“If chapped skin persists, maybe it’s not chapped skin,” says Paul Lazar, M.D. Look for these signs that indicate your hands are more than chapped:

• Itchy skin
• Swollen or inflamed skin
• Weeping, oozing blisters
• Silver scales (a sign of psoriasis)

Irritant contact dermatitis, a rash that occurs from overexposure to chemicals, detergents, and other irritants, may be to blame for your “chapped” skin. An allergy to substances ranging from poison ivy to nickel in costume jewelry can also cause a rash. In addition, intense scratching can lead to a bacterial infection that will require a prescription antibiotic to clear up. If you suspect your hands are more than chapped, see your doctor.

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It’s thick and heavy and “gunky,” says Albert M. Kligman, M.D., Ph.D., but it may be the most effective (and probably the cheapest) product on the market when it comes to treating dry, chapped skin.

Until recently, most doctors believed that petrolatum’s healing properties came solely from its “occlusiveness.” In other words, it seals in the skin’s moisture, preventing evaporation. They figured that the petrolatum, unlike other moisturizing products, merely sat on the top layer of the skin.

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Here’s what the experts recommend for protecting and repairing dry, chapped hands.

Wear gloves or mittens outside. Your mother probably used to tell you this each time you made a move to the door in winter. Well, she was right again. Keep your hands covered to protect them from cold, windy, dry weather.

Dress your hands for work. Wear vinyl gloves “as much as practical” when you’re washing dishes, scrubbing the tub, or otherwise exposing your hands to chemicals and cleansers, says Lazar.

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