Dry, cracked hands – why does it happen?

There are two reasons why your hands may be vulnerable: eczema and water.

Fissures can occur with both. Fissures are the small cracks you may experience in your skin. They are often small, and deep enough to cause the skin to sting and sometimes bleed or ooze.

The many daily instances your hands come into contact with water is one of the things that dries out the skin the most. Every time you wash your hands under a warm tap, or simply get them wet, your skin will dry out. If you also use any type of soap, the soap will be even more responsible for removing all fats and natural oils from your skin.

A weekend in the garden with wet soil is just as guilty as too much hand washing. But a dry climate can do the exact same thing; just think back to the trip home from the beach. The sand often leaves all skin bone dry.

Skin needs fat to stay supple. As soon as the skin is wet, with or without soap, the fat will bind with water molecules and be washed off or evaporate with the water.

Your dry skin is now significantly more prone to eczema and cracking. Just a simple bending of a finger can cause small cracks to appear, which can be extremely painful.

3 things you should never do if you have dry, cracked hands.
Never wash your hands for a long time.
Never wash in hot water.
Never scratch or pick at dry skin.

3 things you should always remember if you have dry, cracked hands.
Dry your hands thoroughly after washing.
Use hand cream after every hand wash.
Use a rich ointment before going outdoors.

I have extremely dry hands – is there anything I should avoid?
If you have cracked hands with many fissures, you should avoid worsening the situation. If you have eczema, it's important to stop the eczema. If your hands are just dry, you should avoid further drying.

Can dry skin on hands cause itching?
Dryness on the hands can cause irritation and, not least, a small pinching pain, often experienced as itching. Remember a rich cream and ointment, and it will soon be good again.

Should you use oil on dry, cracked hands?
Oils can definitely be used in the fight against dry hands. There are both rich and dry oils; what is meant by dry oils is that they absorb quickly. If you want to use oil, you should therefore find a dry oil.

Should you use cream on dry, cracked hands?
You absolutely should use rich creams and ointments for your dry, cracked hands. Preferably several times a day and especially after every contact with water.

I wear gloves outdoors, and still experience dry hands?
Gloves are a very good idea when you go out in cold weather. The only important thing is that they are not damp or wet. If they are, they will only worsen your situation.

A good idea is to have two pairs of gloves, and preferably ones that can be washed. That way you can always have a dry pair of gloves and you don't have to worry about them getting a bit greasy inside from all the rich ointment or hand cream.

I am pregnant and have very dry hands – which products can I use?
If you are pregnant and get dry hands, you should simply look at the list of ingredients of the products you wish to use. You probably have a list of ingredients you want to avoid, and you should, of course, look for those.

I haven't personally come across any over-the-counter products aimed at dry hands that contain ingredients not recommended for pregnant women by the Danish Health Authority.

Do I have eczema?

Your cracked hands could very well be due to eczema. If it is eczema, then it is probably something you experience often. In the case of contact eczema, contact should, of course, cease, and the eczema will disappear. For atopic skin or childhood eczema, I would very much like to draw your attention to my guide on Atopic Skin.

Should I see a doctor about my cracked hands?
In some cases, the patient is so severely affected that you need the doctor's help. The doctor often treats with hydrocolloid. Hydrocolloid is a moisture-retaining wound dressing used for many different types of wounds. You can buy them over-the-counter.

Other times, the doctor will treat with 2% lapis, but I will not go into that here; the doctor should handle that.

Treatment for cracked hands – these are the products you should use

1. Raz Skincare Ai
Since cracked hands are often also affected by eczema, I would always treat morning and evening with Ai. Wet your hands with Ai and let it dry. Yes, it stings quite a lot. Since not everyone has eczema, Ai is not included in the package and must be purchased separately.

2. Raz Skincare Repair
Morning and evening after Ai, I would take my Repair and add 2-3 drops of Vitamin E to it, and apply this to your hands. You can also use a pair of cotton gloves if you are worried about greasing. The Vitamin E is only for those with very large wounds and fissures, so Vitamin E is not included in this basic package, so it must be purchased separately.

3. Raz Skincare Hand Cream 
A good hand cream after every time your hands feel dry or after every hand wash is essential for your care. The one I have included in the package is a fast-absorbing hand cream that absorbs quickly and

Other treatment

Raz Skincare Lavender Scrub
You can optimize your treatment by removing dead skin cells. This is done gently and effectively with my Lavender Scrub. Wash your hands thoroughly with Lavender Scrub (minimum 5 minutes). Rinse in cold water and pat them dry before further treatment.

When will I see improvements in my cracked hands?

If you follow all my recommendations, you should experience improvement after 2-3 days. In severe cases, it can take up to 14 days for optimal healing.

I have put together the products you must have in a package and given you a good price.

In severe cases – always consult a doctor.

Hugs, Raz