Hand Care for Potters…
Split nails, cracked sore skin, achy joints, a permanent pale coating of dust that emphasises every crease and line, sound familiar?…these are classic signs of a potters’ hands…
Being a full time potter for over seven years has taken it’s toll…
Continuously having my hands in water and in contact with an absorbent material like clay (in all it’s forms) has taken it’s toll on my hands. And it’s not just the clay which is the culprit. Constant touching of packing materials; cardboard boxes, eco peanuts, tissue paper, all have a massive drying affect on my skin. Not to mention cardboard cuts and the deadly metal kidney - they’re the worst! And then there’s the cleaning!! Need I go on?
My hands get so sore during peak making season (September- December) that after coming in from a full day in my studio I cant stand to get them wet (again) and will toddler stamp-cry at the thought of needing to do washing up or even washing them before dinner…
(I know I could just wear marigolds for the washing up but they’re so sore that even pulling on rubber gloves is unpleasant.) I also have a vertical split in my right thumb nail which I’ve been told by a nail technician will likely always remain. This is from constantly being wet and my thumb nail rubbing against the wheel head. It only comes in contact with the wheel for a split second or so but after making literally 1000s of pots that wear has caused permanent damage to my nail bed. Now I occasionally will have shellac or acrylic on that one nail to hold it together whilst the a split grows out. Take it from me folks, we need to take care of our hands.
As potters our hands are our biggest asset. We need to take care of them as a priority. I’ve put together some handy (pun very much intended😉) tips to help you keep your hard working paws in tip top condition and feeling good…**This blog contains affiliate links which means I may get a few pence from anything you buy from the links - this doesn’t mean you’ll pay any more. I only share products I use myself or fully believe in. Feel free to buy them else where.
Rest & Breaks
Pottery is physical. It is so freakin’ important to have breaks. Not just for our hands but for the rest of our body and general health too. It’s no wonder our hands get sore and nails get weak when we have them immersed in water for sometimes hours a day. Take a scheduled break every 30 - 40 mins. Dry your hands thoroughly every now and then. Try and alternate your activity in the studio from day to day. I know that can sometimes be difficult when we are batching work but it’s worth trying to mix it up so we can relieve the constant battering our hands are taking. Maybe alternate between throwing days, admin days and packing days.
SPF
I use factor 50 SPF on my face and neck every day, even in the depths of winter. We all know the damage sun can do to our skin and our hands are exposed to the elements just as much as our faces. This exposure will increase the drying and ageing of the skin on our hands. I use SPF 50 on my hands every day. I will just squirt out a little extra of my face SPF (I use a formula made especially for surfers as it’s the most water resistant: see below) and then rub it onto the backs of my hands and forearms every morning. I try and reapply throughout the day (if I remember)
Give them a Spa Treatment
Like a facial but for your hands - nothing beats a little pamper session. Contact a local beauty salon and explain your situ, nine times out of ten they will have a treatment especially designed for hard working hands.
You can even give yourself a mini spa treatment at home:
Do this at the end of the day. Get into your comfies and pop on some soothing tunes. Light a candle or some incense. Make sure you have 25 mins for yourself.
Pour some hand hot water in to a bowl 1/2 with milk. Coconut milk if you’re vegan. There is evidence to suggest the fats, vitamins, amino acids and proteins in milk can aid dry skin.
Wet your hands with the warm water (I know it’s getting them wet again but they’ll feel better after I promise)
Use a very gentle exfoliator such as oats or flax seeds mixed with a little bit of honey or coconut oil. Don’t use salt or sugar as they are too harsh for already irritated skin. Make sure to get into the cuticles to get rid of any stubborn clay. Leaving clay residue on your hands will dry them out further.
After gently massaging the exfoliator all over your hands pop them into the warm water and soak for 10 minutes - let them fully relax.
After the 10 minutes is up pat your hands dry using a fresh clean towel. Pop the towel on a radiator before hand for an extra soothing effect.
Use your favourite rich hand cream and slather them in it. Give yourself a little massage at the same time, working your thumb into your muscles. Grab each finger, one by one and gently pull it through your grip, this will stimulate blood flow and help stretch out those tired muscles.
Wrap your hands in cling film for 10 mins allow the warmth to help the cream absorb. If you’re not a plastic lover an alternative to this is go to bed in some cotton gloves, you’ll wake up in the morning to baby soft hands.
Hand Massage
Paired with the above there is nothing quite like a massage to ease achy hand and arm muscles at the end of a long making session. You can do this yourself of course but it’s much nicer and probably more relaxing to get someone else to do it. Ask a partner, friend, child or if you need more than a 10 mins half hearted rub go and see a professional therapist.
Hand Creams
There are SO many different hand creams on the market, I reckon I tried a fair few. I get gifted hand creams a lot by friends and family. I have at least one in my car, handbag, several in the bathroom and the kitchen drawers, and in my studio.
O’Keeffes working hands is probably the best hand cream I’ve tried. It’s not greasy and absorbs easily.
I also slather my hands in DermaGuard Skin Protector before a prolonged making session. It creates a barrier between skin and clay. But the BEST product I’ve found for my terribly dry cracked potters hands??
Sanctuary Spa Foot Balm. Yep, I have resorted to putting foot cream on my hands😂 It’s thicker than most hand creams, smells lovely and it really works at soothing my skin.
Here are some other suggestions tried and tested by my lovely followers on Instagram. There are lots of fab independent small businesses here making hand cream for you to try:
Stretches
If you have sustained an injury whilst potting or if you find pottery irritates an existing issue you must get checked out by a healthcare professional before following any of this advice especially the stretches. If something is hurting, it's probably a sign that something is not quite right. A close friend of mine, Naomi Rudge - a certified yoga instructor with over 10 years experience - guided me through some stretches especially chosen for us potters. Do these daily to help keep your hands and wrists feeling good.
1a. Start with your hands in a praying position, elbows together, hands in front of your face.
1b. Slowly lower your hands, keeping them together but parting your elbows. Feel the stretch in your wrists and fingers.
2a. Stretch out one arm in front of you, palms facing away from you, fingers pointing up.
2b. With your other hand gently pull back on your fingers. Do this with both arms.
3a. Start in a seated position. Have your arms positioned on your lap, palms facing up. Gently stretch out your fingers as wide as they will comfortably go.
3b. Slowly curl up your fingers into fists. No need to clench tightly. Bend at the wrists and pull your fists towards your body to feel the stretch down the backs of your forearms.
4a. As suggested by Faye Deane (Clinical Pilates Instructor) thread your fingers and thumb through a hair band or an elastic band, making a duck mouth shape.
4b. Slowly open and close your fingers keeping the band in place. Repeat this for 2 minutes on each hand. You can do this whilst watching the tv.
If you found this blog helpful you may also enjoy the ‘Pilates for Potters’ series of videos created especially for my Pottery Club. In this series of three videos Faye Deane, one of the UK’s top chiropractors and clinical pilates instructors talks us through simple, easy to do exercises especially curated to help potters protect themselves against injury. Faye covers: lower back, neck, shoulders and wrists. You can watch the videos for just £11 (plus VAT)
Feel free to stick around to benefit from all the other treats Pottery Club has to offer. It’s a place where I share even more insights into my pottery world - project tutorial videos, lessons and learnings from my 15 Years of potting, PLUS limited edition work and seconds sales and in return you will be supporting my work (such as this blog) - I’d love to see you there! Find out more about Pottery Club HERE.