Remember the basics of looking after your skin

In the Guardian, the columnist John Crace wrote “hand washing has become by favourite occupation. I do it so frequently and so assiduously that I have developed red patches where the skin has dried out and flaked”.  

It might seem trivial to talk about caring for the skin on your hands during the coronavirus pandemic but with all of the additional hand washing and sanitising, nursing staff and the general public are doing, it’s more important than ever to take measures to prevent hand dermatitis. 

Frequent contact or immersion in water and hand washing more than 20 times a day is a recognised risk factor for hand dermatitis. Wearing gloves for long periods can also impact on the integrity of the skin. I’m not for one second suggesting using fewer gloves in the current situation but we need to be mindful of the impact.  

Redness and dryness is one thing but we know that this can sometimes lead to cracks appearing on the surface of the hands which can present an infection risk and lead to nursing staff being taken away from clinical roles for the hands to heal - the last thing we need.

Alongside the proper hand washing technique, including wetting the hands before applying soap, and drying properly, one of the most effective measures to take is moisturising the skin as much as possible.  

In the workplace, under health and safety legislation, employers have a duty to take steps to prevent work related dermatitis and should have a plentiful supply of hand cream containing emollients for nursing staff to use.  This includes staff working in the community.

At home, the message is the same – moisturise your hands as much as possible, wear domestic type gloves for washing the dishes or for contact with cleaning fluids at home.  Wear gloves outside if the weather is cold, as cold weather can affect the integrity of the skin.

Pass the messages onto your colleagues,  family members and friends.

We’ve developed a range of resources to help you look after your skin and protect yourself from work-related hand dermatitis throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Head to our skin health clinical web page to see our full list of materials.