Beating The Winter Hand Blues

We are concerned about the impact of changing seasons on our health as we approach the end of the year with the excitement of Christmas and New Year celebrations. With the change of seasons, people of all ages, from children to adolescents, are exposed to a variety of diseases; as a result, as we enter the winter months, we must take a few precautions to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

When it comes to the winter-hand blues, children are particularly vulnerable; however, anyone can be affected by this health problem that occurs during the winter months. Kids are likely to soil their hands more often as they participate in school activities such as gardening, sports, etc., and they wash their hands more frequently following school hygiene activities, resulting in dryness that causes irritation, dermatitis, rashes, and other problems. With schools reopening, it becomes crucial for the parents to take care of their kids.  

What Happens in Winters?  

Why do the winter hand blues bother us? A ubiquitous question but with a more in-depth answer. When the weather changes, many conditions change as well; in a nutshell, winters are not skin-friendly. You may now inquire as to why this is so. Following are some of the most important reasons for what happens during the winter that causes Winter Hand Blues.  

➢Less Light  

Because there is less sunlight and we rely more on artificial light, Vitamin D deficiency can lead to skin problems such as Eczema, which is one of the reasons why we get the winter hand blues.  

➢Dryness  

Because dryness causes issues like itching, someone with dry skin is more prone to Winter Hand Blues. The stratum corneum, our skin’s top layer, becomes unable to hold more moisture in the winter. 

➢Frequent Washing  

Schools are open, so students will wash their hands every hour, perhaps as part of a faculty-led activity or to learn hygiene habits. Repetitive exposure to water, soap, and harsh chemical-based skincare products may develop dry hands, contributing to the Winter Hand Blues.  

➢Artificial Heat 

We depend upon heaters and blowers, whether at home or in a car, but artificial heaters dry out the air, and our skin starts lacking moisture.   

➢Harming Your Skin  

We never intend to harm our skin, but we have some bad habits that are unfortunately not skin-friendly and harm our skin directly or indirectly. For example, rubbing the skin too hard with a towel, not using a skin-friendly hand sanitizer, and so on are all bad habits.  

➢Eczema  

You might experience winter hand blues if you have any kind of Eczema, no matter how severe it is. 

What Is the Best Solution?  

If you ask experts, they will give you a list of suggestions; some may even recommend medication, but always look for the best solution. One of the most common recommendations is to use a gentle hand sanitizer for sensitive skin; So, how do you choose the best hand sanitizer for sensitive skin among the plethora of self-proclaimed best organic hand sanitizers in the market?  

➢HOCl: Safe & Effective  

Instead of focusing on self-proclaimed products and their marketing strategies, you should investigate the science behind natural hand sanitizers. The best sanitizer for sensitive skin is HOCl (Hypochlorous acid) based sanitizer. Knowing the history and applications of HOCL-based sanitizer will give you peace of mind about its safety. 

Why HOCl?  

What is the significance of HOCl? Is it possible to cure all of the problems associated with winter hand blues with HOCl? The reasons why HOCl is the best and safest for all generations, including children, are listed below.  

➢Can’t Trust on Soaps

We really can’t trust soaps, as they make our skin drier; remember those white scratch lines we used to get on our arms😅? All of them were caused by the soaps we use, which contain harsh detergents, so a HOCl-based sanitizer kills germs without drying out our skin like some soaps do. 

➢Harsh Chemicals in Cosmetics  

You can’t depend on cosmetics such as moisturizers, lotions, etc. Because they too have harsh chemicals.   

➢Alcohol-based Sanitizers  

Alcohol-based sanitizers can cause rashes, dermatitis, and other skin problems. Talking about the antiseptic properties, Alcohol is always at the top, but it takes out moisture causing dry skin; So, you must avoid alcohol-based sanitizers and choose a HOCl-based alcohol-free hand sanitizer for sensitive skin. 

➢No Access to Warm Water  

Washing hands with warm water can be a good solution, but getting warm water is not possible throughout the day, so how would you manage it? Washing hands with cold water (I am shivering 😨 as I think of cold water 😫), can be a trouble in winters, but making your hands germ-free is also essential so that HOCl-based sanitizer can help you a lot.   

In conclusion, we have to consider two aspects; first, we need to keep our hands germ-free, and second is to avoid frequent washing with harsh detergent-containing soaps; But you may ask, how is it possible to do both simultaneously? HOCl comes into the picture here, killing two birds with one stone, protecting everyone from winter hand blues. 

Pankaj Rai