Taking off the “gloves”: how to deal with dry skin on your hands?

Why does the skin on my hands dry out?

Dry hand skin is a complex phenomenon that can be accompanied by a feeling of tightness and discomfort, peeling of the skin of the fingers or palms. The answer to the question of why the hands of women and men peel may lie in the area of ​​both external and internal factors.

External factors

So, why do your hands peel - several possible external reasons:

• seasonal changes and climatic factors (temperature changes, cold, wind, hot sun);
• dry indoor air due to the operation of heating appliances or air conditioning systems;
• frequent washing and/or active disinfection of hand skin;
• using household chemicals and/or other aggressive substances without gloves;
• incorrectly selected hand skin care or lack thereof.

Internal factors

Dry hand skin can also be associated with internal factors:

• Physiological features: compared to many other areas of the body, the skin of the hands has a thinner lipid layer, is more susceptible to the aging process and may be more vulnerable to aggressive environmental influences.
• Genetic predisposition: hereditary features of the functioning of the hydrolipid mantle of the skin.
• Various diseases: we will not consider them in this article; in this case, consultation with a dermatologist is necessary.

Causes and symptoms of muscle atrophy in the arm, shoulder and hand

The article was prepared by a specialist for informational purposes only. We urge you not to self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear, consult a doctor.

Atrophy of the muscles of the arm, hand, and forearm develops mainly as a secondary disease against the background of impaired innervation (nutrition, blood circulation) in a certain area of ​​muscle tissue and less often as a primary disease (usually with myopathy), when motor function is not impaired.

Causes of muscle atrophy in the arm, shoulder and hand

For the development of muscle atrophy, the predisposing reasons are: occupational factor (constant overexertion during heavy physical work), arthrosis of the wrist joint, endocrine pathology - obesity, diabetes mellitus and thyroid diseases, acromegaly; cicatricial processes after injuries, metabolic and systemic diseases (lupus erythematosus), tumors of various origins, congenital pathologies of the lower limb.

Symptoms of muscle atrophy in the arm, shoulder and hand

Muscle atrophy is a serious disease that primarily affects muscle fibers. The main typical symptom is the symmetry of the lesion (except for myasthenia gravis) and the slow development of the disease (except for myositis), atrophy of the affected muscles and weakening of tendon reflexes with preserved sensitivity.

Most peripheral nerves have a mixed structure, and when damaged, the work of sensory, motor and autonomic fibers is disrupted. It happens that one of the fibers is most affected.

If motor fibers are involved in the process, then paresis of the muscles innervated by this nerve occurs. The patient complains of muscle weakness, low muscle tone. Atrophy does not develop immediately, but 2-3 months after the lesion. In the absence of proper treatment, after a year and a half, the muscle will completely atrophy.

If sensory fibers are involved in the process, the clinic manifests itself as parasthesia - patients feel a tingling sensation, goosebumps. Neurological symptoms are expressed in the form of hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity) or hypoesthesia (decreased sensitivity). A feeling of numbness in the affected limb appears with extensive damage to the nerve fibers.

In most cases, there is a decrease in pain sensitivity while maintaining tactile sensitivity. In the later stages of the disease, deep hypoesthesia occurs, up to a complete lack of sensitivity. Redness or paleness of the skin, the appearance of a marble pattern indicates vascular disorders that occur when the vegetative fibers are directly damaged.

As a rule, increased or decreased sweating of the affected limb is associated. The concern is a burning pain of a hyperplastic nature, radiating to the entire limb involved in the process. The trophism (cellular nutrition) of tissues is disrupted due to deep vegetative disorders.

Atrophy of the arm muscles begins, as a rule, from the most remote or distal parts of the upper limbs. The hand takes on the appearance of a “monkey hand” due to damage to the interosseous muscles and fingers. There is a complete loss of tendon reflexes, but sensitivity is retained in the affected limb. As the disease progresses, the muscles of the neck and torso become involved in the process.

