Dry skin

[jimloveslips]

I always get chronic dry skin in the winter.

I'm actually on a prescription for my shins which break out into blister like patches - sorry I forgot to write down what it is - which does clear it up, but I get dry itchy skin all over.

I've done lubraderm, vaseline, Aquaphor, cocoa butter and a load of others - right now I'm using a Vitamin C oil which is reducing but not stopping the symptoms.

 

My skin looks like a dried out river bed!

 

I've been on WebMD and a couple of health sites, but nothing seems to work.

 

Anyone found a permanent solution (ha, solution, get it?).

 

Thanks.

[RightThere]

I get it on my hands and it seems to get worse as I get older (now it's even in the summer).

 

I've seen a couple of specialists but they really offer nothing. I've found that there isn't one fix that works long term. If I do find something, it seems to work for a while, then lose it's effectiveness. Then I'm left looking for something else that works but doesn't irritate my skin.

[d0nnivain]

Aveeno oatmeal oil.

 

 

They also make a dry skin soak but I like the oil better. Pour it on your skin when you get out of water, before you dry off.

[Phoe]

Vaseline is actually bad for skin! It is a skin protectant, which means it creates a barrier over skin, but that it doesn't moisturize. If you lock it in over skin that's already dry, your skin will just come out drier.

 

Anything with petrolatum, mineral oil or any similar derivative should be avoided.

 

 

I'm a big fan of using pure oils to do heavy duty moisturizing. Jojoba and even just some olive oil will do the skin wonders. If I wanna give my feet some heavy duty skin pampering, I'll slather them up in olive oil, Saran Wrap them, then put socks on and sleep like that.

 

 

If oiling yourself up is unappealing, a good drugstore lotion would be aveeno creamy moisturizing oil. It's got sesame, oat, and almond oils. Has a light almondy scent to it. I use it everyday after showering and my skin is happy. It's also great if you've got sensitive skin or eczema prone skin, as the oats in it is soothing

[regine_phalange]

I agree with phoe, olive oil is a miracle...

[Phoe]

I agree with phoe, olive oil is a miracle...

 

I use it for everything!! Haha

 

 

I have a cute squirt bottle filled with it in my bathroom to use as makeup remover, spot moisturizing, take just a drop and smooth it over the ends of my hair, rub it into my cuticles, I even rub it onto my legs in the summer when I'm at the beach or just lounging in the yard, tans my skin fast.

 

 

Just that squirt bottle alone replaces soooo many other more expensive and less effective products!

[regine_phalange]

I use it for everything!! Haha

 

 

I have a cute squirt bottle filled with it in my bathroom to use as makeup remover, spot moisturizing, take just a drop and smooth it over the ends of my hair, rub it into my cuticles, I even rub it onto my legs in the summer when I'm at the beach or just lounging in the yard, tans my skin fast.

 

 

Just that squirt bottle alone replaces soooo many other more expensive and less effective products!

 

Yes! I also use it for the skin of my feet and for the cuticles. For the face. For legs. For hair.

 

For removing the makeup I use almond oil, but olive is oil very good too!

 

Oh , also jojoba was great on fighting an horde of tiny hard white pimples on my forehead. In some days it dried them and they fell off! Never came back.

[Phoe]

Oh , also jojoba was great on fighting an horde of tiny hard white pimples on my forehead. In some days it dried them and they fell off! Never came back.

 

I used to use jojoba as a facial moisturizer! My skin was so transformed. Helped prevent so many pimples by moisturizing my skin so effectively, my skin didn't need to produce it's own oil, and my skin didn't dry out and slough off to clog my pores! I ended up putting a few drops of tea tree oil and lavender oil the bottle and giving it to my mom to help her heal up a scabby unhappy surgery scar.

 

 

Now I want to order a bottle of jojoba. Mmmmm

[thefooloftheyear]

Couple of things...

 

How is your diet?

 

Do you smoke or excessively drink?

 

 

Most of the other posters mentioned very effective and practical ways of dealing with the problem..Whole house humidifiers work very well...Certain soaps and detergents are also problematic..

 

Try not to take long and very hot showers as well..They feel great this time of year, but they arent real good for skin health..

 

TFY

[GoreSP]

I started washing my face with oil.

I **** you not.

 

Different mixes for different skin types...I have oily sensitive skin so I use Coconut oil with a little almond oil.

You could probably use mostly almond oil if your skin is so dry.

 

1) spread some oil on your face and massage for maybe a minute.

2) take a washcloth dipped in hot water (as hot as you can stand) and put it over your face.

3) wait until the washcloth cools and wipe the oil off your face.

4) repeat 2 or three times.

 

I know it sounds ridiculous - but it actually cleanses really well and isn't leaving your skin dried off because oil has no astringent like soap does...

 

edit: this will work only if you don't wash your face with soap...at all....

[jimloveslips]

I use it for everything… I rub it into my...

 

Thanks to everyone for the tips, and many thanks to Phoe for the shower and oil images… xx

 

It sucks getting old.

[RightThere]

Aveeno oatmeal oil.

 

Tried this. It burns!!!!! It was lotion version so not sure if there is just an oil one.

 

But I also have crazy sensitive skin. So many "dermatology preferred" kinds irritate my skin.

[jimloveslips]

Actually the hot showers thing maybe a big solution.

