Ever since the Coronavirus outbreak has forced us to lead our lives
in quarantine, confined to our homes, there’s no denying that there is
no end to washing hands. And, rightly so because according to World
Health Origination’s (WHO) guidelines, washing hands can save lives! But
it can be quite overwhelming. Whether it’s cleaning or dusting at home,
to touching surfaces and doorknobs or objects, one has to keep washing
and scrubbing hands with soap and water continually, and also sanitise
them using an alcohol-based sanitiser, several times a day for maximum
protection against the virus.
But this comes at a cost where our hands often end up bearing the
brunt of the vigorous sanitising activity and feel rough and chapped,
and in some cases, harsh chemicals can even trigger skin peeling, rashes
and hives. Both these methods can be harsh on the skin of the hands,
and lead to extreme dryness and flaking. So, it's essential to take some
time out to care for your hands.
The skin on the back of the hands is thin and lacks oil glands. That
is why the hands are prone to wrinkles and lines. The nails also become
dry and brittle, breaking or chipping easily. So along with protecting
ourselves from the new disease, we also need to protect our hands.
Bath time is appropriate for pampering the hands and supplying them
with the oil and moisturising they need. Before your bath, apply warmed
oil on the hands and massage it into the skin. This helps to soften the
skin. You can use coconut oil, which is very nourishing. Or use pure
almond oil. Immediately, after your bath, apply a moisturising lotion or
cream, while the skin is still damp. This helps to seal in moisture.
Twice a week, have a pre-bath treatment by mixing ground almonds with
curd and a pinch of turmeric. Apply on hands. After 15 minutes, rub the
paste gently on the skin and wash it off with water. At night, massage
cream on your hands, working it into the skin.
You can also try some home remedies to keep the skin soft and smooth:
With inputs from Shahnaz Husain
Photos: pixabay and pexelsEdited by Ainee Nizami
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
For dryness of the hands, warm some milk and soak your hands in it for ten minutes.
A luxury treatment for hands: Take four teaspoon almond oil and mix
one tablespoon rose water. Add half-teaspoon tincture benzoin, drop by
drop. Mix. Apply this on the hands. Wear loose cotton socks on the hands
and leave on the preparation all night. Rinse off with plain water the
next morning.
Lemon juice and sugar rubbed together with the hands help to soften the skin.
Take two tablespoons sunflower oil, two tablespoons lemon juice and
three tablespoons coarse sugar. Mix till it becomes a paste. Apply and
rub into hands. Wash off after 15 minutes. Do this thrice a week.
Take fresh orange peels, pierce them with a fork. Rub the peels on the hands to brighten them.
Choker (wheat bran) and besan (gram flour) can be mixed with
turmeric and milk into a paste and applied on the hands. Wash off after
20 minutes. This softens, cleanses and tightens the skin.
Mix almond oil and honey in equal parts and massage into the nails and cuticles.
For dry nails, warm any vegetable oil and soak fingers in it for ten minutes. Wipe off with a moist towel.
A few almonds, eaten daily make the nails strong. Include whole
grains, yoghurt, leafy green vegetables, sprouts and fruits in your
diet.
One-teaspoon Brewer’s yeast added to one glass of fresh fruit juice also keeps the nails and skin in good condition
No comments:
Post a Comment