Still social distancing? Staying home to save lives? If you are not, and not considered an essential worker… well, DO IT NOW. But that’s another topic. Right now, so many of us are staying home. When we do go out, we are using our hand sanitizer, washing our hands, avoiding touching our face, cleaning everything, etc. Maybe your hands have gotten red and raw from the extra washings and cleanings. Here’s why it’s important to take care of your skin and how.
Experience
First, and most importantly, I am not a doctor or a nurse. I have not medical training whatsoever.
I do, however, have way too much experience with red and raw skin and how to treat it.
Tasha has suffered from eczema from infancy. Unfortunately, it took us many years to realize the root of her eczema is both autoimmune and due to over 200 allergies.
The vast majority of Tasha’s allergies are “chemical.” Now, before anyone starts ranting that chemicals are bad and need to be avoided at all costs know this, WATER and AIR are chemicals!
Many of her chemical allergies are from manufactured chemicals but equally as many are from completely natural and even organic chemicals. For example, she is allergic to lavender and chamomile. Two very popular ingredients in natural, organic and even prescription eczema treatment products.
And yes, she is allergic to the purest essential oils of these as well. Unfortunately, we know this first hand. I’ve had essential oil “experts” try to argue that it isn’t possible to be allergic to essential oils… trust me, it is.
Doctors that are not her allergist have prescribed and recommended products that “she shouldn’t be allergic to” have landed us in the hospital.
Working with Tasha’s allergist we have countless methods, medicines, products, lifestyle changes, etc. We’ve even created some of our own home remedies that have been helpful.
The advice I’m sharing in this post is not taking any allergies into consideration. If you have allergies or sensitivities you need to make your own accommodations, I won’t be answering any questions regarding anything specific like that.
Any products I recommend will include affiliate links, this is to make it easier for you to find at no additional cost. Affiliate links are one way I cover the costs of this blog. I will only recommend products I have experience with, but again, take your own needs into consideration.
Red, Raw Skin
I was inspired to write this post based on seeing a few friends on Facebook post how red and raw their skin has gotten with excess washing of hands during this time.
Three friends in as many days posted pictures of their skin because of the bleach they are using to clean with. As far as I can tell from their posts and the comment threads, NONE of them are diluting the bleach.
PLEASE DON’T USE BLEACH AT FULL STRENGTH WITHOUT PROTECTING YOURSELF!!!!
Clorox recommends these common diluting instructions.
With increased use of hand sanitizer, hand washing, and cleaning of anything and everything, your hands might be red and raw. And, if they aren’t now, they might reach painful irritation levels soon.
There are several things you can do to help this.
Hand Wash and Moisturize
If your hands are feeling dry and a little sore, start keeping hand lotion by every bottle of hand soap. Every time you wash your hands, pat them dry, do not rub. Then apply hand lotion.
If you are carrying a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you, also carry a small bottle of hand lotion.
Hand sanitizer is at least 60% alcohol and alcohol will dry your skin out. Every time you apply hand sanitizer let your hands dry 100%. Then, apply a bit of hand lotion. Be sure to let the hand sanitzer dry completely.
If you are rockin’ what you’ve got during this time, something we find helpful in our house is to consolidate and redistribute products.
Over the years, we have acquired a large collection of hand and body lotion we hoped would help Tasha. Sometimes her reaction wouldn’t be immediate. We would think a product worked and then stock up on more… only to find over time that she would later react.
Our linen closet now has bins labeled for Tasha only, Other bins are labeled with soaps, body washes and lotions. Those, everyone else in the family can use.
By every sink, we have a bottle of soap and a separate bottle of lotion. In an attempt to not have the bathrooms look cluttered I now refill nicer bottles. Also having my fair share of broken glass bottles in bathrooms, I use PBA-free plastic bottles. Occasionally I have to replace the pumps, but they are easy to find replacements for.
Blue is the main accent color in my new master bathroom so I will be decanting products into these pretty blue bottles.
For my purse, car, or other times we want to have these products on hand we do one of two things. First, use up the hotel and sample-sized versions of hand lotion. Second, refill silicone travel bottles.
Tasha can’t use the hand soap in any public restroom or even at friend’s homes. She carries bottles of what she can use in her purse and backpack, decanted from larger bottles.
Finally, if your hands are drying out from the excess hand washing, use gloves when washing dishes or cleaning at home. I don’t feel these need to be anything more than household cleaning gloves.
Dry, Cracking or Red and Irritated
If your hands or skin is already beyond just dry please treat your skin before it gets any worse!
Using bleach without gloves plus all the excess washing may have left your skin red, raw, and painful. You most likely have damaged the lipid barrier of your skin. Putting moisturizer on might even burn and you probably won’t see much of an improvement.
Without the lipid barrier your skin can break and bleed. Painful but also now exposed to infections.
Tasha’s skin has gotten this bad on several occasions. Sometimes leading to staph infections! Here is what you can do, I find it best to have someone help you. Tasha cannot do this herself because keeping the skin clean is important.
Soak soft, clean fabric (thin towel, strips of an old t-shirt) in warm water. While the cloth soaks, wash your skin in warm water with a mild cleanser.
Next, pat the skin dry with a clean towel. It’s very important not to rub the skin.
Slather the skin with an oil like coconut, olive, or avocado oil. Coconut oil is our favorite. Be sure to do this within 3 minutes of cleaning and patting the skin dry.
While you’re applying oil, have someone ring the cloth to remove as much excess water as possible.
Apply the best moisturizing cream you have available over the oil. Wrap the skin in the warm damp fabric. Now, wrap with either dry fabric, gloves (if treating your hands) or even plastic wrap.
This combination will help your skin to lock in moisture instead of washing it away.
We’ve entered a new era and super hand washing isn’t going to be going away any time soon. Take care of your hands and skin now before it gets any worse.
Want to save this for later? Pin this guide to taking care of your over washed skin to your favorite Pinterest board
