The hands are an area which often work harder than any other part of your body, yet receive the least attention. Cold weather, washing up and typing are all things which can cause issues with the hands and nails, so we thought we’d take a look at the most common hand problems and what you can do to treat and prevent them.
Brittle Nails
Nails can dry out for a number of reasons, including excessive nail varnish use and even an underactive thyroid. Using a hand cream which contains targeted ingredients for the nails, such as Dermalogica Multivitamin Hand and Nail Treatment, as well as a nail oil like Decleor Ongles Nail Oil, will help to nourish and restore your nails to their former glory, as well as protecting them from future damage.
Hangnails
Hangnails happen when the skin next to a finger or toenail is torn away from the rest of the area, and they can be surprisingly painful, as well as being at high risk of getting infected. You can keep them at bay by keeping the area moisturised – using Decleor Nourishing and Smoothing Hand Cream and concentrating on the cuticles and sides of the nails will help massively. If they do occur, snip them at the base with a CLEAN pair of nail scissors and try to keep the area clean and dry.
Cracked Skin
The skin on your fingers tends to get a battering in the cold weather; the area is always moving and tends to be one of the places which is most exposed to the elements. As a result, cracked skin on the sides of your fingers is really common. The good news is that it’s easily treated – use one of the above hand creams throughout the day, but slather on an extra layer before bed, preferably under a pair of cotton gloves.
Liver Spots
Hyperpigmentation, or ‘Liver Spots’ occur as the skin ages and melanin is overproduced in certain areas. The hands are a really common place for this to occur, so a product like Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum would be a great asset to your beauty bag. This will help to reduce the appearance of existing liver spots as well as preventing the formation of new ones.
Callouses
Gone are the days of heavy-lifting being a men-only activity; more and more women are getting into the gym and taking part in cross fit and weight training. Both things are excellent for your health and fitness, but not so much for your hands. If your power cleans have given you callouses that you want to take care of, filing down the skin with an emery board will help, as well as using a vitamin E-containing moisturiser, such as Dermalogica Ultra Rich Body Cream.