Hand disinfection becomes our multiple daily routine in the COVID-time – in offices, schools, shopping malls, restaurants, clinics, hospitals, among other venues. A quick survey shows that after COVID outbreak the average frequency of hand-washing per individual increased from 6-10 times a day (normally after toilet break) to 10-20 times. And in case of hand washing or sanitizing outside bathrooms, alcoholic-based hand disinfection liquid or alcoholic wipes are mostly used.
Even in normal days dermatologists see lots of case of hand dermatitis (skin irritations or inflammation) caused by excessive hand washing. As now hand disinfection becomes a must more than an option, it is not surprising to know that more people experienced hand dermatitis since the pandemic outbreak.
The general causes of hand dermatitis
- Excess hand washing
- Use of skin-abrasing hand scrubs
- Use of hand washs or soaps with skin-irritating ingredients
- Fungal or bacterial infections
- Lack of hand care (e.g. with handcream) to restore the lipid layer of skin
Symptoms of hand dermatitis
If you notice your hand turns dry and with the following symptoms, it is an early sign of developement of dermtitis.
- Very dry, rough or flaky skin
- Itching
- Cracks on skin with pain
- Red or raw skin
Keeping your hands clean and nice – tips from Casida
Hygiene and hand care are not contradicting ideas. Here are our advices to keep your hands clean and nice:
- If long exposure to soiled objects unclean surfaces and irritants (e.g. contact with foodstuffs, dirty dishes or clothings, chemicals) is necessary, wear handgloves as physical protection to direct contact of dirt and skin-irritants (hence avoiding frequent hand-washing);
- 100% pure ethanol should not be used for hand disinfection as it irritates skin. According to the WHO-recipe, disinfectants with 70-80% ethanol content is enough to kill virus and bacteria;
- Disinfect contact surfaces (e.g. shopping cart in supermarket) with alcohol wipes/ pads instead of hand disinfection with hand rubs or soaps;
- Choose hand disinfectants or hand soaps with moisturising content, e.g. glycerin, tocopherol, coconut oil, for additional skin care;
- Treat all implications ASAP to avoid further development of symptoms;
- Keep the time of washing hands to 20-30 seconds;
- Apply moisturising and nourishing skincare products, such as Aloe Vera Gel Skin and Hair , Vitamin E Oil Tocopherol , or Coconut oil skin and hair from Casida to restore the moisture level of skin.
Hier schreibt:
Alexander Helm
Alexander Helm is a licensed pharmacist (Martin-Luther University) and the founder of Casida. His vision is to combine pharmaceutical know-how and natural remedy into natural health products, and leverage the power of nature to improve human health.
