Interesting FACTS How to keep Hands Healthy?

Your hands are on the go as much as you are. From opening a jar to pecking away at your text messages, they're working for you. Show them you appreciate the hard work by giving them the care they need. Read on to learn how.

You expect your hands to perform for you on demand. There aren’t many daily activities that don’t involve them. Even hands-free headsets are designed not to give your hands a rest but to free them to do something else while you talk on the phone.

On top of all this work, you want them to look their prettiest. After your face, they’re the part of your body people notice most. Here are some hand-care tips to help repay them for their hard work and keep them looking as young as you do.

Grab your gloves

 Indoors, practice good hand care by wearing gloves whenever your hands will be exposed to a lot of water or chemicals (as with heavy cleaning). Outdoors, the cold winter air can quickly drain the moisture from your hands. Pull on a pair of mittens or gloves when the chill sets in. The same kind of care goes for gardening — protect your hands from whatever you might dig up!

Block the sun

Your hands are easily overlooked when it comes to sunscreen — on all but the coldest days they are likely exposed to the sun’s rays. Get in the habit of good hand care by putting sunscreen on them the same way you protect your face. Stash a travel-size tube of sunscreen in your purse for the times you find your hands unexpectedly exposed. If you find yourself forgetting the sunscreen, choose a moisturizer for your hands with an SPF of 15 or more.
Age spots or liver spots — brown spots that appear as you age  might make your hands look older than you are. They’re caused by sun exposure, so prevent them with you guessed it sunscreen. If you already have liver spots, you can lighten them with products that bleach the skin.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating is as important to your hand care as it is to your face. The skin on the back of your hands is very thin and doesn’t have much fat underneath. As you age, the small amount of fat that’s there decreases, which is why your veins and bones become more prominent and your skin can appear loose as you age.
Exfoliating won’t bring the fat back, but it can help keep your skin fresh and glowing.
Use your facial defoliant on your thin-skinned hands instead of the scrub you use on your body.

Moisturize

 For hand care, lotion is crucial — washing your hands frequently (which you should do, to keep germs at bay) dries out your skin.
 A light, water-based, fast-absorbing lotion is a good choice for daytime use.

 For night you might prefer a heavier oil-based cream that can soak in while you sleep, leaving your hands soft and hydrated in the morning. If your work is hard on your hands or you’re tackling a lot of housework, start and end your day with a heavy hand cream for extra protection.

Massage

When you treat your hands well, your whole outlook can improve. Give yourself a quick hand massage when you apply lotion. Start with the fleshy part of your hand near the base of the thumb, then work each finger from base to tip.
Give your hands a little extra attention and hand care and they’ll draw the type of attention you want, with their young, fresh, pretty appearance.

Nail care
 
Gently push your cuticles back following a shower or bath. You may do this with a towel while drying them, or use an orange stick with a little cotton wool wrapped around the end. Be gentle or you will damage them. Never cut your cuticles - leave this to an expert with a regular professional manicure.

Dry your hands and nails thoroughly before attempting to file your nails or you may damage them. To keep your nails at their strongest, file in one direction rather than using a 'sawing' back and forth action, which will make them weaker and more prone to breakage.Avoid acetone- and formaldehyde-based nail varnish removers and stick with acetate-based removers instead, which are gentler on the nail.
When painting your nails use a base coat to avoid staining or weakening the nail .

 Diet  

Make sure you include plenty of Biotin (a B vitamin), calcium and zinc in your diet. Biotin can be found in foods such as eggs and dried fruit and will strengthen your nails and keep them looking healthy. Calcium is possibly the most important supplement for women over 30: it keeps your bones and of course, your nails strong.

Courtesy: Dastak Health