Why moisturizer is more important than you realize for preventing COVID-19

A lot of things have changed in the era of COVID-19…

Our ability to spend time with our friends and family has changed. The availability of toilet paper has changed. Our ability to eat at our favorite restaurant has changed. And for most of us, the skin on our hands has changed.

Washing your hands frequently and using hand sanitizer when you aren’t near a sink are the best actions you can take to protect yourself from COVID-19. But man, does that lead to seriously dry hands. And dry hands are uncomfortable. They feel tight, painful and itchy. Plus, they’re not that pleasant to look at.

But beyond the discomfort and aesthetic considerations, dry skin leads to a much bigger problem… it puts you more at risk for getting COVID-19.

3 reasons dry hands raise your risk for COVID-19

There are a few reasons dry, cracked hands put you more at risk for COVID-19, as well as other viruses and bacteria…

First, experts say soaps and disinfectants don’t work as well on dry, cracked skin. Period. That reason alone is motivation enough to moisturize more often. But it’s not the only reason…

When your hands are dry and cracked, your skin barrier is broken. Broken skin leaves you susceptible to germs and bacteria. Hypothetically, the coronavirus could enter your system that way (any microbe could) … although, it’s much more likely to enter through your respiratory system.

Now, there’s one more reason dry, cracked hands could increase your risk of COVID-19. And this one’s psychological…

If your hands are dry and cracked, you don’t want to wash them… even when you know you should. The thought of running your poor, aching hands through another round of soap and water is just too much to bear. And washing your hands less frequently could put you at risk of catching COVID-19.

Luckily, there’s a simple solution to this problem — moisturizer.

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A lot of conventional hand soaps dry your hands out. With Truly Free Aloe Hand Soap, your hands will be moisturized and germ-free!

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Add moisturizer to your COVID-19 prevention plan ASAP

In a time like the one we’re living in where handwashing frequency has ramped up significantly, you’ll want to moisturize your hands at least a few times a day… maybe even every time you wash your hands, depending on how dry they are.

You’ll also want to use a thick, heavy-duty moisturizer that delivers serious moisture. You don’t need anything expensive. You can even buy something from the drugstore. Just make sure whatever you buy doesn’t contain alcohol. That will dry your skin out more. If you have coconut oil around the house, you can even use that.

Related: Beware the ingredients that age your skin

You’ll also want to have your own personal bottle of moisturizer to avoid spreading germs between family members. And make sure your hands are clean when getting moisturizer out of the pump. That will prevent germs from ending up on the plastic.

So, here’s your new COVID-19 prevention ritual — wash, dry, moisturize, repeat as needed. Hope this advice helps keep you safe and healthy.

Source:

1. Don’t just wash your hands to prevent coronavirus. Moisturize them, too— Washington Post.