How often do you wash your hands while cooking, and how do you treat dry chapped hands?

I wash my hands a lot while cooking and tonight I was thinking that maybe there is a system cooks employ to try to avoid overwashing? Maybe you use your left hand for touching the raw chicken and your right hand for NOT touching it, or some such logic. ? I use neutrogena hand cream and wonder if anyone recommends other brands? Thanks!

Sadassa_Ulna
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11 Comments

sdebrango January 16, 2012
I am gong to have to try Hempz, never heard of it but it sounds great. I hate when there is that filmy residue on the hands and products are overly scented. The one time my hands felt so soft and hydrated was after a manicure and they did a parafin treatment. That was really nice.
 
drbabs January 16, 2012
I was my hands constantly, too, and use Cetaphil lotion.
 
SKK January 16, 2012
I share the view that one cannot wash hands enough in the kitchen. And wipe the counter often. Cross contamination is an issue. When working in restaurants gloves are always provided, and at home they are expensive and cumbersome. Love Hempz and coconut butter. The skin is our largest organ so always stay away from anything petroleum based. Pharmacy grade sesame oil is always great. Best prices are on amazon.com.
 
ATG117 January 16, 2012
I am also an obsessive hand washer, especially when cooking. One of the things that makes me most crazy is cooks that aren't clean. And I definitely suffer from dry hands. I'm a fan of Eucerin-- not the ultra-thick version. This is a just thin enough formulation, bottle has a green cap. I also use a cetaphil moisturizer, which I am a fan of. I need to try coconut oil and ths Hempz sounds great.
 
RobertaJ January 16, 2012
I am semi-OCD about washing, at least rinsing my hands, in the kitchen. I always worry that if my hands are greasy or slimy from somthing, I'll loose control of the knife, and I'm clumsy enough without that added handicap ! I always wash with soap after handling raw protein....and rinse, as I said, everytime my hands feel gunky. I also have a tendency towards eczema, so my hands can get really trashed.

When I'm done in the kitchen for the day, I use a lotion called "Hempz" (yes, its made from the hemp plant. No, it has no THC in it....). It's the best lotion I have ever found. It sinks in immediately, and I literally can feel my skin absorbing it. There's no greasy residue, and the fragrance is very light and pleasant, not cloying sweet. Unfortunately, you can only find it at beauty supply stores and salons, and it's pretty pricey, but I won't use anything else.
 
cranberry January 16, 2012
I also just rub olive oil onto my hands while cooking. But they are crazy chapped in spite of that. I wash hands a lot, all day as I have young children and nothing stays clean for very long! Once I leave the kitchen, I use a very nice shea butter cream from Common Sense Farm that I love.
 
ubs2007 January 15, 2012
I wash my hands after preparing an item (e.g., peeling an onion) that sticks or leaves residue on my hands. I also use surgical gloves when preparing raw meat or fish. My hands become extremely dry esp in the winter so I use straight ghee, coconut oil or olive oil on my hands (enough to moisten without looking like I will become the next roast) - it works wonders! Hope it works for you!
 
sdebrango January 15, 2012
I am going to try the coconut oil, that sounds great!
 
creamtea January 16, 2012
If I'm cooking, I'll also use a little olive oil, or if I have them, walnut or apricot oil on my hands, esp. if I'm kneading dough, because I don't want hand-cream scents getting in. I use Aveno after a bath or cutemol before bed. Cutemol is very rich. In the kitchen I have Nubian Heritage hand creams (I don't like animal-based glycerin products in the kitchen, just a personal thing). I might use Alba un-petroleum jelly on especially dry spots. I use Playtex gloves as much as I can in the kitchen, even sometimes for emptying the dishwasher and definitely for cleaning chickens.

I also like the coconut oil idea.
 
sdebrango January 15, 2012
I'm kind of obsessive about washing my hands, I cook so much my hands are really dry. I use surgical gloves, (don't laugh) when I touch raw meat especially poultry. I am petrified of contamination if I have a cut or something on my hands. I use Regeneration Extreme Repair for Dry and damaged skin its specifically for hands. I got it as a sample in my soap.com order and really like it. I also use Clarins hand cream but only after I shower because its scented. I keep the Extreme Repair in the bath near my kitchen so its always on hand.
 
allans January 15, 2012
I wash my hands after contact with raw meat, or if something is sticky.
I never/rarely use lotion. Really, not ever. I may have only once last year. I believe that the more you use it, the more you need/depend on it and my hands are rarely dry or chapped. Usually they become worse by late Feb/early March and at that point I will use something like a solid Bee Bar. It absorbs into the skin and isn't greasy. It's typically American made and no weird ingredients. Its sold by a company called Honey House and can be found online.
 
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