Caring your hand skin

The skin on the back of hands is fine and soft with both sebaceous and sweats gland openings, while the skin on the palm is coarser and tougher and is one of the driest parts of the body because, unlike most other areas, it has no sebaceous glands. It does, however, have numerous sweat glands which are often triggered off by a nervous or emotional reaction hence the description clammy or sweaty palms and the same is true of the soles of the feet.

Hand and wrist have great mobility from twenty eight beautifully balanced bones. There are twenty six bones in each foot; their strength, combined with a mass of ligaments and muscles, bears the brunt of the body weight and makes the human vertical position possible. The big toe is vital to this strength and balance as is the ball of the foot and the arch which absorbs most of the weight.

A hand can show age more quickly than any other area and, whereas surgical lifts are possible almost anywhere else, so far they have not proved successful on hands so maintenance through care is essential. Hands that are frequently immersed in water and exposed to detergents and shampoos will dry out first. Wear rubber gloves whenever possible, always dry thoroughly and always use a hand cream afterwards. Don't neglect feet either massage them with a good hand or body cream, paying special attention to heels and toes. Pay a regular visit to a chiropodist who will attend to patches of dry skin, corns and check for infections like athlete's foot and veruccas. This is an investment that will pay dividends by avoiding problem feet.

Manicures and pedicures are more a cosmetic treatment designed to beautify the nails, but they also keep the nail and cuticle area healthy and strong. Professional treatments are best, but you can learn to be very professional yourself and maintain finger and toe nails between visits. Circulation in both hands and feet is vital to their health and mobility. Here are some exercises designed to make hands more flexible and graceful, to strengthen feet and to improve circulation. Hand and Finger Exercises

1. Clench the fist tightly, hold a second, throw open the fingers as wide and stretched as possible. Exercise both hands simultaneously. Repeat six times.

2. Put hands straight in front of you, palms down, fingers pressed tightly against each other. Spring fingers apart as wide as possible. Repeat six times.

3. With limp, relaxed hands rotate them from the wrist in circles, first clockwise, then anti clockwise. Turn ten circles in each direction with each hand.

4. Holding hands palms down, lift up slowly from the wrist, then lower, keeping the hands relaxed but not limp. Repeat ten times.

Useful Tips

A mask (the kind you use for your face) will cleanse, tone and moisturize your hands too.

A lemon will cleanse skin and bleach discolored areas around nails. The lemon juice tends to dry the skin, so rinse off, dry and finish with a good massage of hand cream. Warm olive oil is useful as a special treatment for hands, especially in winter when they are inclined to be chapped and dry. Soak them in it for about half an hour.

Cotton gloves should be worn at night whenever you can. Put them on over a layer of hand cream or petroleum jelly.

Gloves should be worn much of the time; heavy duty ones for gardening, rubber for washing activities and leather, silk or wool outside when it's cold, wet or snowing. Even in summer leather or cotton will prevent hands drying.

Step by Step Manicure

1. File sides of the nails very gently; the ideal shape is a rounded one with straight sides. Keeping sides straight helps nails resist splitting and cracking.

2. Massage cuticle cream into nail bed and fingers and soak cuticles in warm water for a minute or two.

3. Push back cuticle with orange stick wrapped in cotton wool, then with pumice stone dipped in cuticle remover (lotion). 4. Clip cuticle where necessary.

5. Apply base coat under nail tip as well as on top of whole nail. Then wrap nail in paper nail tissue painted before wrapping with nail mender. It goes right round and under nail tip.

6. Prod nails tissue into place to exact shape of nail with orange stick.

7. Paint on another complete base coat over top of nail and tissue to seal in wrapping.

8. Apply an extra base coat as a top sealer which prevents polish cracking or splitting. Apply nail polish under nail tip and on top. Repeat once.