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You already know that keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to keep yourself and others around you healthy.

Plain old handwashing with soap and water is most effective at fighting germs, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes. When youre on the go, hand sanitizer made with at least 60 percent alcohol is a good stand-in.

Hand sanitizer remains important because it helps remove germs from your hands, so that they do not end up on your face, explains Jeffrey Cohen, MD, board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. These products can help reduce your risk of the common cold and in combination with vaccines COVID-19 and the flu, Dr. Cohen adds.

But if you regularly use hand sanitizer, you know that this hygiene product comes with an unpleasant side effect: dry, cracked skin. Thats why many people follow their hand sanitizer with a moisturizer. Now, though, thanks to a host of new products in drugstores, you may be able to take this hygiene routine from two steps to one, or at least use less moisturizer after sanitizing your hands.

RELATED: 10 Surprising Causes of Dry Skin

The alcohol in hand sanitizers can have a drying effect on the skin, says Joshua Zeichner, MD, associate professor of dermatology and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. With overuse, hand sanitizers can disrupt the skin barrier. For those witheczema and others with sensitive skin, the skin barrier is already compromised, increasing inflammation and causing or worsening symptoms including dryness, redness, flakiness, and irritation, notes the National Eczema Association. Therefore, using hand sanitizers without moisturizing the skin afterward can worsen symptoms of eczema on the hands.

RELATED: Alcohol in Skin Care: Is It Ever Okay?

The latest generation of hand sanitizers are truly a hybrid between skin care and disinfectants, Dr. Zeichner says. They contain the same types of hydrating ingredients found in traditional hand moisturizers, to protect the skin barrier from the ingredients that are necessary to kill microorganisms that spread infections.

While its less likely youll develop dryness and irritation when using moisturizing hand sanitizers, I still recommend exercising caution and using traditional hand moisturizers, he adds.

RELATED: The Top 10 Tips for Healthy Winter Skin

To pick a product that cleans and restores moisture to the skin, turn your attention to the ingredients list and follow these expert tips.

I always look for ethyl alcohol, which is more effective than isopropyl alcohol at killing microorganisms, says Karan Lal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hillsborough, New Jersey. While sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60 and 95 percent are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or a non-alcohol-based hand sanitizer, per theCDC, sticking to a sanitizer on the lower end of the scale is better for your skin. I would avoid very high concentrations (more than 85 percent) of alcohol because they are more drying, Dr. Lal says. All you need is 60 percent ethyl alcohol.

Separately, be wary of potentially hidden methanol content in certain sanitizers. In July 2020,the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted on its website that some products imported from Mexico were found to be contaminated with the ingredient, which was mislabeled as ethanol. Methanol is toxic, and its absorption can have serious health consequences including blindness and death, Lal says. The FDA urges consumers to pay attention to the ingredients labels on such products, and to avoid using any products specifically known to contain methanol, which the agency lists on its website.

If you have sensitive skin, consider a non-alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Benzalkonium chloride is one option, as its an antiseptic agent that has been found to deactivate COVID-19. Nonetheless, it doesnt kill as many infectious microorganisms as alcohol, Lal says. A study published in February 2021 in The Journal of Hospital Infectionfound that benzalkonium chloride deactivates COVID-19 on both hands and surfaces. Researchers noted several advantages of using it over alcohol for hand disinfection, including that it is less irritating to skin and nonflammable. They also pointed out that healthcare workers may be more likely to engage in better hand hygiene practices with benzalkonium chloride hand sanitizer because it has fewer side effects than alcohol-based sanitizers.

In terms of inactive ingredients, Lal looks for squalene, glycerin, and coconut oil all of which help attract water and maintain moisture, he says. Nazanin Saedi, MD, department co-chair of the Laser and Aesthetics Surgery Center at Dermatology Associates of Plymouth Meeting in Pennsylvania, agrees, noting that glycerin is the main ingredient she looks for in moisturizing hand sanitizers.

This tip is key for people with eczema and anyone managing sensitive skin, as fragrance can be irritating, says Dr. Saedi. It goes back to that compromised skin barrier that Zeichner mentioned earlier. Fragrances can be irritants, Saedi says, and with the compromised barrier, you can be prone to exacerbating eczema.

