Hands

You may have noticed the skin on your palms differs from that on the back of your hand. Rich in epidermal lipids, as well as connective tissue, the palms are especially thick, whereas the back of the hands have relatively thin skin because they lack fatty tissue. Since palms do not have hair, they lack lipid-providing moisture binding sebum. You can get sweaty palms because the sweat glands in this area have a higher density than in any other region of the body. This does not make up for the lack of natural moisturising factors and lack of protecting lipids.

On the palms, there are some 400 sweat glands per square centimetre compared to roughly 100-200 in the other skin areas. Therefore moist hands commonly occur when the body is under the sort of physical and psychological stress that causes increased sweat flow.

The fatty tissue of the subcutis normally provides an energy store for the body. However, in the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the buttocks, its main role is as a shock absorption system.

Frequent washing, exposure to alkaline and acidic substances, contact with solvents, UV-exposure, heat, cold and mechanical strain put hands under stress. The daily demands placed on hands means they dry out rapidly when strained.

If the skin on the hands is unable to properly regenerate due to stress factors, the barrier function is reduced and can potentially lead to a greater occurrence of contact dermatitis. Keeping hands well-moisturised can improve the barrier function.

Why don't palms tan?
Palms and the undersides of fingers maintain a pink colored sheen because they do not contain melanocytes, the pigment-forming cells. Palms and fingers also have especially prominent ridges, which are responsible for individual unique finger prints.

15-35% of workers suffer from hand dermatitis. It affects mainly young, mostly female workers who are employed or trained in an occupation that typically puts a strain on the hands, such as hairdressing or medical staff.