As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb, health officials have been urging Americans to wash their hands at every opportunity. Hand washing is critical to the effort to stop the spread of the virus.

However, a side effect of frequent hand washing is dry skin that can flake, itch, crack and even bleed, say dermatologists at the American Academy of Dermatology, making consumers more susceptible to germs and other bacteria. Fortunately, there are simple precautions you can take to avoid excessive dryness due to hand washing.