We’ve all experienced it — that dry, rough, itchy and uncomfortable feeling our skin gets – especially during those winter months, that just doesn’t seem to go away.

DRY SKIN is also known as winter skin or winter itch

Dry skin starts out as a dull, ashy appearance on the surface of the skin, and has a rough, scaly texture..

Dry skin creates an uncomfortable irritation when in contact with certain clothes or fabrics and this irritation often leads to itchy skin that results in scratching.

Scratching – to relieve the itch, causes redness and inflammation to develop, keeping your dry skin in a highly aggravated state.

Dry skin occurs most often on our arms and legs, but can occur anywhere on our bodies.

So, what causes dry skin?

Bottom line ???……………….a lack of WATER IN YOUR SKIN ………….
Dry skin is the direct result of your skin’s water loss.

Barring any medical conditions, as well as the use of any oral or topical drugs that may be associated with dry skin, factors such as climate, soaps, perfumes and bathing habits can all play a major role in the development and resolution of dry skin –

Here are some of the things you can do to prevent as well as improve your dry skin –

First off, during those colder winter months when we have our heaters on in our cars and homes, TURN them down – Heat warms the air, but also evaporates the moisture or humidity NOT ONLY IN THE AIR, BUT ON YOUR SKIN -

Higher thermostat settings = an increase in moisture loss and dry out your skin.

Another way you can prevent or improve dry skin is by using a humidifier. A humidifier will add moisture to the air without heat and will help to maintain your skin’s own moisture balance.

NEXT – Avoid using harsh or strong soaps such as deodorant type soaps all over your body.

Harsh soaps cause dry skin ………….so limit their use to areas where a deodorant soap is necessary – such as the feet, armpits, genital, and buttock areas.

The rest of the body should be cleansed with a fatty type soap or cleanser that has a higher level of moisture within it –

these super fatted soaps have extra amounts of fatty substances in them, such as coconut oil, cocoa butter, lanolin or glycerin – these cleansing products do not irritate dry skin and actually keep the skin feeling hydrated and comfortable.

Super fatted or super emollient soaps are available at your grocery store, or drug store.

Water dries our skin out – as it dries – it evaporates moisture from our skins surface, depleting the moisture content.

To avoid this, reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower to 5
or 10 minutes only, as well as using warm water instead of hot – this will dramatically decrease the development of dry skin.

Showering instead of bathing will also help reduce dry skin.

Once you have begun to limit your shower time and water temperature to warm only, you will then want to avoid drying yourself off completely –

Pat yourself dry, to get rid of the dripping, excess water, BUT – do not dry yourself completely – this will only reduce the moisture content even further.

When you are still slightly wet, or damp, apply a moisturizer to your skin.

It is important that you apply the moisturizer within 2 to 3 minutes of showering so you keep as much moisture trapped on the skin as possible when you apply your moisturizer. –

Your moisturizer will act as a barrier, holding IN the moisture left on your skin after your shower to hydrate your skin.

The key is to moisturize – keeping the water content of your skin IN your skin instead of evaporating off.

Moisturizers do not have to be expensive, but you want to pick one that is right for you.

Moisturizers come in ointments, oils, creams and lotions.

Ointments have the greatest ability to trap and hold moisture but are greasy and oily –

they can get on your clothes and in your hair. They are messy.

They are probably best used at night.

Some examples of ointments are VASOLINE, AQUAPHOR, and Petroleum jelly.

Oil moisturizers include mineral oil, bath oils and vegetable oils. These oils work well when applied directly to damp skin right out of the shower.

Creams are very popular, in that they can be rubbed into the skin and do not leave a heavy, greasy feeling behind.

They can be used during the daytime without the mess of an ointment.

Lotions are the least greasy and are applied easily.

However, lotions may not always be emollient enough to care for your dry skin -

If the lotion absorbs too quickly, and leaves no trace of lotion on the skin’s surface –

you may require something stronger, such as a cream or ointment.

However, lotions can be used easily throughout the day without the mess of an ointment or heavier cream.

It is important that you use a good moisturizer at least 3 times a day, and after each hand washing to insure proper moisture balance.

Avoid moisturizers that contain perfumes and fragrance,

sunscreen agents such as paba or parsol,

as well as urea, vitamin C, alpha hydroxy acids or lactic acids that can sting the skin on initial use – if the skin is severely chapped and dry.

Although these ingredients can be a key factors in the resolution of dry skin,

they will act as aggravating factors on initial use and can create irritation that intensifies the dryness.

Such products may be added to your moisturizing routine as tolerated, usually about a week or so later.

Last but not least, always remember sunscreen – even during the colder winter months.

Sunscreen is important year round.

The sun can damage as well as dry your skin and care should be taken to avoid unnecessary UV radiation as well as protecting your skin from moisture loss.

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