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Handwashing (and moisturizing) in the age of COVID-19
As COVID-19 began to sweep the country in early 2020, people who never thought too much about proper handwashing suddenly became much more diligent. Here's how to do the job right and also keep the skin on your hands from drying out.
How to wash
Use soap and lukewarm water (turn off the water while you're soaping) and clean for 20 seconds. Be sure to include the backs of your hands and the areas between your fingers and around your nails. Many experts recommend singing the song "Happy Birthday" twice to be sure you're washing for long enough. Rinse.
When to wash
Reach for the soap as soon as you come home from being outside and especially after shopping; after using the bathroom; after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose; before preparing food and before eating; and after touching pets.
How to moisturize
Pat your hands dry and rub on a pea-sized amount of a thick hand cream, salve, or ointment such as Cetaphil or CeraVe while your hands are still slightly moist. Products that come in a tube or jar tend to be more therapeutic than thinner lotions that you pump out of a bottle. Avoid moisturizers that contain fragrances or dyes; they can irritate dry skin. Also apply hand cream after you use hand sanitizer, which can be drying. If the skin on your hands is very dry or cracking, lubricate the skin while you sleep: apply petrolatum or a thick moisturizer like Neutrogena Norwegian Hand Formula before bed and slip on a pair of cloth gloves.
Image: okugawa/Getty Images
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How is metastatic prostate cancer detected and treated in men over 70?
Could biofeedback help your migraines?
Plantar warts: Options for treating this common foot condition
Cancer survivorship: What comes next after treatment
Nutritional yeast: Does this savory, vegan seasoning pack a nutritional punch?
Salmonella is sneaky: Watch out
Two jobs may lower the odds of dying from Alzheimer's disease — but why?
Mastitis: What to do when your breasts are painfully inflamed
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
UTI in older women: Why postmenopausal women are susceptible to urinary tract infection, and what to do about it
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