They Tell Us

Take care of your epidermis, 
They tell us.
Lotion it,
Wash it free of germs.

Wear gloves when exposed
To temperatures of either
Extreme.
Protect your skin from peeling.

Oh but why do they tell us
When our skin is dry as a desert
To lotion it, make it moist
When that only makes it easier to hurt?

Lotion your skin,
Make it soft.
Soft skin is easy to stab.

Don't lotion your skin,
It dries out.
Dry skin is easy to crack.

So
In the end,
Whether or not I lotion them
Inevitably I end up with
Bleeding hands.