Sign Language of Hands Walking and an illustrated hand giving thumbs up Sign Language of Hands Walking and an illustrated hand giving thumbs up

A Day in the Life — A Hand’s Diary

Get an exclusive look at what a normal day looks like for a hand. We asked Dexter, who is an expert at being a hand, to give us some insights.

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Meet Dexter

Hi there! My name is Dexter and I’m a right hand. That’s right, a hand! As in: the coolest part of you, the thing children can’t keep out of their mouths, and the co-star of New York’s pedestrian traffic lights. I have four fingers and one thumb. In this story, I’ll be giving you and the fine folks at Sterillium® a peek into my daily life and all the crazy things I experience while I’m attached to your wrists.

The Rise of Dexter

The first thing I do every morning is work my way out from under some pillow or blanket and slam down on a blaring alarm clock. Once that’s out of the way, there’s a lot to take care of.

  • Wake up! While I may not technically sleep the same way you do, I can fall asleep. Trust me, it’s just as weird for me as it is for you. So I try to avoid that.
  • I may often be the subject of hygiene , but I’m also a mean, lean hygiene machine. I basically take care of the entire body’s morning wash. Most days, I start with the teeth.
  • Another crucial job I have in the mornings is transporting sustenance (and caffeine!) from the fridge, frying pan, coffee pot, you name it — into your mouth. Sometimes I use tools like forks and spoons, other times I can use my brute force. However, I would not recommend the hands-only approach for coffee.
Hand illustration with fingers going through a morning routine

Part of my job in the mornings includes acting as a fashion expert. This might sound glamorous, but it can also mean stooping to very low levels. By that I mean the job of stooping to pull socks onto the imposters called ‘feet’.

"Actually, I have a lot of jobs."

Dexter’s Daily Grind

Hand illustration with angry fingers looking at viruses on their palm through a magnifying glass
After I’ve made it through the morning, I join you on your commute to work. This is one of the most challenging parts of my day because, even though you can’t see them, buses, trains, trams, escalators, and so many public surfaces are covered with dangerous microorganisms!

Thankfully, I’m a talented networker — it’s no coincidence it all starts with a handshake — and have made some important friends in high places during my career as a right hand.

One of them is called Sterillium® Protect & Care hand disinfectant gel! In a literature class you’d call this a speaking name because this guy really knows what I need after I’ve been exposed while traveling to work!

Here’s what Sterillium® Protect & Care hand disinfectant gel can do:

  • Removes 99.99% of germs
  • Short exposure time
  • Gentle to the skin
  • With skin care components
  • Very good skin compatibility
  • Dermatologically tested
  • Increases skin moisture
At the office, there’s a lot to do — typing mostly, making more coffee, pushing elevator buttons (my favorite), and scratching your head when you’re stuck in a task and aren’t sure how to finish it.

The good news is, before we know it, our wrist turns the face its watch up to your face and you realize it’s time to leave again. This is when the best part of the day starts.

Dexter Plays

Once the work is done, it’s time to play! I love holding hands — all hands do, you should try it! — and giving high fives and petting dogs (wow, the best!). In my life as a hand there are so many games I get to play:

  • Clapping games
  • Secret handshakes
  • Pinky promises
  • Finger painting
  • SNAPPING! How fun is snapping your fingers?!
  • And a personal highlight: sock puppet games!
Hand Sock Puppet with button eyes
I play many of these games with children — they too have hands that need to be taken care of. While we're on the subject of caring, I can’t help but think of a particularly kind colleague who is gentle and nourishing in her approach to cleanliness. And when she handles children's hands, she performs best with the support of an adult — may I introduce the enchanting Madame Sterillium® Protect & Care Wash Lotion! A wash lotion that is suitable for young and old.
Sterillium® Protect & Care Wash Lotion* (soap) is suitable for mild and at the same time caring mechanical cleaning of skin and hands from superficial dirt. The gentle ingredients allantoin and wheat protein keep the skin smooth and supple even with intensive and daily repeated use. It cleanses with a delicately scented, creamy foam and offers very good skin compatibility. The pH value of 5.5 is gentle on the skin's sensitive acid mantle.
"It’s called lending a helping hand — us hands, we care. Hands are a symbol of outreach and togetherness."

Dexter the Icon

At the end of each day, I think about the world we live in, the hands I’ve shaken and held, the pinky promises I’ve made and, honestly, sometimes I worry if it’s enough.

There are so many challenges we face today, and it doesn’t feel right leaving them for the smaller hands to take care of alone. If I can show those little hands care in hygiene, I can show them care in all aspects of life.

This is why I’m glad that hands are such a symbol for change. We stand for peace, for solidary, for unity, and we stand up for others when enough is enough.
Keep your hands clean
"By keeping your hands clean — in every sense of the word — you’re making the world a better place."
Use disinfectants safely. Always read label and product information before use.

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