Back to Skin Care

Dry Skin & Hand Eczema Statistics (2026): The Numbers Behind Dry, Cracked Skin

Hands lathering soap under a running faucet, with the headline Dry Skin and Hand Eczema by the Numbers

Last updated: October 2026

Dry skin and hand eczema (a common condition that makes skin dry, itchy and inflamed) are among the most common skin problems there are, and they hit hardest in people who wash their hands all day, work with water or gloves, live through cold winters, or are getting older. This page collects more than 45 statistics and research findings from peer-reviewed studies, U.S. government agencies, and market research. Each one links to the page where we confirmed the figure.

Key statistics

How common is dry skin (xerosis)?

Dry skin is extremely common: studies find it in roughly 3 in 10 working-age adults and in a majority of older adults, rising to nearly everyone in nursing homes.

  • 29.4% of 48,630 employees examined at 343 German companies had dry (xerotic) skin. (Augustin et al., Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019)
  • In that same study, people with atopic eczema were about 4 times as likely to have dry skin (odds ratio (how much more likely something is in one group than another; 2 means twice as likely) 3.99), and older age was linked to dry skin while sex was not. (Augustin et al., 2019)
  • 60% of 5,547 adults in the Rotterdam Study (a population study of middle-aged and older people in the Netherlands) had dry skin, and about one-fifth of them had dry skin over the whole body. (Mekić et al., 2018)
  • In the Rotterdam Study, age, female sex, skin color, body mass index, outside temperature, and eczema were all linked to dry skin, and daily cream use was associated with less localized dry skin. (Mekić et al., 2018)
  • 55.6% of 756 elderly patients in a primary-care study had xerosis. (Paul et al., Dermatology, 2011)
  • In that study, women had higher odds of xerosis than men (odds ratio 1.80), and people with a history of atopic dermatitis had more than 3 times the odds (odds ratio 3.60). (Paul et al., 2011)
  • 99.1% of 223 nursing-home residents had xerosis, with the driest skin on the lower legs, followed by the forearms. (Hahnel et al., 2017)
  • The U.S. National Institute on Aging notes that many older people develop dry spots, often on the lower legs, elbows, and lower arms. (National Institute on Aging, reviewed 2025)

How common is eczema (atopic dermatitis) in the U.S.?

About 1 in 10 Americans has some form of eczema, including roughly 7% of adults and 11% of children.

How common is hand eczema, and who gets it at work?

Hand eczema affects about 1 in 7 people at some point in life, and rates are two to three times higher in jobs with frequent hand-washing, wet work, or glove use.

  • Pooled across 66 studies and 568,100 people: lifetime prevalence (the share of people who have it) of hand eczema is 14.5%, one-year prevalence 9.1%, and point prevalence 4.0%. (Quaade et al., Contact Dermatitis, 2021)
  • Hand eczema develops in about 7.3 new cases per 1,000 people per year, and is 1.5 to 2 times more common in women than men. (Quaade et al., 2021)
  • More than one-third of people with hand eczema have moderate or severe disease, and it typically starts in the early to mid-twenties. (Quaade et al., 2021)
  • Among healthcare workers, pooled lifetime prevalence of self-reported hand eczema is 33.4%, one-year prevalence 27.4%, and point prevalence 13.5%. (Systematic review of 18 studies, Contact Dermatitis, 2024)
  • In a 2020 hospital study, 48.3% of healthcare workers in COVID-19 units had hand eczema, compared with 12.7% in other units. 59% of all staff washed their hands more than 20 times per shift. (Erdem et al., Contact Dermatitis, 2021)
  • Hairdressers have a pooled lifetime hand dermatitis prevalence of 38.2%, and 37.2% of construction workers referred for patch testing (a skin test for allergies) had hand dermatitis. (Vu et al., Cutis, 2026)
  • Wet work is associated with a 56% higher likelihood of irritant contact dermatitis (skin inflammation caused by contact with something harsh, like soap or water), and washing hands 8 to 10 times a day raised hand dermatitis risk (relative risk 1.51). (Vu et al., Cutis, 2026)
  • "Wet work" is commonly defined as having hands in liquid for more than 2 hours per shift, wearing waterproof gloves for a similar time, or washing hands more than 20 times per shift. (Behroozy & Keegel, Safety and Health at Work, 2014)
  • In a survey of 783 people during the COVID-19 pandemic, 13.0% reported new skin irritation and 31.3% of those with earlier hand dermatitis reported it got worse; new symptoms were linked to more frequent hand-washing and sanitizer use. (ZahrAllayali et al., Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2021)
  • Contact dermatitis accounts for 10–15% of all occupational illnesses in the U.S., at an annual cost of at least $1 billion. (NIOSH, archived 2012 topic page)

