A model for good hand care

They say the eyes have it. But there's a lot to be said for the hands, too. After a winter filled with blistering cold and blustery winds, it's no surprise that many paws are cracked, chafed and dried out. But they needn't be so.

Dr Rand Werbitt, a Stamford, Connecticut dermatologist, says this year's winter packed an especially hard punch.

"This winter was much worse; people who have never had eczema were coming in with dry, scratchy hands. With the heaters on all the time in the house, it dries you out,'' he says.

"I get people who work outside and people who wash a lot, like doctors and nurses. Young kids and old people are drier, and fair people have it worse than darker people because they have fewer oil glands.''

Simple steps

Werbitt tells his patients to follow some simple steps to keep their hands in shape, from washing them less, with warm – not hot – water, wearing gloves outside, moisturising "until you can't stand it,'' and if need be, keeping a humidifier running indoors.

When it comes to hands, Angie Caraballo is doing something right. The 26-year-old Manhattan native recently won a spot on the roster of Parts Models, the sole modelling agency in the United States that specialises in body parts modelling. The contest, which also featured $1,000 award, was sponsored by Cutex. A second hand model search kicks off next month.

"I've been doing my nails at the same salon for years,'' she says. "The ladies there were always telling me I should become a hand model, and one of them... suggested I enter the contest.''

She did, she won, and admits she then started taking even better care of her hands. "I bought all these moisturising gloves. They look like the kind a mime or a clown might wear,'' she says. "You put the moisturiser on your hands and put the gloves on over them to lock it in. It takes some getting used to. I don't do that every night, but I try to do it every other night.''

A hand model

The demands of a hand model include not doing strenuous chores or handling potent cleaning products. For Caraballo, her day job – working at an after-school programme – brings added risks.

"I work with kids in the afternoon, and they try to hug you with paint on their hands. You have to really watch it,'' she says. "You don't want to get a cracked nail, which I'm battling right now.''

If Caraballo succeeds in breaking into the hand modelling business – she's been on three "go-sees'' for watch and perfume commercials – and she stays with her job at the school, she'll be an anomaly. Danielle Korwin has 75 to 100 men and women working for her at Parts Models. Most are women, but few are new to modelling.

"I'd say 80 to 90 per cent of them do other forms of modelling. They've had experience with acting or working in front of a camera,'' she says.

On call full time

Hand models have to be on call full time. "The jobs come up pretty quickly, and if you have another job that will keep you away, it's not worth it.''

Korwin, a former model herself, started the business in 1986, and gets 50 to 100 submissions from would-be models a week.

"The way I describe it is, I'm looking for hands that are veinless, poreless and flawless. There's the quality of the skin tone, the length of the nail bed, the shape of the hand and the vascularity,'' she says.

Men's hands have different proportions, but they generally have the same criteria. They shouldn't have too much hair. "As far as Angie goes, she just had the right combination,'' she says.

Caraballo admits she now finds herself sizing up strangers by their hands.

"I do it all the time; I almost feel guilty. I just sort of look at them to compare. Just this morning I was looking at everyone on the subway,'' she says.

"A lot of people ask me all the time, 'Can I be a hand model?' I don't really know, I just know they liked mine.''

Tips for perfect hands

Danielle Korwin, owner of Parts Models agency, shares her secrets to maintaining perfect hands:

- Never wash dishes or do housework without wearing rubber gloves.

- Never use your nails to open a letter or open jars; if it's worth getting at, it's worth using the proper implement.

- Get a paraffin wax treatment once a month. This indulgent skin therapy is especially good for people with bad circulation or dry skin. The treatment helps restore suppleness and moisture to hands.

- When removing old polish, use a nourishing nail polish remover to help strengthen and nourish your nails while moisturising and softening cuticles.

- Use cuticle oil overnight to soften and refresh cuticles. During your morning shower, push back softened cuticles with a warm washcloth – do not cut cuticles.

- Always put sunscreen on your hands and nails. Both fingernails and toenails are susceptible to sun damage, including several types of skin cancer. Load up on sun protection and wear polish for added defense. An SPF of 15 or higher is good and will help aid against liver spots and premature aging.

- Moisturise your hands after every washing, but avoid lotions with an excess of mineral oil, which can clog pores.

- Drench your hands with lotion before bed. Slather on a super-rich cream (or petroleum jelly, which works just as well) and sleep wearing thin, white, cotton gloves – your hands will thank you in the morning.

- To prevent infections, never share manicure implements, such as clippers or orange sticks.

- Don't use nail clippers to shorten nails – always file.


© Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service