Since the holidays, you've used and abused your hands with all the cooking, cleaning, washing and all that comes with taking care of yourself and the family.

All that hard work on the hands is bound to manifest itself in dry, chapped, rough palms, wrinkly skin and brittle nails.
What we tend to forget is that our hands are constantly on display, even when we talk and gesticulate.

Moreover, age shows faster on the hands as they tend to wrinkle fast, if proper care is not taken.

Hard water, detergents, chemicals as well as allergic reactions can quickly lead to rough, dry and damaged skin, says dermatologist Patricia Dunwell.

So, prevention through daily care is the only answer.
"The skin on the back of the hands is soft and thin; therefore, it is prone to early wrinkling," Teresa Brown, an aesthetician, tells all woman, while explaining that the palm of the hand has no sebaceous glands like most other body parts.
Therefore, it doesn't have any natural lubrication and can become exceedingly dry and rough.

"How susceptible to the damage your hands get is also dependent on your profession," warns Dunwell.
She says that for housewives, or even domestic helpers, they should be careful when using cleaning agents. She says that dipping unprotected hands in water with bleach, and other chemical agents when doing laundry and housework, is a no-no.

"The exposure changes the pH balance of the skin," she says.

Dunwell also suggests that for some people it might be better to acquire a washing machine.

Couriers and other persons who drive, should wear gloves. Gloves protect and offer shade for the hands, which can get damaged easily from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Also, individuals who potter around in their gardens should protect their hands against the elements. "Sunblock is important," she says.

Bartenders, Dunwell says, should get their hands examined for any possible fungus infection that may breed under their nail bed due to occupational hazard.

"It's very important that gloves are worn to do any job where there is any chemical, household or otherwise, and water exposure. Cotton gloves should be worn underneath other gloves containing latex, which is an allergen. Long contact from latex gloves can trigger hand eczema," she advised.
"However, for people with sensitive hands, they can get hypo-allergenic non-latex gloves."

Here are some tips to take better care of your hands.
-After a handwash or any household chore like washing clothes or dishes, massage your hands with a lubricating hand cream or lotion. Dunwell recommends Neutrogena Visible Younger Hand Cream. She says it's loaded with sunblock, up to SPF 20, thereby moisturising as well as protecting. Using lotions and creams that offer sunblock protection, Dunwell says, is just as important as moisturising.
- Every night, before bedtime, use a cream and Vaseline on your hands, massaging for a minute.

- Use a cream, with sunblock, morning and night daily.
"The same way we take care of our face, we should take care of our hands. Therefore, individuals can use a scrub on the hands once weekly, then use a moisturising mask," Dunwell explained.

The fear factor

Feeding the multitude

DANGEROUS PETS