Tips to Keep Your Skin Healthy While Washing Your Hands Often

Expert advice from WHO.

- Himshikha Shukla

With the COVID-19 outbreak, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are encouraging everyone to wash their hands frequently.

Whether it be the rapidly escalating corona pandemic or just any given winter, handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the transmission of infections.

Unfortunately, the very soaps and even wringing of hands underwater will also break down the barrier we are trying to protect.

As we diligently wash hands more frequently than usual, skin experts share tips that can help keep your skin healthy.

WASH WITH WARM WATER

Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. About the time it takes to sing 'Happy Birthday' twice, making sure to cover palms, backs of hands, fingers, in between fingers, wrists, and fingernails.

Lukewarm water is best rather than hot. Very hot will eventually dry things out and doesn't improve efficacy. Skin specialists agreed, noting that hot water strips your hands of any natural oils that it needs to stay waterproof. So if you can, use lukewarm water with plenty of soap.