Dry Skin
What is it? If you’re plagued by mild scaling with on and off itching, dry skin may be the culprit, says Angela Bowers, M.D., of Southlake Dermatology in Southlake, Texas. The lower legs and upper back may be particularly irritated because this is where hot shower water lands.
“Dry skin develops when the natural oils and moisture present in the skin are removed,” says Paul M. Friedman, M.D., director of the Dermsurgery Laser Center in Houston, Texas. “Oils on the skin are constantly being removed every time the skin touches something.”
Age and menopause make it even harder to retain the skin’s moisture. And winter weather and low-humidity can make matters worse.
Feel better fast: Stick to a healthy routine to soothe skin and ease itching.
“Think of how the ground looks parched without rain – dry and cracked – and how it appears after rain, which quenches its thirst,” says Peggy A. Fuller, M.D., a dermatologist at Esthetics Center for Dermatology in Charlotte, N.C.
Here are 10 tips for relief:
1. Skip some hot showers and don’t soak in the tub. “Over-showering can contribute to dry skin by removing the body’s natural oils,” Hellman says.
2. Stick to non-soap cleansers. Bowers recommends Cetaphil.
3. Don’t rub: Blot or pat yourself dry, so some moisture remains on your skin.
4. If you need to use deodorant soaps, limit them to the armpits, genital area and feet, says Ilyse Lefkowicz, M.D., of Wattenberg Dermatology Group in New York.
5. Don’t use alcohol-based toners. They strip the skin of moisture, Bowers says. Also avoid scrubs, which remove moisturizing skin lipids.
No comments:
Post a Comment