RELATED:The Skin-Care Glossary Every Woman Needs

Lal recommends this hand sanitizer because it boasts 70 percent ethyl alcohol, plus hydrating squalane and vegan glycerine. Its also fragrance-free, making it a great option for those with eczema or sensitive skin.

Buy it.

Another favorite of Lals, this hand sanitizer from baby brand Pipette is hypoallergenic and contains 65 percent ethyl alcohol. The fragrance-free hand sanitizer also boasts sugarcane-derived squalane for hydration.

Buy it.

This product is made with 61 percent naturally derived ethyl alcohol, in addition to moisturizers and emollients such as glycerin, butylene glycol, dimethicone, and glycine soja (soybean) oil. Both Lal and Zeichner are fans.

Buy it.

Both Saedi and Zeichner recommend this non-alcohol-based disinfectant. This hand sanitizer uses FDA-cleared benzalkonium chloride to keep the hands disinfected, but helps keep the skin hydrated and protected with glycerin and tapioca starch, forming a breathable seal over the skin, explains Zeichner.

Buy it.

RELATED: Should You DIY Hand Sanitizer? Experts Weigh In

See more here:
Do Hand Sanitizer Lotions Actually Work? - Everyday Health

The list of cures for eczema seems to now include milk baths, although there is still some debate on their suitability for the purpose. Essentially, a milk bath involves the addition of milk to the bathwater, per Healthline. Scientifically, uncertainty shrouds the efficacy of this particular cure, even though some studies have been made which suggest that milk baths can indeed help with skin ailments like eczema, as well as psoriasis (via Healthline.)

But even where milk baths have been successful, they have been found to be more suited to infants than adults. Infants suffer eczema at a mind-boggling rate; 20% of them are said to go through its discomfort, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.

While milk baths remain generally unproven as a cure for eczema in infants, their use for curing the condition in adults seem even more unconvincing. So it may be wise to speak with your doctor or dermatologist first before attempting this procedure.

Cures that have generally been used, and continued to be recommended as cure for eczema, include apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and honey, among others, per Medical News Today.

Link:
Can Milk Baths Be Used To Treat Eczema? - The List

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Investigating genetically mimicked effects of statins via HMGCR inhibition on immune-related diseases in men and women using Mendelian randomization |...

Dr Manuraj Singh highlighted the risks associated with cranking up the central heating, layering up in woolly jumpers, and enjoying a steamy hot shower twice a day. "Showering once a day is enough for most people. Two showers is over the top," Dr Singh said. "Obviously if you get dirty or become particularly sweaty you should wash this off, but in general I advise sticking to once a day for most adults."

Another drying component is central heating, which "takes moisture away from the skin".

"People with pre-existing dry skin and inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema, may find [their conditions] get worse during the winter," said Dr Singh.

"We also tend to go outside less during colder months so we dont get as many UV rays, which are naturally anti-inflammatory."

Dr Singh added: "Obviously, we dont want too many UV rays because they damage your DNA over a period of time which can lead to premature ageing and skin cancer.

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"But sensible exposure to sunshine while wearing appropriate clothing and sun cream is okay."

Aside from spending some time outdoors while the sun is shining, Dr Singh advises to invest only in "good quality cotton".

Dr Singh elaborated: "Woolly jumpers can certainly irritate the skin so good quality cotton is always better.

"Wool can induce hives and cause itchy bumps, called contact urticaria."

If, however, you are suffering from itchy skin and it's not related to the clothes you wear, further investigation is warranted.

"It could be a sign of an internal problem," warned Dr Singh.

One common skin complaint in winter, aside from dry skin, is the development of chilblains.

Chilblains often appear a few hours after spending time outside in the cold, the NHS explained.

Dr Singh added: "These red skin lesions can be painful and itchy, but usually clear up on their own."

You can usually spot them on the fingers, toes, face, and legs.

"If they dont go away they will need to be investigated," said Dr Singh.

To help guard skin against winter temperatures, Dr Singh's advice is to "regularly moisturise".

Dr Manuraj Singh works on behalf of MyHealthcare Clinic, a doctor-led private healthcare business.

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Central heating, showering too much, and woolly jumpers could be bad for you, doctor warns - Daily Express