Dry and rough hands can be a result of many factors. Mostly, rough hands are due to lack of proper care of the hands and other environmental factors like temperature and humidity. However, hands can also become dry if the hands come in contact with harsh chemicals. Unsuitable use of cosmetics too can reduce the moisture in your hands. Sometimes, dry hands can also indicate some form of skin disease, which may need proper medical treatment. If your hands suffer from acute dryness and rough skin for a long period, you should consult a dermatologist.
But, most often, a proper hand care routine should ease up the dryness of the skin. You should try a proper moisturizer to prevent drying up of the skin on your hands. Any moisturizer should be fine as long as you use it frequently and generously. Commonly available oils like olive oil and petroleum jelly should be good for this purpose. The key is to not allow the skin to dry up under any circumstances. Therefore, it is also important that while washing your hands you should take care not to use soaps or detergents that contain strong chemicals. As far as possible, use a moisturizing soap to wash your skin, and after every wash apply moisturizing creams so that the moisture is trapped in the skin. To retain the moisture effectively, you can also try the lukewarm water treatment. Keep your dry hands soaked in lukewarm water for a few minutes. Gently wipe out the excess water after you have taken out your hands from water and then immediately apply moisturizing cream. This way the moisture is retained in the skin and the hands start becoming soft. You can also apply some kind of scrub to help exfoliate the dry cells from your skin and let the skin regenerate new cells. To prepare an easy and effective scrub, mix cornmeal with cucumber juice and honey. Apply this paste on your hands and leave it for about 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, wash off your hands properly with lukewarm water and apply a moisturizing cream on the skin. You need to do this 3-4 times a day and continue at least for a week to see any result.
Besides these, you should also ensure that you provide enough protection to your hands. Any time you go outdoors or do any work in the garden or wash something with your hands, you should wear proper gloves to protect the skin.
answered by G M