Diagnosis of atrophy of the muscles of the arm, shoulder and hand

Making a diagnosis does not currently cause any particular difficulties due to the introduction of electromyography and biopsy of the affected muscles into the clinical examination. The patient is required to undergo biochemical and general blood tests, and a urine test; The activity of muscle enzymes is determined in blood serum (mainly by the CPK method). Creatine and creatinine levels are calculated in urine. According to indications, the patient is sent for a CT or MRI of the cervicothoracic spine and brain, and examination for endocrinological pathology.

Treatment of muscle atrophy in the arm, shoulder and hand

When choosing a treatment method, the following factors are taken into account: the form of the disease, the severity and extent of the process, the age of the patient. Along with drug treatment, great importance is attached to proper nutrition, physiotherapeutic procedures, courses of therapeutic massage and gymnastics, and electrotherapy. In some cases, it is appropriate to prescribe psychotherapy sessions for the patient.

Currently, there is no drug that can completely cure muscle atrophy, but the correct choice of treatment method and timely diagnosis can slow down the pathological process, restore muscle regeneration and return lost abilities to the patient. The main thing is to strictly adhere to the doctor’s recommendations.

Author of the article:

Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich |
Doctor of Medical Sciences therapist Education: Moscow Medical Institute named after. I. M. Sechenov, specialty - “General Medicine” in 1991, in 1993 “Occupational diseases”, in 1996 “Therapy”. Our authors

What to do with dry hand skin?

If the skin on your hands has become dry, your palms are flaky, or your hands feel unpleasantly dry, the skin is most likely having difficulty retaining moisture. This can happen if the natural protective barrier of the skin, its hydrolipid mantle, is disrupted.

Repairing cream for very dry hands CeraVe

CeraVe restoring cream for very dry hand skin contains components aimed at strengthening the hydrolipid barrier and intensively moisturizing the skin. Let's look at them in more detail:

Ceramides: these are lipids that help maintain the protective functions of the skin and help restore and strengthen its hydrolipidic barrier.

Hyaluronic Acid: Draws moisture into the upper layers of the skin, helping to maintain hydration for a long time.

Phytosphingosine: is a phospholipid that helps strengthen the skin's own protective functions. It helps reduce moisture loss from the upper layers of the skin and protect it from dehydration.

CeraVe Revitalizing Cream is formulated with MVE technology, a gradual release of active ingredients that helps provide long-lasting hydration to the skin. It is fragrance-free, paraben-free, hypoallergenic and suitable for very dry hands.

Revitalizing hand cream

For very dry skin

Moisturizes dry, chapped hands, helping to restore and strengthen the protective skin barrier.

More details

Causes of rapid aging of hand skin

With age, the skin loses its properties. It becomes less firm and elastic, wrinkles and dryness appear, and the surface of the hands takes on an aging appearance. A number of reasons lead to aging of the skin on the hands:

1. Environmental impact. An abundance of sun, hot air, or, on the contrary, frosty, windy weather harms the skin. The epidermis on the hands becomes dry, chapped, and microcracks appear. Therefore, it is very important to properly care for your hands at any time of the year, even when it seems that the skin is smooth and beautiful.
2. Household chemicals. For most women, not a single day goes by without washing dishes. Only a small number of them use gloves, 90% do it without them. Exposure to hard water in combination with household chemicals reduces the protective function of the skin of the hands, making it vulnerable and speeding up aging.
3. Structure. The skin on the back of the hands is very thin and has no fat layer. Therefore, it is in this part that changes associated with aging are most visible. For this reason, it is the skin on the hands that requires maximum care.

Another reason leading to early aging is improper or inappropriate care. Hands, like the face, require daily systematic attention. But many do not take into account the structure of the skin and consider hand care unimportant.

There are also more serious reasons - hormonal and metabolic disorders. The skin on the hands looks bad due to gastrointestinal diseases and intoxication. In these cases, it is necessary to eliminate the cause and begin cosmetic treatment of the epidermis.