Does winter make dry skin worse?

Yes: cold air holds less moisture, indoor heating dries it further, and studies link low humidity and cold temperatures to a weaker skin barrier and more eczema.

  • A review of the research concluded that low humidity and low temperatures reduce skin barrier function, and that "cold and dry weather increase the prevalence and risk of flares" in atopic dermatitis. (Engebretsen et al., Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016)
  • Across 91,642 U.S. children, living in areas in the second-highest quarter of heating degree days (a measure of how much indoor heating a climate needs) was linked to 26% higher odds of eczema (odds ratio 1.26). (Silverberg et al., Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013)
  • In the same study, children in the most humid areas had 18% lower odds of eczema (odds ratio 0.82), and those in the warmest areas had 20% lower odds (odds ratio 0.80). (Silverberg et al., 2013)
  • The U.S. EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60%, ideally between 30% and 50%. (U.S. EPA)
  • The American Academy of Dermatology notes that humidity drops indoors as well as outdoors in winter, and that turning up the furnace or using a fireplace creates dry heat that pulls moisture from the air. (AAD, 2023)

How does skin change with age?

Older skin holds less moisture, makes less oil, and repairs its barrier much more slowly, which is why dry skin becomes so common after middle age.

  • Adults over 80 recovered just 15% of skin barrier function 24 hours after it was disrupted, versus 50% in adults aged 20–30 (who reached 80% by 72 hours). (Ghadially et al., 1995)
  • Older skin's barrier was disrupted with fewer tape strippings: 18 on average, versus 31 for young skin. (Ghadially et al., 1995)
  • Skin surface hydration peaks around age 40 and then declines. (Wang et al., Aging, 2020)
  • Skin surface pH begins to rise around age 55 and rises markedly after 70, partly because aged skin produces less sebum (skin oil). (Wang et al., 2020)

What does research say about moisturizers?

A large Cochrane review found that most moisturizers had some benefit for people with eczema, mainly by delaying and reducing flares, with no reliable evidence that any one moisturizer is better than another.

  • The Cochrane review pooled 77 randomized trials with 6,603 participants. (van Zuuren et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017)
  • Compared with no moisturizer, median time to a flare was 180 days versus 30 days, and people used 9.3 g less topical corticosteroid (a prescription steroid cream). (van Zuuren et al., 2017)
  • Across all moisturizers versus control, the risk of a flare was about one-third as high (risk ratio 0.33, 6 studies, 607 participants), and people were about 2.5 times as likely to report improvement (risk ratio 2.46). (van Zuuren et al., 2017)
  • Daily moisturizer in infancy did not prevent eczema in a large trial: among 1,394 high-risk newborns, 23% of those given daily emollient (moisturizer) had eczema at age 2, versus 25% of controls, a difference that was not significant. (Chalmers et al., The Lancet, 2020)
  • Dermatologists advise limiting showers and baths to 5–10 minutes in warm water and applying moisturizer while skin is still damp; they note that ointments and creams are more effective than lotions. (American Academy of Dermatology, accessed October 2026)

What does research say about aloe vera for dry skin?

Aloe vera gel is almost entirely water plus moisture-binding polysaccharides (natural sugars that hold water); small studies suggest it can improve skin hydration, but the evidence is limited and it is not proven for eczema.

