Your hands are very important; you use them every day both to communicate with others and to carry out a myriad of daily tasks. Your hands are how you say hello, in a wave or a handshake, and they help you to express yourself with gestures. At the same time, they are tools for almost everything you do, and it’s vital that you take proper care of them.

In many lines of work, and also in various household chores, your hands can be exposed to chemicals and other substances that can, over time, harm and degrade the skin. Even regular washing, intended to keep your hands sanitary and clean, can result in dry and cracked skin. Taking good care of your hands requires taking measures to protect your hands.

Washing Your Hands

To keep your hands clean and germ-free, you will naturally wash them several times a day. However, this can, surprisingly, cause quite a lot of damage. The most important things to remember are not to use very hot water, as this can strip the natural oils from your skin and leave your hands dry and cracked, and not to use a harsh soap. If you use a towel or paper towels to dry your hands, blot or pat them dry instead of rubbing. If you need to wash your hands frequently, use a product like GOJO Mild Foam Hand Wash which is especially formulated for the task.

Wear Gloves

If your hands are going to be exposed to chemicals, contaminants or any kind of potentially harmful substance, then it’s only common sense to protect them with gloves. There are many different kinds of protective glove, so you can easily find the right kind for whatever tasks you need to undertake.

• Latex gloves – Ideal for medical uses, also popular with tattooists, hairdressers and other healthcare providers.
• Nitrile gloves – A popular alternative which is ideal in situations where allergies may rule out the use of latex
• Vinyl gloves – A low-cost non-latex option popular for use in food preparation, cleaning and domestic care
• Gauntlet gloves & long length gloves – For tasks which require protection of the arm as well as the hand
• Industrial gloves – Durable work gloves which are ideal for heavy duty manual work.

Use Sanitiser

Sanitisers are an excellent way to keep your hands germ-free, particularly if you are working in a healthcare environment and want to avoid cross-contamination between patients, and if you are working in conditions where handwashing facilities are not available. Alcohol based gels dry quickly so that you can effectively clean and sanitise your hands and get on with your tasks, and some are formulated with ingredients like Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to keep your hands moisturised and soft as well. Our Moisturising Antibacterial Hand Gel is an excellent example.

First Aid

Because we use our hands for so many tasks, they are easy to injure. Cuts, burns and scalds are all common hand injuries, because if we drop something it’s often a natural instinct to try and catch it even when we know that it’s sharp or hot. Keep a first aid kit somewhere easily accessible, and make sure that you know the right treatment. If your hand is burnt or scalded, you should never use ice or very cold water – instead use cool to luke-warm water, or a specialised burn dressing. For cuts to the hand, apply pressure to stop the bleeding and hold it above the head, clean the area and apply a sterile dressing.

General Care

Many day-to-day activities can also affect the health of your hands. Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun if you can, and if you can’t make sure that you use a sunscreen or moisturiser with an SPF of at least 15 to prevent sun damage to the skin of your hands. Make sure that you keep your nails trimmed and in good condition, and don’t bite them! If you wear rings, make sure that you take them off before carrying out any tasks where they could catch on something, where they might rub and make your finger sore, or where you could get unwanted contaminants underneath.

By taking good care of your hands, you’ll do a lot more than avoid the discomfort of dry, cracked skin; you’ll also be taking care of your own health and helping to make a good impression with every handshake.