Renova Doctors Talk How to Keep Hands Warm in Dallas Winter

1
Protect Your Hands from Winter Weather

• Renova Hand and Foot Centers
• February 2014

2
Hot Tips for the Cold Months

• As winter weather continues, many of us suffer
  from dry, cracked hands. Low temperatures and
  high winds can make winter a nightmare for our
  skin, especially on our knuckles and fingers.
  Thats because winter weather actually lowers the
  skins ability to retain moisture by over 25.
  Luckily, the right products and practices can
  keep your hands smooth and comfortable despite
  the biting winds of winter. Weve rounded up
  advice from athletes, dermatologists, and even a
  hand model for keeping your hands happy during
  the coldest months of the year.

3
Sanitize Properly

• While keeping hands sanitized is imperative to
  disease prevention, sometimes the products we use
  to keep our hands germ-free wreak havoc on our
  skin. The high concentration of alcohol in many
  popular hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soap
  can dry out skin quickly. In an article on Every
  Day Health, dermatologist, Dr. Jessica Wu
  recommends swapping out regular soap for
  moisturizing liquid hand soap. Keep moisturizing
  soap with you throughout the day, since the soap
  in public restrooms is often very harsh and
  drying, she says. Also, be sure to apply hand
  lotion after washing your hands or using hand
  sanitizer.

4
Get Great Gloves

• If you spend time running, walking, or playing
  sports outside during the winter, its probably
  taking a toll on your hands. To combat the
  weather, finding the right pair of gloves is key.
  Runners World recently posted an article listing
  glove recommendations for every need. Many
  different brands of ultra-warm gloves can keep
  your fingers toasty. In the event of extreme
  cold, using a wool glove liner, a shell mitten,
  or even just layering the pairs you already own
  can do the trick. You can even get warming packs
  for your mittens to keep your hands extra toasty.

5
Make the Most of Your Moisturizer

• Craig DiFrancia is a hand model who has to keep
  his hands in tip-top shape year-round. Because of
  the demands of his job, hes discovered a myriad
  of ways to protect his skin from biting winter
  weather. My hands have to be a 10 every day, and
  since I do get bad cracked skin in the winter, I
  started experimenting four years ago with
  different preventative methods, he told Details
  Magazine. One of his rituals is to apply a high
  quality lotion before bed and then wear a pair of
  gloves through the night to lock the moisture in.
  He also uses a cuticle oil to keep his nail beds
  from drying out.

6
Hydration and Nutrition

• When the temperature drops, many people stop
  drinking as much water as they consume during
  warmer months. On top of that, many favorite
  winter drinks contain caffeine and chocolate,
  which have a dehydrating effect on the body. To
  stay hydrated, continue to drink plenty of water
  and try swapping out coffee and cocoa with
  un-caffeinated or low-caffeine tea. The foods
  you choose can also help you stay hydrated. Foods
  that contain omega-3 fatty acids, like several
  kinds of fish and nuts, have been shown to help
  keep skin looking and feeling great.

7

• www.renovahandcenters.com