Features of seasonal care for dry skin

What to do and how to deal with very dry skin in winter and summer? Will basic care methods vary depending on the season? Yes - and now we will tell you how.

Care in autumn and winter

Dry hands in the autumn-winter period is one of the common problems in both women and men. The skin of your hands may peel, suffer from dryness and a feeling of tightness... The following measures will help combat the fact that your palms or fingers are peeling:

1. Use special hand products designed for use before going outside, and moisturizing and restorative products after returning home.
2. Try not to appear outside without gloves, protect your hands from temperature changes and sharp winds.
3. Do not forget to regularly moisturize your hands when in a room where heating devices are operating.

Care in spring and summer

If your hands peel in the warm season, it may also be a matter of incorrectly chosen care, or a possible lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet. Here's how you can try to fix this situation:

1. Try not only to moisturize the skin of your hands, but also to protect it from aggressive sun rays using cosmetics with SPF protection.
2. Remember to drink enough clean water to prevent general dehydration.
3. Watch your diet: eat more vegetables, fruits, fatty fish and other sources of skin-healthy nutrients.

Rules of care

For regular care, give preference to the most natural hand cream possible. Study the composition: in the first positions there may be water, shea butter, glycerin. At the same time, avoid products that contain silicones (dimethicone, cyclometicone, etc.) and mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum), which only create a feeling of moisture, but in fact “pull” moisture from the skin and, as a result, dry it out even more.

There is a great way to enrich even the simplest hand cream. Squeeze a little cream (for 8-10 uses) into a clean container, add a few drops of essential oil and mix thoroughly: the beneficial properties of the cream will increase several times. To get rid of dry hand skin, essential oils of lavender, rosemary, and sweet orange are perfect.

Make it a habit to massage your hands before going to bed. Apply a nourishing cream to your hands, or better yet, a thick butter, and carefully walk with light massage movements over your hand, palms, fingers, and wrist until you feel a pleasant warmth.

TOP 4 rules for caring for dry and very dry hand skin

Here are some general tips and tricks that may help if the skin on your palms and hands is flaking:

1. Choose your hand cleanser for daily use carefully. If the skin on your palms and arms is dry, you can pay attention to creamy cleansers labeled “soap-free.”
2. If there are no wounds or cracks on the skin of your hands, then 1-2 times a week you can gently scrub the skin of your hands as an option for intensive cleansing. Gentle exfoliation will not only help stimulate the renewal of the upper layers of the skin, but can also make it more receptive to the use of moisturizing and restorative care products.
3. If your hands are very dry, try to use specialized care every day - for example, CeraVe restoring cream for very dry skin of hands, which contains components that help restore the skin's own protective functions, moisturize it and strengthen the lipid barrier.
4. Don't forget to protect your hands (household gloves) when working with cleaning products and other household chemicals. They often contain alkaline and other aggressive components that can negatively affect the condition of the skin of the hands, causing irritation and dryness.

We hope that this article helped you understand the reasons why your hands may peel, answered questions about what to do with dry fingers, hands and palms, and suggested how you can deal with the problem of dry hands depending on the season!

How to care for your hands at home

Home remedies and hand treatments should be considered separately. Additionally, you can make caring masks and baths:

1. The mask can be bought at a cosmetic store or prepared at home. Apply a thick layer to the skin of your hands for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
2. Heat baths of various oils (olive, coconut) in a water bath and hold your hands for 15-20 minutes.

This spa treatment perfectly softens and nourishes the skin of the hands, strengthens the nail plate, and softens the cuticle.

It is very important not to forget to exfoliate twice a week. In order to cleanse pores of dirt and dust particles, you can prepare the product yourself. Components suitable for this:

• sea ​​salt;
• chopped almonds;
• coarse coffee;
• oils – essential and vegetable;
• yogurt or sour cream;
• honey;
• cosmetic clay.

When caring for the skin of your hands, you must not forget about your fingers and nails. When using a moisturizer, it is recommended to massage each one in turn and moisturize the cuticle area with a special oil.