Hands-On Regimen All Ladies Should Know

from hands and feet

Just like the skin on your face or the hair on your head, your hands need a little extra-special attention if you want them to look good. The same basic principles that apply to caring for the rest of your skin apply here, too—but you'll need different products for the extra-dry skin on your hands, along with an occasional manicure.

1.Cleanse and exfoliate.

Wash with a gentle glycerine or Castile soap and gently exfoliate, once or twice a week, with an oatmeal- or clay-based soap. If your hands are extremely dry, use a super-fatted soap.

2.Moisturize.

Twice a day, and always after doing dishes or washing your hands, apply moisturizer. Hands that are dry, cracked, or chapped are not only uncomfortable but also susceptible to infection: the skin is a pro-tective covering, and when it's ruptured, bacteria can get through its tiny cracks.

Centuries ago, women wore emollient-saturated gloves to bed in order to keep their hands soft. The modern-day equivalent of this trick is an oil-doused glove, such as Spa Mani Moisture Restoring Gloves by Borghese. The idea works well, especially if your hands have become positively reptilian. Or, you can create your own intensive treatment: if your hands are dry, even to the point of cracking, pick up a balm or a small bottle of sweet almond oil or wheat germ oil at the health food store. Massage it into your hands before you go to bed, and cover your hands with a pair of thin white cotton gloves (inexpensive versions can be found at a garden or art supply shop). The only drawback and it can be a big one is that it keeps your hands out of commission overnight.

3.Use sunscreen.

Exposure to the sun accelerates aging on the hands as well as the face, which means wrinkling and brown spots (formerly known as "liver spots" or "age spots"). Brown spots most commonly appear on the hands and face. They are concentrations of melanin triggered by too much sun exposure over too long a period of time. Regular use of a good sunscreen—minimum SPF 15—will prevent brown spots over 90 percent of the time. So when you apply sunscreen to your face in the morning, make sure to put some on the backs of your hands, too.

4.Protect your hands.

Wear rubber gloves when you clean with harsh detergents or wash dishes. Because heavy-duty rubber makes you sweat, which makes the skin dry and pruny, apply a thin layer of moisturizer before you put them on. Or wear latex gloves, which are thinner and easier to manipulate, though not as durable. When outdoors working in the yard, always wear gardening gloves.

Hands at work

• Use armrests to reduce tension in the upper back, neck, forearms, and hands.
• Use equipment designed to reduce repetitive-motion injuries: a headset if you're on the phone a lot and wrist rests if you use a computer.
• Massage your hands to stimulate circulation (restricted circulation is a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome).
• Take one- to two-minute breaks away from the computer every 15 minutes to relieve cramping and tension.
• Take one- to two-minute breaks away from the computer every 15 minutes to relieve cramping and tension.
• Keep a moisturizer on your desk and lubricate your hands often during the day.