Dry Skin Treatment and Prevention

By. Juliet Cohen

Dry skin is a very common skin and is often worse during the winter, when humidity is low. It can occur at any age and in people with or without other skin problems. Some people have a genetic predisposition or hereditary tendency to develop dry skin. Dry skin is the most common in the lower legs, arms, flanks (sides of the abdomen), and thighs. Genes also play a role. If relatives suffer from dry skin, you are more likely to develop the condition. In extreme cases, fish-like scaling of the skin is sometimes seen (ichthyosis). Dry skin and scratching may result in a dermatitis when the skin becomes red (inflamed) in addition to dry and scaly.

An important aspect of treatment is to identify and tackle any factors that may be contributing to the dry skin. In most cases, dry skin problems respond well to self-care measures, such as using moisturizers and avoiding long, hot showers and baths. Use nondetergent, neutral-pH products to cleanse your skin. Avoid using any commercial soap. Avoid using harsh soaps that dry the skin. At night, use a very creamy cleanser or oil. Remove residue with a spray of mineral water. Follow up with a night cream applied at least a half-hour before retiring. Do not use very hot water when bathing or showering.

Dry Skin Treatment and Prevention Tips :

1. Avoid using any commercial soap.
2. Keep baths or showers short.
3. Use warm (not hot) water.
4. Use as little soap as possible.
5. Take baths or showers less often.
6. Use bath oils and moisturizers at least daily.
7. Use a humidifier if the air is dry.
8. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
9. Use nondetergent, neutral-pH products to cleanse your skin.

Dry Skin Care - Causes and Remedies

By: Peter Sams

Many older people suffer from dry skin, particularly on their lower legs, elbows, and forearms. The skin feels rough and scaly and often is accompanied by a distressing, intense itchiness.

Signs of a dry skin are :

1. Flaky patches that disappear with regular moisturizing.
2. Finely textured with the pores not being visible.
3. Tiny expression lines that do not disappear.

Causes Of Dry Skin

A dry skin problem can be uncomfortable and even maddening. Your skin might feel tight and painful; it might look dull or red or flaky. Worst of all is the itchiness -- the sort of overwhelming itchiness that makes you feel like you're infested with fleas, that keeps you awake at night, miserably raking your skin with a back scratcher.

Simple causes include harsh soap, itchy clothing, misusing moisturizer, and long, hot showers. But the medications you take -- and even medical conditions such as diabetes, psoriasis, hypothyroidism, and malnutrition -- can also cause severe dry skin. Read on to understand how and why these problems dry out your skin.

Taking a bath with extremely hot or cold water also causes the skin to dry. Lukewarm water is the best option in such cases. Chemically harsh soaps and cosmetics can also harm the skin to a great extent. Toweling roughly instead of patting removes all the moisture from the skin without allowing the skin to retain the amount it needs.

Remedies for Dry Skin

The remedy is to treat the skin with substances that enhance its moisture-retention capabilities. In early adulthood, our skin cells begin to become more porous and less elastic. When a moisturizer is applied, it hydrates the cells, but the cells quickly lose the moisture. If substances that work synergistically together to restore the skin cells' elasticity are applied to the skin, then as the healing progresses, the cells continue to admit moisture as before, but after the healing are better able to keep it from escaping.

Tips For Dry Skin Care

1. Excessive exposure to sun should be avoided in case of dry skin and always use Sunscreen lotion before going out insun.
2. After bathing or shower, do not rub the skin instead use pat dry the skin with a soft Towel and apply the moisturizer for dry skin all over the skin.
3. If you suffer from any kind of skin problem then consult the skin doctor.
4. Make a paste of 1 spoon milk cream, 1 spoon multani mitti, ½ spoon honey and little amount of oil. Apply this paste on your skin and keep it there for 10-15 minutes. Wash it off after it gets dry.