Cracked hands

Cracked and dry hands are a common problem, especially at low temperatures when the skin is stressed by cold and dry heating air. The skin becomes brittle and flaky, and frequent hand washing or contact with chemicals further aggravates these symptoms. It should be noted that chapped hands are not only a cosmetic problem, but also a health risk.

By damaging the skin’s natural acid mantle, the skin is less protected against environmental influences and becomes more susceptible to inflammation and allergies. For this reason chapped hands are to be taken seriously and should be treated with appropriate care. Protective measures such as wearing gloves when in contact with cleaning agents or other chemicals should be observed to alleviate or even prevent skin problems.

In some cases, chapped and rough hands can be a symptom of a skin disease, allergy or diseases such as diabetes mellitus. In these cases, the cause of the problems should be found out and the underlying disease should be treated accordingly. Various causes can lead to a loss of function of the so-called acid mantle of the skin.

This is usually produced by sebaceous glands, which are located all over the skin, and is composed of a special water-fat mixture that keeps moisture inside the skin and protects it from damaging external influences. A lack of fat and moisture leads to a loss of function of this protective barrier of the skin. Then the hands become cracked and dry.

Structure and function of the skin

The skin is the largest organ of the human organism and fulfils a multitude of functions. These include vital functions such as protecting the body from pathogens, cold or heat and from drying out. Sensory sensations such as the perception of pain, touch, vibration, temperature or tactile sensation are also perceived through the skin.

On the hands and especially on the fingertips, the perception of these sensations is particularly well developed, and these sensations are disturbed by cracked hands and damage to the skin. Also the water and heat balance (e.g. sweating at elevated body temperature) is regulated by the skin. In order to be able to fulfill all these functions, the skin is composed of three layers of tissue.

On the outside is the epidermis, followed by the dermis and the subcutis. The uppermost skin layer consists mainly of horny cells, the so-called keratinocytes, which form a protective layer against the loss of moisture and pathogens. The dermis is much thicker and more robust, containing nerves, skin glands, blood and lymph vessels and many pressure receptors for the sense of touch. The subcutis consists mainly of fatty tissue, which acts as an energy store and protection against cold.