Chapped hands can be a big problem, especially in winter and cold, but there are home remedies that can treat skin, helping to keep it moisturized and preventing further cracks and cuts.
Some of us have dry, chapped skin in winter. We seem to have this problem only in winter. The reason, the climate is drier in winter than in summer. There isn’t as much moisture to help keep our skin moist, and washing, constant scrubbing with gloves, and even drying hands can cause skin to crack.
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Home remedies for cold chapped skin
Cracked and itchy skin can be painful and embarrassing. It often appears on the hands, feet, and lips, but can also creep up to the knees and elbows. Here are some home remedies to help you treat chapped and dry skin on your hands.
1. Potatoes
It may sound fun, but potatoes can be used to keep the skin moist during the long winter months. To do this, cut one or two small potatoes. Then put them in olive oil for about twenty minutes. After they have been saturated with olive oil, put them on your dry, chapped hands. It should be left in the hands for at least twenty minutes, then wash the hands.
2. Olive oil
This method is easy to use: pour olive oil on your hands and rub it into dry skin. You can use olive oil on any part of the body that has become dry and cracked from the winter. If you don’t have olive oil available at home, you can use coconut oil or avocado oil. Both coconut and avocado oil work just as well as olive oil, but you should use whatever is most convenient and cost-effective for you. Many have been using olive oil for years to keep their skin glowing and healthy during the long winters.
3. Baking soda
There are many uses for this home remedy. People use baking soda to clean everything from clothing to teeth. Now you can use baking soda to wash your dishes. This is because baking soda is less harsh on the skin than ordinary liquid dish soap. Many have started using baking soda instead of dish soap and their hands are less dry all year long. Still, others may have dry, cracked skin all over. If so, you may need to add baking soda to the bathroom. Using baking soda in the tub will have similar effects to washing dishes with it on your hands.
4. Just water
Many of us have heard of how well water works in our bodies, both inside and out. During the winter months, there is much less humidity in our homes. The oven reduces the humidity even more. So, what can we do to increase the humidity in our homes during those long winter months? A humidifier will work. However, if you don’t have one, a DIY humidifier can be as simple as placing a pot of water on the stove. You must make sure that the water does not evaporate. As the water begins to boil, it will add moisture to the air. Our bodies need this moisture to stay hydrated.
5. Honey for hand wounds caused by cold
Honey can be applied to the wound with very good results. The most widely used to heal injuries is manuka honey, which is produced in Australia and comes from the flower of the manuka tree. It is highly valued for its antibacterial properties and is approved by the authorities to treat wounds.
6. Oatmeal bath
Soak your hands in a bowl treated with raw oatmeal and warm olive oil. It is advisable to leave them soaked in the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, while the deep moisturizer works on your chapped skin.