Chapped hands can be painful, especially when the skin starts to crack and bleed. Fortunately, there’s a simple, effective remedy that can help heal and protect their delicate skin. Here’s how you can treat chapped hands using a combination of hydrocortisone and urea.
Why Hands Get Chapped
Chapped hands occur when the skin loses moisture, causing it to become dry and cracked. Frequent hand washing and exposure to cold, dry air strip away natural oils, making the problem worse. The key to healing chapped hands is to remove the damaged outer layers and deeply hydrate the skin.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Hydrocortisone Ointment (1%):
- Reduces inflammation and helps the skin retain moisture.
- Urea Cream (20%):
- Exfoliates the dead, keratinized skin and hydrates the new, healthy skin underneath.
How to Prepare the Mixture
- Combine the Ingredients:
- In a small container, mix 30 grams of hydrocortisone ointment with an equal amount of urea cream (20%). This ensures that the hydrocortisone reduces inflammation while the urea exfoliates and hydrates.
- Stir Until Smooth:
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly to create a thick, but not greasy, cream. The hydrocortisone ointment will make the cream more manageable and less greasy, which is perfect for kids who might be tactile and sensitive to textures.
How to Apply the Mixture
- Clean the Hands:
- Start by gently washing the hands with a mild, fragrance-free soap. Pat dry with a soft towel.
- Apply the Cream:
- Apply a generous amount of the mixture to the chapped areas of the hands. Massage it in gently until fully absorbed.
- Frequency:
- For best results, apply the cream 2-3 times a day. Make sure to apply it before bedtime to allow the cream to work overnight.
Benefits of This Treatment
- Reduces Inflammation: Hydrocortisone helps to calm the irritated skin, reducing redness and swelling.
- Exfoliates and Hydrates: Urea gently removes the dead skin cells while hydrating the new skin, speeding up the healing process.
- Child-Friendly: The mixture is thick enough to stay on the skin but not greasy, making it comfortable for children who are sensitive to textures.
Additional Tips
- Protect from the Elements: Make sure your child wears gloves when going outside in cold weather to protect their hands from further damage.
- Moisturize Regularly: Keep up with regular applications of the cream to maintain hydration and prevent the hands from becoming chapped again.
- Use Gentle Soaps: Opt for mild, fragrance-free soaps to avoid further irritating the skin.
Chapped hands can be painful and uncomfortable, especially for children. By using a simple mixture of hydrocortisone ointment and urea cream, you can effectively treat and heal your child’s chapped hands. This combination reduces inflammation, exfoliates dead skin, and provides deep hydration, helping the skin to heal faster.
Try this remedy at home and see how quickly your child’s hands improve. It’s a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution to keep their hands soft, smooth, and healthy.