  • Aloe vera gel is about 99.5% water; the remaining 0.5–1% of solids is mostly polysaccharides (such as acemannan), with smaller amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and other compounds. (Hamman, Molecules, 2008)
  • In a study of 20 women, cosmetic formulations containing 0.10%, 0.25%, or 0.50% freeze-dried aloe extract all increased the water content of the skin's outer layer after 2 weeks of daily use, compared with the same formulation without aloe; water loss through the skin (TEWL) did not change. (Skin Research and Technology, 2006)
  • In a small open study of 30 factory workers with occupational dry skin, hands wearing an aloe-gel glove showed noticeable improvement after an average of 3.5 days and marked improvement after 10.4 days; the ungloved hands did not improve. (West & Zhu, American Journal of Infection Control, 2003)
  • A systematic review of 23 clinical trials found aloe vera may help retain skin moisture and integrity and support wound healing, though the authors phrased their conclusion cautiously. (Hekmatpou et al., Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2019)
  • The NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says there isn't enough reliable information to know whether aloe helps eczema; topical aloe gel is "generally well tolerated," with occasional reports of burning, itching, or rash. (NCCIH, updated 2025)

How big is the market for moisturizers and hand cream?

People spend tens of billions of dollars a year on hand care and skin care, and the hand cream segment alone is projected to exceed $1 billion by 2030.

Frequently asked questions

How common is dry skin?

Very common. A skin screening of 48,630 German employees found dry skin in 29.4% of them, a Dutch population study found it in 60% of middle-aged and older adults, and a nursing-home study found it in 99.1% of residents.

How common is hand eczema?

About 14.5% of people have hand eczema at some point in their lives and about 9.1% in a given year, according to a 2021 meta-analysis (a study that combines many studies) of 66 studies. Among healthcare workers, lifetime prevalence is 33.4%.

Why do nurses and other frequent hand-washers get dry, cracked hands?

Repeated washing, sanitizing, and wearing gloves strip and stress the skin barrier. Researchers call this "wet work": hands in liquid for more than 2 hours a shift, gloves for a similar time, or more than 20 hand washes a shift. Healthcare workers have more than double the general population's lifetime rate of hand eczema (33.4% vs. 14.5%).

Why does skin get drier in winter?

Cold air holds less moisture, and indoor heating dries it further. A research review found that low humidity and low temperatures weaken the skin barrier, and a U.S. study of 91,642 children linked areas with more heating degree days (third quartile) to 26% higher odds of eczema. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30% and 50%.

Does skin get drier with age?

Yes. Skin hydration peaks around age 40 and then declines, oil production falls, and older skin repairs its barrier far more slowly: adults over 80 recovered 15% of barrier function in 24 hours versus 50% for adults aged 20 to 30.

Is aloe vera good for dry skin?

Small studies suggest it can help skin hold water: in one study, aloe-containing formulations increased skin hydration after two weeks. The NIH says there isn't enough reliable evidence to know whether aloe helps eczema, and topical aloe is generally well tolerated.

Methodology & sources

We searched peer-reviewed literature (PubMed-indexed journals, the Cochrane Library), U.S. government sources (CDC, NIH, NIOSH, EPA), professional and patient organizations (American Academy of Dermatology, National Eczema Association), and published market research. We included a figure only after opening the linked page and confirming the number appears there. Where a study's full text was not accessible, we used the figures in its published abstract. We kept each figure as the source reports it and give odds or risk ratios where the source does. Studies differ in country, age group, and how they define dry skin or eczema, so their numbers are not directly comparable. One NIOSH figure comes from an archived 2012 agency page. Market estimates come from Grand View Research report summaries.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have persistent, painful, cracked, or bleeding skin, see a doctor or dermatologist.

How we use this research

Corium 21 is a family-owned company that makes a moisturizing cream with certified organic aloe vera. Trusted since 1994. Family-owned in Oregon. Many of our customers are nurses, tradespeople, frequent hand-washers, and older adults, so we track this research to understand what dry skin looks like for them. Our cream is a cosmetic moisturizer: it moisturizes and helps relieve dryness. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent eczema or any other disease. We plan to add results from our own customer survey in a future update.

Cite this page: "Dry Skin & Hand Eczema Statistics (2026)," Corium 21, last updated October 2026, https://corium21.com/blogs/info/dry-skin-hand-eczema-statistics

Back to Skin Care