How to Treat Dry Hands or Excessive Sweating

There are many conditions that can affect your hands. The skin on your hands might produce too much sweat, causing embarrassment or discomfort -- or, on the other end of the spectrum, your hands can also be too dry, resulting in painful, cracked skin. While dry hands is a condition experienced by many in the winter months, excessive hand sweating is a more serious condition known as palmer hyperhidrosis.

Things You'll Need

• Hypoallergenic cream
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Aluminum chloride antiperspirant

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Instructions

Dry Hands

• 1

  Select a hypoallergenic moisturizer that doesn't contain any scents or harsh chemicals that could aggravate the skin on your hands further.

• 2

  Apply the moisturizer to the affected areas about three to four times daily. It helps if you put the cream on right after a shower or bath, because the moisture on your skin will be sealed in with the cream.

• 3

  Avoid bathing too much or submersing your hands in water for an extended period of time, which can dry out the skin. When you do let your hands come in contact with water, make sure the water is lukewarm, and does not contain any harsh chemicals, soaps or cleaners.

• 4

  Wash your hands with a mild oatmeal soap, which can help add moisture to the area.

• 5

  Apply a one percent hydrocortisone steroid cream to the hands to help any itching that occurs as a result of the dry hands.

Excessive Sweating

• 6

  Apply a topical antiperspirant to the area. Antiperspirants that contain aluminum chloride are more effective at treating excess sweating than average products. Apply the antiperspirant directly to the palms to help reduce sweating.

• 7

  Make an appointment with your doctor, so he can prescribe you some medication that will help with the condition. If your hands do not respond to the antiperspirant, you might need to take medicine such as anticholinergic medication or beta-blockers to help reduce the sweating.

• 8

  Talk to your doctor about undergoing the process known as Iontophoresis. This method of treatment sends electrical charges through the palms to help disrupt sweat production.

• 9

  Talk to your doctor about a surgical procedure called thoracic sympathectomy. This medical procedure will turn off the nerve signals that tell the hands to sweat, thus resolving the problem.