NATURAL HAND CARE – THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
It’s not just rock climbers who rely on their hands. Whether you are in the office, workshop or simply making a good first impression – beautiful, helping hands are an asset! It all begins with a sufficient supply of moisture.
The problem is that our hands don’t have many sebaceous glands. Lipids produced by these glands act like cement that holds together the outermost cell layer and prevents moisture from escaping. A lack of lipids means that the thin skin easily becomes dry. Heat in the summer, cold in the winter, and also frequent washing reduces the amount of lipids even further, and dehydrates the skin even more quickly. Once the skin is dry, it becomes rough and brittle; it can easily crack and is weaker in its defense against germs and allergens. This can be counteracted with suitable skin care products for dry hands, containing lipids and moisture to strengthen the natural skin barrier. There are also special products for dry nails, which restore shine, strengthen, and boost resilience.
HAND CARE INCLUDES STRONG MUSCLES AND FLEXIBILITY
As they are the body’s calling card, we make sure that our hands are looking well-maintained. But hand care is more than just cream and a nailbrush! It also involves maintaining strength and flexibility. The increasing number of electrical appliances in households means that it has become rare to use our hands for anything strenuous. As a result, the hands lose their strength and flexibility. This can be counteracted with specific training (e.g., using therapy dough), which not just makes up for one-sided desk work, but also strengthens the muscles in the hands and fingers. And that’s important for everybody, not just rock climbers.
EXERCISES WITH THERAPY DOUGH
Power hold
Squeeze the dough in your fist
Pinching
Pinch out pieces of dough with your fingertips
Scissors
Place the dough between two fingers and press to divide
Squeeze
Squeeze the dough flat with your thumb and fingers
