and, most important of all, skin infections will become fewer and fewer. There’s no better moisturizing agent than almond oil and your hands will soon be living proof of that. Massage them with almond oil every night before drifting off to sleep and the morning will welcome you with silky smooth skin.
What is the best fruit for dry cracked hands?
As far as home remedies for dry cracked hands go, avocado has been proven to give amazing results. Rich in monounsaturated fats as well as vitamins A, C, and E, this special fruit has all the qualities to gain the first place when it comes to turning once difficult hands into smooth ones. We have some tips on how to make all of that possible.
What happens if your hands are dry?
That includes, but isn’t limited to, bleeding, itchiness, and cracks. But the most dangerous thing to come out of dry skin is an infection caused by all those open wounds you create once you start scratching your hands every few minutes. Taking care of minor and major issues related to your skin can be either cheap or very expensive. Dermatologists will usually recommend using various creams that cost a lot of money and contain plenty of chemicals which do more harm than good in the long run. Time to ditch them and play around with healthier alternatives made at home. Here are our top picks for home remedies for extremely dry and cracked hands.
How to stop your hands from chipping?
Once applied on that part of your skin with the most problems, petroleum jelly will stop it from chipping every so often. When you don’t want to use honey or almond oil, use this alternative and apply generous amounts of it before going to bed. You’ll happily say bye-bye to wrinkled hands in a couple of days or weeks, depending on your skin type.
Why do my hands get dry?
Some medical conditions can also lead to dry hands or may put a person at a higher risk of getting dry hands more often than others. For example, people who live with autoimmune disorders, such as lupus or diabetes, may experience lower blood circulation to the hands. This can lead to the hands becoming irritated much more easily. Psoriasis and eczema are two conditions which cause the skin to become inflamed, which can result in the skin on the hands peeling and cracking due to dryness.
How to get rid of dry yolk?
As soon as the yolk becomes dry, get some herbal soap and wash the yolk away.
How to get your hands wet?
Perform tasks that require you to get your hands wet. Get chemicals, greases, and other substances on your hands. Choose non-irritating clothes and laundry detergent. When our skin is dry and raw even clothes and laundry detergent can be irritating .
How to heal dry skin?
When the humidity drops or your skin feels dry, be sure to: Close the bathroom door. Use warm rather than hot water. Limit your time in the shower or bath to 5 or 10 minutes.
How to get rid of a scaly skin?
Limit your time in the shower or bath to 5 or 10 minutes. Wash with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser. Apply enough cleanser to remove dirt and oil, avoid using so much that you see a thick lather. Blot your skin gently dry with a towel. Slather on the moisturizer immediately after drying your skin.
How to get moisture out of your skin?
Apply moisturizer immediately after washing. Ointments, creams, and lotions (moisturizers) work by trapping existing moisture in your skin. To trap this much-needed moisture, you need to apply a moisturizer within few minutes of: Drying off after a shower or bath. Washing your face or hands.
What to do if your hand sanitizer dries?
If you find that frequent handwashing and use of hand sanitizer dries your hands, these dermatologists' tips can bring relief, Dry skin relief from COVID-19 handwashing. Wear gloves.
When to put moisturizer on after drying skin?
Slather on the moisturizer immediately after drying your skin.
Can dry skin cause a bleed?
Dry skin can flake, itch, crack, and even bleed. To help relieve dry skin, dermatologists offer these tips.
How to Fix Dry Hands
Always protect your hands from exposure to dish detergent, laundry detergent, and household cleansers that contain bleach or ammonia. Wear kitchen gloves when you’re using such products.
More Tips for Dealing With Dry Hands
What else can you do? We’ve been there with dry, cracked hands—through trial and error, and by consulting the scientific research, we’ve got more advice to share on dry hands treatment:

Symptoms
- Rub your hands with coconut oil. This rich natural oil provides a thick layer of protection and will leave your hands feeling moist and soft. Coconut oil absorbs into the skin fairly quickly, it smells wonderful, and best of all, it doesn't contain ingredients that can dry out your skin and make the problem worse. Carry a little pot of coconut oil around with you and apply as neces…
- Try lanolin. Lanolin is the substance naturally produced by sheep to make their wool waterpr…
Causes
Treatment
When to See A Healthcare Provider
Summary
- As people age, their skin becomes thinner and drier and produces less oil. The sun, wind, and other elements take their toll, too. Still, some people are more prone to develop severely dry skin, says Dr. Barbara Reed, a dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Colorado. “Some people just make less oil in their skin, and others are more sensitive to chemic…
A Word from Verywell
- The best treatment, Reed says, is prevention. If possible, avoid over-washing, especially with lathering soaps, which can contain chemical detergents that can further dry out the skin. Moisturize several times a day with a thick emollient (lubricating) hand cream or lotion. Look for ingredients like petrolatum, wax, and shea butter. A gentle hypoal...