If you have been following the widespread advice to frequently wash your hands and apply hand sanitisers, you should also remember to adequately moisturise them. To bust the myth, moisturising does not increase the chances of infection as long as one’s hands are clean. A consistent hand care regime which includes washing and moisturising, is the key to keeping your hands healthy and germ-free.

1 Quick Facts

1. Hand sanitisers contain over 60 percent alcohol which can lead to severely dry skin.
2. Keeping your hands moisturised is important because soaps & sanitisers do not work as effectively on chapped skin.
3. Cracked or bleeding hands are more prone to bacterial and viral infections.

2 What You Should Do

1. While you can pick a soap or sanitiser with emollients, using a moisturising cream or lotion is a must for deep hydration.
2. Creams & lotions work by locking in moisture, so the best time to apply them is immediately after washing your hands.
3. If your hands are visibly dirty, use a moisturising soap and water instead of hand sanitiser.
4. While using soap, do not forget to thoroughly clean the back of your hands, between the fingers, your thumbs and under-nails.
5. Last but not least, avoid sharing your moisturiser with anyone as it can lead to contamination.

Following a healthy & holistic approach to hand hygiene can go a long way in keeping any kind of viral infection at bay. Be safe and stay healthy! 

 Also, Read This: Natural Remedies for Dry Skin