Dry Hands: 10 Remedies, Causes, And More - Healthline

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How to Heal and Prevent Dry Hands

Medically reviewed by Bukky Aremu, APRN — Written by Chaunie Brusie — Updated on May 20, 2025

Remedies
Prevention
Causes
Professional help
The bottom line

Moisturizing your hands can often reduce dryness and protect them from irritants. You may need medication if the cause is an underlying condition like eczema.

While seemingly a minor condition, dry hands can be very irritating.

In most cases, dry hands are caused by environmental conditions. Weather, for example, can cause dry hands. Frequent handwashing, exposure to chemicals, and certain medical conditions can also dry out the skin on your hands.

That said, there are several ways to keep your thirsty skin hydrated, no matter the cause. Learn more about remedies for dryness, ways to prevent it, and what’s causing it in the first place.

10 remedies for dry hands

To treat dry hands, try some of the following remedies:

1. Moisturize

Apply a quality moisturizing cream or lotion several times per day. Lotions and creams help restore moisture and seal it back into the skin.

2. Wear gloves

Consider wearing gloves if your hands are frequently immersed in water, such as while washing dishes. Gloves help prevent the water from stripping your skin of its natural oils.

3. Decrease stress

If you have eczema, you may be surprised to learn that stress can make your symptoms worse. So if your symptoms are flaring, take some time for self-care to reduce stress.

4. Consider medication

If you have severe eczema, medications may be necessary to allow your skin a chance to heal. Your doctor might prescribe steroids you can apply to your skin or even an antibiotic you would take by mouth.

5. Ask your doctor about UV light therapy

In some cases of severe psoriasis, ultraviolet (UV) therapy can help the skin heal. However, you should talk with your doctor before trying any UV therapy.

6. Treat them overnight

One of the best remedies for dry hands is to slather them at night with lotion or a petroleum-based moisturizer such as Vaseline. Afterward, cover your hands with a pair of soft gloves or socks.

Trapping the moisturizer will help it absorb more fully into your skin, and you’ll wake up with baby-smooth hands.

7. Ask about a prescription cream

Your doctor may recommend a special lotion containing lactic acid or urea for very dry and scaly skin. These ingredients help get rid of dry and scaly skin.

8. Apply hydrocortisone cream

In some cases, dry skin can worsen into a condition called dermatitis, where the skin becomes inflamed and red. In these cases, a lotion containing hydrocortisone may be the most helpful. Hydrocortisone can help soothe irritated skin.

9. Use a wet dressing

Skin that has cracked from dryness will need to be treated before it can fully heal. Your doctor may recommend a wet dressing as your skin heals.

10. Apply a heavy-duty moisturizer

For deep moisturizing, pick up a moisturizer that was originally intended for animals. Yes, really! Products such as Bag Balm, designed to help heal the tough cracks of a cow’s udders, can penetrate the skin to help keep it moisturized.

How do you get rid of dry hands?

If your dry hands are being caused by your work conditions, consider carrying a small bottle of lotion around with you so you can reapply moisturizer throughout the day. Look for moisturizers containing ingredients such as:

glycerin
jojoba oil
shea butter
aloe vera

If you work in a place that requires frequent handwashing, such as a hospital or restaurant, speak with your manager about installing lotion pumps on the walls. If they already exist, make good use of them.

You should also avoid excessive heat, such as from hand dryers. Like cold conditions, heat can further dry out the skin.

What causes dryness in the hands?

Weather

During colder months, it’s common for your skin to become dry. Climate changes, especially cold weather without a lot of moisture in the air, can cause hands to dry out. Decreased moisture in the air draws moisture from the skin.

Workplace conditions

Workplace conditions can also cause dry hands. People with jobs that require extensive handwashing, such as nurses, doctors, or teachers, may notice dry hands. Factory workers or hairdressers may be routinely exposed to chemicals or other harsh irritants. These can lead to dry hands, as well.

Medical conditions

Some medical conditions may also lead to dry hands or put a person at risk of getting dry hands more frequently.

For example, people with autoimmune disorders, such as diabetes or lupus, may have lowered blood circulation to the hands. This causes their hands to get irritated more easily. Eczema and psoriasis, two conditions that cause skin inflammation, can also cause dry hands, skin peeling, and cracking.

When should you seek help?

If your dry hands are caused by eczema or another skin condition, you may develop complications such as infection or deformed fingernails.

Certain symptoms may indicate a severe problem. These include:

skin discoloration
bleeding
extreme redness or color changes in the skin
drainage from opened areas of skin
swelling

If your dry hands don’t improve with home treatments or if you have any of the above symptoms, you should seek help from a medical professional.

»MORE:Get an online treatment plan for eczema in as little as 15 minutes with Optum Now Online Care.

Optum Now is operated by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

The bottom line

In most cases, dry hands are a usual part of life. They can usually be treated easily with moisturizer. If your dry hands don’t improve with home remedies or if you show any other symptoms, such as bleeding or infection, seek medical attention.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bin Saif GA, et al. (2018). Association of psychological stress with skin symptoms among medical students.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5885122/
Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin. (n.d.).https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
Dry skin: Who gets and causes. (n.d.).https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/dry-skin-causes
Is that eczema or an infection on my child's skin? (n.d.).https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/eczema/childhood/health-concerns/infection
Wet wrap therapy. (2025).https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/wet-wrap-therapy/
Prescription phototherapy. (2025).https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/phototherapy/

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Medically reviewed by Bukky Aremu, APRN — Written by Chaunie Brusie — Updated on May 20, 2025

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10 remedies for dry hands

1. Moisturize

2. Wear gloves

3. Decrease stress

4. Consider medication

5. Ask your doctor about UV light therapy

6. Treat them overnight

7. Ask about a prescription cream

8. Apply hydrocortisone cream

9. Use a wet dressing

10. Apply a heavy-duty moisturizer

How do you get rid of dry hands?

What causes dryness in the hands?

Weather

Workplace conditions

Medical conditions

When should you seek help?

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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