Burns, scrapes, dryness, sun exposure – your hands go through a lot over the course of a lifetime. Although we use our hands constantly throughout the day and frequently touch our food and faces with our fingertips, it’s frighteningly common for people to neglect hand health. Not only is it important to care for your hands to keep them soft and safe from the sun, but also unhealthy hands can spread germs and disease around communities. Whether you’re young or old, sick or well, a city dweller or a countryman, paying attention to your hand health is an important step in your lifelong wellness.
Promoting Hand Health
Step One: Proper Hand Washing
We’ve said it once and we’ll happily say it again: Proper hand washing is one of the most important ways to stay healthy, especially when traveling and during cold and flu season. Frankly, any time you’re around a large number of people or using items touched by large volumes of people (grocery carts, playground equipment, bathroom faucets, gym equipment, money, etc.), you’re exposing yourself to germs and should wash your hands promptly afterward. With every touch, you accumulate more germs on your hands – and you spread your own germs to other surfaces, where they might transfer to other people.
Although you can’t eliminate every single germ from your hands, you can limit the spread of bacteria through proper hand washing. Remember to always wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet, changing a diaper, blowing your nose, handling garbage, or touching frequently used surfaces.
Just running your hands under the water isn’t good enough – make sure to practice proper hand washing technique:
- Wet your hands with warm running water – the hotter, the better.
- Apply disinfectant soap to your cupped hand and lather vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Scrub all surfaces of your hands including your wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
- Rinse your hands, then dry them with a clean towel. From there, use the towel to turn off the faucet so you don’t pick up more germs.
Step Two: Regular Hand Care
Hand health can get neglected over time, but it’s crucial to keep your hands in good shape. If your hands get severely dry and cracked, it can create an entry point for all kinds of nasty germs. Even if you live in a dry, cold climate, dry hands don’t have to be inevitable. Use these tips to keep your hands soft and smooth:
- Moisturize: Moisturize your hands with a hand cream or natural oil like coconut oil. This will strengthen your skin tissue, promote tissue repair, and keep your hands healthy and supple.
- Exfoliate: Exfoliating your hands is a good way to slough off dead skin, helping moisturizing agents absorb more effectively. Make a homemade hand scrub from brown sugar mixed with hand oils, then wash it off to condition your skin.
- Choose alcohol-free hand sanitizer: Hand sanitizer is a great way to stay germ-free on the go, but traditional hand sanitizers can dry out your hands. Choose an alcohol-free option like our American-made Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizers, which contain emollients to keep your hands feeling soft and moisturized.
Step Three: Ongoing Best Practices
Already practicing regular hand washing and hand maintenance? Fantastic! Keep these healthy best practices in mind to ensure your hands continue looking and feeling their best:
- Wear gloves when handling harmful cleaning chemicals, sharp objects, and heavy-duty tools.
- Carry wipes to wipe down public surfaces like airplane armrests and grocery carts.
- Make sure to apply sunscreen (at least 30 SPF) to the backs of your hands to prevent premature aging.
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Our hands go through a lot. Fortunately, it’s easy to practice good hand health – especially when you find a quality alcohol-free hand sanitizer.
The SafeSpace Company is a family-owned small business proudly selling American-made Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizers to keep you safe and healthy. To keep germs at bay year-round, stock up on germ-fighting essentials like the original SafeSpace® Disinfectant & Deodorizing Germ Fogger (since 2005). You might also be interested in our Germ Fighter Kit, which includes our Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer, Germ Fogger, and Auto Disinfecting & Deodorizing Mist to keep all surfaces germ-free. For more information about SafeSpace, contact us online or call us toll-free at 1-800-735-2506.
Copyright SafeSpace Company 2019
