Dry cracked hands could be the result of using harsh cleaning chemicals with bare hands. Cracked skin can also be the result of dry skin or some, more serious skin conditions, like eczema or psoriasis, or washing the hands excessively throughout the day without replenishing the moisture, with the use of moisturizers. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. If you find you've dry hands, take care of your hands before it becomes cracked, and if you find you've cracked skin, prevent further damage before the cracks become fissures. Fissures can be very painful, and in some cases you need to go and see a doctor.
There are home remedies for cracked hands that are effective if they are used consistently till the cracked skin heals. There is some prevention that must be observed so that the dry cracked hands don't become worse. If the skin is cracked, there is a tendency for it to get infected. If you've dish washing to do, use a pair of gloves before you put your hands in the sink with the dirty dishes. Before you use gloves put some powder, and wear another pair of cotton gloves on the dry cracked hands. This will prevent your hands from becoming sweaty, and create a worse condition.
Dry cracked hands have skin that is extremely dry and dehydrated. Place the dry cracked hands in warm mildly soapy water for about 20 minutes daily. If you are also suffering from an itchy skin, put some soda bicarbonate in the warm water before soaking your dry cracked hands. This will soften the dry skin, while it's in the warm water. Once the skin has become soft, use a pumice stone or a sandpaper heel scraper to scrape the dry skin gently. Do not scrape of excessive skin, but be patient, and do a little at a time, daily.
Once the hand is out of the water, it must be quickly dried. Then apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly or a generous amount of olive oil, so that the dry cracked hands do not lose any moisture. Petroleum jelly protects the hands from moisture loss. Olive oil has healing and soothing properties.
At night massage some olive oil or petroleum jelly on the dry cracked hands and wear some cotton gloves so that the oil or petroleum jelly doesn't come off the hands and onto the bed linens.
It is not enough to use home remedies for dry cracked skin, and hydrate the skin from outside. Watch your diet and hydrate it from the inside as well. Vitamin A is important for skin. It's found in yoghurt, green leafy vegetables and carrots. You can take about 2 tablespoon of virgin olive oil with salads to keep dry cracked hands moisturized. Recent studies have showed that the mineral selenium is very important for the health of the skin. Selenium is high in whole grains and certain nuts like Brazil nut.
