Try these top tips for taking care of the skin on your fingers
You use them every day, but do you give them the care they need? Like your face, your hands are more visible than any other part of your body. And they’re constantly in motion: typing on a computer keyboard, taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning up the latest mess—the list goes on. In 2025, we washed and sanitized our hands frequently to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The result of poor hand care? “If you want to know someone’s age, don’t look at their face; look at their hands,” says board-certified dermatologist Diane S. Burson, MD, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College. When that’s affected by frequent wetting and lack of water, Dr. Burson says, irritants, allergens, and even infections can penetrate our skin. This can cause rashes, hives, and other problems. “Excessively dry skin can form cracks, some of which can go deeper and cause further infection,” she adds. Follow these four dermatologist-recommended tips to give your hands the care they want, deserve, and need:
Carry hand lotion and hand sanitizer
Up until now, you’ve been using hand sanitizer every time you touch public surfaces and washing your hands when you get home. While it’s good to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations, it can put a lot of stress on your hands. In fact, Dr. Berson says that too much cleaning and scrubbing can cause the same winter symptoms, like dryness or irritation.
“Antibiotics tend to dry out skin even more, while antibacterial gels that contain alcohol strip our skin of its natural moisturizing oils,” she explains. They can also cause acne, itching, and eczema. Also, use a moisturizer every time you use an antiseptic or wash. This will help repair damage and smooth skin. Applying moisturizer after washing your hands will not compromise your hand-washing efforts. Continue washing your hands, even if your hands are dry from constant hand-washing, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Protect your hands from heat transfer
As the temperature increases, the temperature in the room increases. This causes the air inside and outside your home to be drier than other seasons, causing your hands to become cracked, red, itchy, and sometimes flaky. This can be uncomfortable for anyone, especially those with skin conditions like eczema. To protect your hands, Dr. Bosson recommends buying unscented, fragrance-free, or lotion-free. Look for products that contain lipids (like ceramides), humectants (like glycerin and hyaluronic acid), and occlusive agents (like mineral oil or petrolatum). These superstar ingredients combine to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized, even on the coldest days of the year. Use a squeeze bottle product, as these are more effective than a bottle lotion.
“Moisturizer needs to be applied more frequently (in cold weather), especially after you wet your hands,” Dr. Berson continues. Apply moisturizer after you shower or wash your hands while your skin is still wet or feels dry.
Wear sunscreen
It seems obvious, but we often forget that the sun’s UV rays don’t know where they’re hitting, and skin can suffer. If you don’t protect your hands from these harmful rays, you can develop discoloration (called freckles or age spots), roughness, wrinkles and dryness, Dr. Berson says. The hands are also prone to areas called actinic keratosis (AK), which can develop into squamous cell carcinoma, a second type of skin cancer.
To prevent early signs of aging and protect your health, it’s recommended that you wear sunscreen on all exposed areas of skin, including your hands, every day, every year, and when you’re out and about. “Some types of sunscreen are designed for the body, not the face, and most come in easy-to-apply creams. But the most important thing is to make sure your sunscreen is broad-spectrum, waterproof, has an SPF of at least 30, and is applied evenly before going out in the sun.
Celebrities take care of your hands at night
When it comes to personal care, which includes a nice dress and a drink in the evening, add hand hygiene steps to your routine. Dr. Bosson recommends soaking your hands in warm water or milk before applying cream or lotion to lock in moisture. Then, put on cotton gloves. Turn on the humidifier before you get in and let the steam work its magic overnight. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll wake up with good hands, ready to take on whatever day (or 2025) awaits you.