Washing your hands. How often is too much

My hands have really gotten dry over the past several weeks. I have been washing my hands a lot more. Yesterday I kept track each time I washed my hands from going to the bathroom, after eating, after touching things around the office that others may have used, and after going to the grocery store. Take a guess? 18 times and that doesn't include the times I used hand sanitizer. It's no wonder my hands are dry and cracking. I read an article online where dermatologists, those are the skin experts, say over-washing increases your chances of getting germs because when your skin dries out and gets cracked, the natural barriers allow germs and bacteria to get in. They advise using hand cream, not lotion after each washing to keep your hands moisturized. Also don't dry your hands completely if you dont have lotion available. Oddly enough, I found this song parody for washing your hands sung to I want to hold your hand by the Beatles. Check it out