If you use a portable humidifier, make sure it is used in your bedroom at night. Dry skin is usually a long-term problem that recurs often, especially in winter. When you notice your skin beginning to get dry, resume your moisturizing routine and avoid the use of harsh soaps. If the itchy, dry, skin rash returns, use both the moisturizers and the steroid cream or ointment.
There are three basic classes of body moisturizers: ointments, creams, and lotions listed in decreasing order of moisturizing power. It should be noted that all of the moisturizer products mentioned in this article are available without prescription. The have the greatest ability to trap moisture in the skin, but they have a greasy consistency.
Examples of effective ointment moisturizers include Aquaphor and plain Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. Some common household products, such as Crisco vegetable shortening, can also be used as very inexpensive body moisturizers. The key to using an ointment is to apply small amounts and rub it in well. These are usually white and disappear when rubbed into the skin without leaving a greasy feel. These are suspensions of oily chemicals in alcohol and water.
Some moisturizers contain chemicals that can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people e. If moisturizers seem to aggravate your skin, see your doctor for advice. The information presented above will help you, your family, or someone else you know get through the winter season with less dry and itchy skin.
Mary S. Use of Health Topics. The appearance of dry skin The normally fine lines in the skin become more visible, the skin feels rough and appears dull and flaky. Problems associated with dry skin Dry skin very commonly produces itching, which can be severe and interfere with sleep and other daily activities.
Causes of dry skin The outermost layer of the skin consists of dead skin cells embedded in a mixture of natural oils that are made by underlying living skin cells. Treatment of dry skin An important aspect of treatment is to identify and tackle any factors that may be contributing to the dry skin.
Showering tips to avoid dry skin: You should take a short bath or shower no more than 10 minutes only once in a hour period. Bathing should be in warm rather than hot water. Be sure to apply a rich moisturizing lotion that contains ingredients like glycerin that help hold moisture in your skin , and pay special attention to your hands, feet, elbows, and knees. Dry indoor air not only dries out your skin, it also dries out your mucous membranes, leading to dry, chapped lips , dry noses nosebleeds , and dry throat hoarseness, sore throat.
This will replace the moisture in the air that gets sucked out by dry indoor heat. The humidifier helps hydrate dry skin and soothes chapped lips, dry throat, and nasal passages.
The solution: Try to shower or bathe in warm, not hot water, and limit showers and baths to 10 minutes, just enough to clean the dirty bits. The solution: Apply a rich body lotion immediately after showering to lock in moisture. Apply again before going outside and before going to bed.
Look for ingredients like glycerin, which holds moisture in your skin and fights dehydration. The solution: Carry your own moisturizing liquid hand soap. The soap in public restrooms is often very harsh and drying. Rub on a rich hand cream after each washing or after using hand sanitizer, and cover moisturized hands with gloves at bedtime. When gardening, doing dishes, or working around the house, wear protective gloves.
The solution: Switch to a moisturizing, fragrance-free body wash that leaves your skin soft, not stripped. Save the bar soap for your feet and armpits. Because the skin is porous, water vapour is constantly lost through the skin via evaporation. Water loss occurring under non-sweating conditions is called transepidermal water loss.
Low humidity and windy environments, which is what we are exposed to in winter, accelerate this water loss through the skin.
Water loss is further accelerated by direct heat that blows on the skin, which is what happens when we turn on heaters in the car and at home. So, skin often dries out during winter because of the environmental changes we are exposed to and the things we do to try to keep warm. People sometimes notice that their skin becomes more susceptible to dryness as they age. This is because the water content of the outermost layer of the skin stratum corneum decreases with age. Some studies have also suggested those with dark skin have a higher rate of water loss, meaning people with pigmented skin may have a higher risk of developing dry skin.
Those who have a compromised epidermal barrier such as people who have eczema also experience increased water loss, making the skin very dry year-round.
While dry skin looks and feels less than desirable, it also increases itchiness and this can trigger eczema. Itching may also result in secondary infection in the skin. Turn down the heat.
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