7 Horrible Mistakes Made When Treating Dry Hands

Wearing moisturizing gloves overnight so your hands have several uninterrupted hours to absorb the oils back into the skin is considered ideal. However, you must use the right kind of moisturizing glove. This isn't the only misconception in dealing with this skin care issue. Let's take a look at the horrible mistakes people make when treating dry hands.

7 Biggest Mistakes Treating Dry Hands

1. Wearing the same gloves to moisturize every night. Many people with very dry, chapped, or cracked hands will lather on a moisturizer that contains some form of vegetable oil, possibly even Vitamin C, and pull on cotton gloves. In the morning, the hands feel so much better and the damp gloves are laid aside to be used again. Toss those gloves after one wear! The oil or Vitamin C in the cream begins to spoil as soon as it is exposed to air. Pulling on the same gloves again exposes your skin to rancid oil. This makes your skin age faster. You need a disposable glove. Disposable nitrile gloves are recommended.
2. Using disposable latex (or non-latex) gloves. This may increase your risk of developing a serious skin allergy. While these are an inexpensive option, they are another big mistake.
3. Not properly applying skin care products. Use layering, in the proper order, of products meant to rehydrate dry skin. First, cleanse. Next, apply a moisturizing serum. Last, top with a cream designed to restore essential oils and fats to the skin.
4. Buying a skincare product with alcohol as the main ingredient. Alcohol steals moisture from the skin, which leads to more dry skin.
5. Over moisturizing. Use a gentle exfoliant to open clogged pores from over-moisturizing. This will remove skin build up. Do this three times a week between cleansing and moisturizing. gLOVE Treat warm paraffin treatment is a moisturizer and exfoliant and a great option for dry hands or feet. 
6. Using the wrong kind of moisturizer. Cut through all the products available quickly by looking for emollients and humectants. These keep the skin dry and hydrated. Emollients are ingredients such as lanolin, jojoba oil, isopropyl palmitate, propylene glycol linoleate, squalene, and glycerol stearate.  Humectants include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, sorbitol, propylene glycerol, urea, and lactic acid.
7. Not seeking medical care. If dry skin is on other parts of your body, not just your hands, this could mean a more serious health condition. Red, flaky, scaly skin needs to be treated by a physician.