Love Your Hands

Love Your HandsIt is important to remember all of the things that your hands do for you in the course of a day. When you are taking care of the rest of your body, try to remember to take care of your hands too. They need the same love as the rest of your body does.

The hands are some of the first body parts to show aging, due to the fact that they are the most exposed body part. Hands deal with a number of things including harsh temperatures, being dunked in hot water and harsh chemicals, spending long hours unprotected in the sunshine, using tools or sharp knives. The following tips are just a few ways that you can take good care of your hands:

  • Remember to apply an SPF lotion or sunscreen to your hands the same way you would to any other part of your body. The sun’s rays can cause skin damage and lead to the development of sunspots and signs of aging.
  • Many people are tempted to forego wearing dish gloves or cleaning gloves, however, this can be very hard on your hands. In order to properly clean an area, it requires the use of harsh chemicals and hot water, which can cause a breakdown of the protective layers of the skin, leading to skin irritations, drying, and redness.
  • As we mentioned before, it also a good idea to protect our hands from the elements just as you would for other body parts. You wouldn’t want to walk through the snow without any boots on, so don’t play in the snow without gloves either.
  • Protect your hands when you are using tools or sharp knives as best as you can. When working with these, it is easy to cut or injure your hands, which can cause damage to nerves, tendons, muscles, or bones. Any type of injury such as this can cause problems right then as well as later on in life because injuries raise hand problems and pain.
    • When using machinery, make sure the equipment is turned off before you put your hands near it.
    • If you have to use knives a lot, try to implement proper cutting techniques; you can also purchase gloves that protect your hands from cuts.

Our hands are easily overlooked, but if you remember to take care of them throughout your life, you will be rewarded later when you aren’t suffering from arthritis or another type of hand pain.

To see a detailed list of other Common Types of Hand Pain, (Click Here)
For details about How to Prevent Hand Pain, (Click Here)

 

Image courtesy of Maxim Lachmann from freeimages.com