Considering all the challenges your skin faces, from sunlight to cold weather, you don't want to use any product that would dry out your skin.
Enter hand sanitizers. Even before the pandemic, they began sprouting up in healthcare facilities and workplaces where clean hands were crucial. You feel an obligation to use them to protect yourself and others from the transmission of germs and viruses.
Still, considering everything you do to keep your hands moisturized, you must wonder if all the hand sanitizer use is the cause of dryness in your skin.
Do Hand Sanitizers Dry Out Your Skin?
Yes and no. Before we explain why hand sanitizers may or may not dry out your skin, it's important to note that the best way to keep you hands clean and free of germs is by washing with soap and water.
Of course, too much washing with soap and water, or not doing so properly, can dry out your skin too. To minimize the dryness, try the following.
- Wash & Rinse with Cool Water - Hot water can strip away the skin's natural moisturizers. (You should even consider showering in cool water for the same reason!)
- Rinse Thoroughly - Leaving soap on your hands can irritate your skin
- Pat Dry - Rubbing vigorously can also irritate your skin
- Moisturize after Washing - It's the best to to 'lock-in' moisture in your skin.
Finally, The Answer to If Hand Sanitizers Dry Out Your Skin!
If you can't wash with soap and water, using hand sanitizers is your best alternative to minimize bacteria and the transmission of viruses. But some hand sanitizers dry out your skin and some don't.
First, you must use hand sanitizers that is alcohol-based and contains at least 60% alcohol. But, by itself, alcohol dries out your skin. So, to avoid dry skin you must use hand sanitizer that also contains moisturizers to keep your skin supple and smooth.
The PÁMECARE® hand sanitizer formula includes four premium moisturizing ingredients: Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Vitamin E and Castor Oil. These ingredients are so effective you may be tempted to add PÁMECARE® to your regular moisturizing regimen!
If you found this post helpful, check out our recent article "The Importance of Hand Sanitizer in the Workplace".
