Dry skin is a common condition that women and men alike want to address. Whether it’s on your face, hands, or body, dry skin shows fine lines more readily, looks less youthful, and can even become itchy, tight, and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to improve your dry skin to reveal supple, more youthful skin.
Dry Skin Tips & Treatments
Moisturize and moisturize some more. All skin types need to moisturize, but dry skin needs it the most. Look for moisturizers with ingredients known to help retain moisture in the skin such as lanolin, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and urea. Choose a thicker formulation over a lighter one.
Avoid drying ingredients. Some ingredients can dry skin out, some of which are especially common in soaps and cleansers. Check the label for anything you put on your skin and avoid the following: alcohol, sulfates, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and artificial fragrances and preservatives. If you suffer from dry skin on your body, also avoid laundry detergents that are fragranced.
Limit baths and showers. It may seem counterintuitive that subjecting your skin to the water in the bath or shower can dry it out, but it does. Limit your bath or shower time to 10 minutes and be sure to avoid hot water, which is very drying.
Keep the air moist. Skin tends to dry out most in winter, when the heat is on inside and the air dries out. A humidifier will increase the water content of the air in your home and keep your skin more hydrated.
Wear gloves. If the skin on your hands tends to be dry, wear gloves when washing dishes to avoid contact with drying chemicals in the liquid detergent.
Skin Still Dry? Speak to a Dermatologist
Skin that’s so dry it’s painful or skin that doesn’t improve after following the dry skin tips above should be seen by a dermatologist. Sometimes, dry skin is a sign of something else. In other cases, it can be treated with a prescription cream. Either way, by speaking to a dermatologist you’ll be taking the first step towards solving your dry skin.