Dry skin affects many people each year, often leading to discomfort and a dull complexion. It's often said that your skin is the "largest organ in your body," so dryness won't be merely an inconvenience, but an irritation that should be resolved. Dry itchy skin can be associated with skin disorders like psoriasis. Dermatologists on Real Self have offered their expert advice on how to prevent and treat dry skin, so read on to learn more.
Dry skin causes
Simply put, dry skin is caused by a lack of moisture. Various environmental agents dry out the skin. Some of the agents that dry out skin may include: hot water, chlorine, soaps, excessive bathing, low humidity, air conditioning or heat, pollution, and other chemicals, and even friction from clothing. Also, as the skin ages, it has a tendency to become drier.
Dry skin treatment
For dry skin, the first thing that needs to change is the method of cleansing the skin. If we are speaking of facial skin that means changing to a soap-free cleanser and cutting out drying toners.
To repair dry skin, you may want to use a moisturizing cream instead of a lotion. Creams tend to hydrate the skin and will repair the skin barrier a little better than lotions.Using hydrating creams to moisturize dry skin is very important to relieve dry skin. For dry body skin, it is important to take very quick 3- or 4-minute showers using lukewarm or tepid water. Using a moisturizing body wash is essential so that a moisturizing layer is left on the skin. Apply a rich body moisturizer over the entire body twice daily – not just after the shower.
To lock in moisture, cream or lotion should be used immediately after bathing and once more each day. Keeping the skin hydrated twice a day with topical emollients and/or moisturizers will make a huge difference in the overall health of skin.
Some doctors recommend weekly exfoliation in addition to daily moisturizing. 'Once the skin becomes impaired, it has to heal before it can rehydrate on its own. A gentle scrub or peel to slough off dead cells will allow the new skin below to absorb moisturizer and get rehydrated.
Dry skin skin products
Realize that a moisturizeer does not imply that moisture (water) is being added to the skin. Instead a good moisturizer formulation should contain occlusive, humectant, and emollient ingredients. The occlusive component slows evaporation and moisture loss by sitting on the surface of the skin. The humectant attracts water from the lower layer (the dermis). The emollient should basically fill in the crevices. When you look for a moisturizer you should look for these properties.
A lotion or a cream? A lotions are thinner and are more compatible for daytime facial use. They are lighter and usually contain such ingredients as mineral oil, propylene glycol and water. Night creams or so called replenishing cream are composed of heavier lipids such as petrolatum or lanolin derivatives, mineral oil and water. All moisturizer formulations are oil in water or water in oil. Adjusting these ratios make the moisturizer compatible with dry, normal, or oily skin, so you may want to see a dermatologist to help you choose.
Lotions and creams recommended on Real Self
Aveeno Ultra-calming night Cream, Positively Radiant anti-wrinkle cream
Neutrogena Ageless Essentials Continuous Hydration Night
Eucerin Repair Lotion or cream, Every Day Protection, Redness relief
Cetaphil Daily Advance Ultra Hydrating Cream, Moisturizing Cream
Cerave cream and Lotion
Olay Definity Intense Hydrating Cream
Revale skin night cream, day cream
Neo-Strata Bionic Cream
Purpose Redness Relief
Neocutis bio-restorative skin cream with PSP
NIA 24 intensive recovery complex
Preventing dry skin
First of all, drink plenty of fluids and wear sunscreen. The best advice is to first avoid the factors that dry out the skin, for example, bathing no more than once daily and using water that is at a comfortable temperature, neither hot nor cold, in order to help prevent dry skin. Bathing with a “non-soap” cleanser that is fragrance-free will also help avoid drying of the skin.
More about dry skin on RealSelf
- Best natural moisturizers for face and body
- What works to treat dry, itchy skin?
- How to care for oily, dry skin