Hand hygiene tips for winter
With coughs and the flu becoming prevalent in winter, it’s even more important to maintain good hand hygiene. The dreaded flu season is upon us, so it’s vital to stay safe and protected. Keep up your usual vigilance, washing and sanitising regularly, but also follow these hand care tips for winter.
Why does our skin dry out in winter?
Despite the newfound awareness around hand hygiene, as we enter the winter months, there will be a new issue to deal with – dry and sore skin.
With the weather getting colder, levels of moisture in the air are reduced. This, combined with the constant washing and use of hand sanitiser on our hands, is inevitably having an impact on our skin.
The British Journal of Nursing has discovered that constant hand washing can remove vital lipids and natural oils which keep our skin supple and soft.
Keeping hands hygienically clean in winter
If the wrong products are used, hands can become dry, cracked and sore, which is uncomfortable and unpleasant and may even put people off using sanitiser completely. For this reason, it’s essential to use products which are effective at killing germs, bacteria and viruses, but are still easy on the hands.
Always look out for products which contain ingredients designed to help soften and soothe the skin, such as Aloe Vera and Glycerine, like our Antibacterial Hand Gel.
Using a moisturiser with hand sanitiser
It may also be necessary to introduce a moisturiser into your daily skincare routine. Moisturiser should be applied regularly, even if there are no visible signs of dry skin yet. Once sanitiser has dried on the hands, apply moisturiser to lock in moisture and help to soothe the skin. Hands that are dry and cracked make it easier for bacteria and germs to enter the body. By using a moisturiser immediately after your hand sanitiser has dried, you will help to heal the dry skin and further prevent exposure to any nasty germs. Don’t leave it too late by waiting until your hands are dry and sore!
Hand hygiene in winter is always tricky, but by following this simple guide, you can ensure your hands stay protected from germs while remaining healthy and nourished.