With the Covid-19 pandemic at the forefront of our minds and with the subsequent near-constant hand washing and sanitising, we may begin to notice our hands drying out or becoming itchy and irritated over time.
Associate Professor Greg Goodman, Director of the Dermatology Institute of Victoria, says washing our hands with soap can have a drying effect because it removes some of the natural fat in our skin. “Your skin is made up of flattened skin cells, the 'bricks', stuck together by a fatty substance, the 'mortar',” he says. “If this is washed with soap repeatedly, the soap will interact with the fats in the skin, removing them and leaving the skin able to dry out.”
Solid or liquid? Let’s break it down
This potential for drying applies to both solid and liquid soap varieties, though it does depend what exactly is in them. A ‘true soap,’ according to Professor Goodman, is a combination of a salt and a fatty acid. This true soap can actually be quite caustic and can potentially also remove the skin’s protective acid layer. Therefore it is important for people with either sensitive skin or an ongoing skin condition to seek advice from a medical practitioner such as a dermatologist, to see if a safer alternative to soap might be a good option for them.
It might be worth considering too exactly what else is in the soap you are using. Liquid soaps for example often contain fragrances and preservatives in addition to their soap base, which can be inflammatory for particular people or else cause an allergic reaction. Remember, the more ingredients something has, the higher the potential for one of them to cause a reaction.
So should we be using sanitiser instead?
Hand sanitiser can be gentler for most people while also helping to kill any viruses on the skin surface. However if you have sensitive skin or else if the skin barrier has been broken or damaged, hand sanitiser can actually be more irritating than soap, particularly if it has any added fragrances or colouring.
So what do we do?
Whether you are prone to dry skin or not, adding moisturiser to your hand hygiene routine can help to keep your skin barrier in top condition, by restoring the aforementioned skin barrier.
There are three primary types of moisturiser:
-Lotion: a lighter feel with quick absorption and little to no greasy feeling.
-Cream: heavier, greasier and longer lasting product with a moderate absorption rate.
-Ointment: the heaviest product, usually sold in a tube. Ointments are best applied before bed.
Most people will find that using a light lotion during the day, and a heavier cream or ointment before bed works best. This will give your hands the most optimal protection throughout the day and allow for recovery overnight.
Professor Goodman says that to avoid recontamination after washing your hands, don’t share moisturisers with others, and only touch the container of your moisturiser after washing your hands.