I'm usually better at the weekend when I miss the first morning shower.

 

I'm going try a few navy showers and see how things go.

[d0nnivain]

Tried this. It burns!!!!! It was lotion version so not sure if there is just an oil one. .

 

 

While I swear by the oil, I found the lotion to be abrasive.

[jimloveslips]

Well I have a week off, so plenty of time to get oiled up!

[FitChick]

Get a humidifier or put a pan of water on the radiator.

[Els]

My dermatologist pointed me to a study that cites aqueous cream as the best moisturizer, period.

 

Give it a shot, it's like $10 at the pharmacy.

[loveju]

Please apply one of any given tips for your dry skin

1. Before going to take bath, massage your skin with warm olive, coconut or almond oil. Rub the oil on your hands and gently massage it on your legs, arms, back, scalp, feet, and rest of body. Stay in sunlight for 15 to 30 minutes during these winter days. Your pores in your skin will open up and absorb the oil.

2. You can also use Vitamin E capsules for your dry skin. Cut two capsule and squeeze out their oil and mix some drop of lemon juice and apply it to your skin.

3. Take a cup of yogurt and apply it as massage to your skin, leave it for some minutes before heading to shower.

4. Aloe vera gel is also useful. Rub some gel on your face and skin and leave it for few minutes and then take bath.

[Pretty.in.Pink]

Baby oil!

 

I use it on my wet skin right after I shower. I had tried Lubriderm, Aveeno, Aquaphor, etc. You name it...I tried it this winter, and nothing was working. Tried baby oil out of desperation and rediscovered why I was such a huge fan in college.

[HokeyReligions]

I get it on my hands and it seems to get worse as I get older (now it's even in the summer).

 

I've seen a couple of specialists but they really offer nothing. I've found that there isn't one fix that works long term. If I do find something, it seems to work for a while, then lose it's effectiveness. Then I'm left looking for something else that works but doesn't irritate my skin.

 

Ditto me. What has worked best for me long term is baby oil with aloe. After I shower I use it heavily and just blot dry with a towel. My face will feel oily for a while but then it absorbs in. Another thing that has helped me is Desitin (for baby diaper rash) I have mild rosacea and it helps better than some of the prescription meds.

[flowingmane]

OP, I'd work on nutrition, not the outside exclusively. Sounds like you may not be getting the right nutrients for your skin. Vitamin E, healthy fats, omega 3s, BioSil, etc. Check with a good nutritionist and ask about eating for dry skin.

 

Also try the new Cetaphil SA. Good luck

[MissBee]

Vaseline is actually bad for skin! It is a skin protectant, which means it creates a barrier over skin, but that it doesn't moisturize. If you lock it in over skin that's already dry, your skin will just come out drier.

 

Anything with petrolatum, mineral oil or any similar derivative should be avoided.

 

 

I'm a big fan of using pure oils to do heavy duty moisturizing. Jojoba and even just some olive oil will do the skin wonders. If I wanna give my feet some heavy duty skin pampering, I'll slather them up in olive oil, Saran Wrap them, then put socks on and sleep like that.

 

 

If oiling yourself up is unappealing, a good drugstore lotion would be aveeno creamy moisturizing oil. It's got sesame, oat, and almond oils. Has a light almondy scent to it. I use it everyday after showering and my skin is happy. It's also great if you've got sensitive skin or eczema prone skin, as the oats in it is soothing

 

Coconut oil is also really good!

 

I don't have really dry skin, I just get ordinary amounts of dryness, but in the winter I tend to start my moisturizing from in the shower. I had eczema as a child, I outgrew it, but I remember all the stuff that was done to me. For starters: don't use regular soaps as they can be super drying not to mention when you're using lots of hot water. As a child they would use this emulsifying soap free cleanser on me that looked like ointment in a tub, but you rubbed it on a wash cloth and showered with it instead of soap. I don't remember the name and I'm sure it was a local product anyway.

 

But I would recommend using a soap-free moisturizing cleanser to shower with in the shower, Aveeno makes their colloidal oatmeal wash, Dermalogica also makes a soap free conditioning body wash, Sebamed also has a soap free non-drying sensitive skin cleanser. In the winter I use an in-shower body lotion, I use the one from Olay, or I use some kind of bath oil in the shower. After I cleanse with soap/soap-free cleanser I rub the Olay In-shower lotion or an oil all over like you would a body wash and then rinse off, and I rinse in cool water, as that locks in moisture and isn't as drying as hot water. My skin always feels super soft after and I can opt not to even put on lotion after, but I still do esp during winter.

 

When I get out of the shower I use a mixture of whatever body lotion I have on hand, right now I'm using Curel and I mix that with all natural raw shea butter. I lotion with the more liquidy lotion first then seal it all in by rubbing the shea butter on top and that usually helps me to stay moisturized. I also agree with the poster who recommended attending to your nutrition as well. Keeping hydrated for example can also help with dry skin from the inside out.

Edited December 31, 2013 by MissBee

[Khyla]

I always get chronic dry skin in the winter.

I'm actually on a prescription for my shins which break out into blister like patches - sorry I forgot to write down what it is - which does clear it up, but I get dry itchy skin all over.

I've done lubraderm, vaseline, Aquaphor, cocoa butter and a load of others - right now I'm using a Vitamin C oil which is reducing but not stopping the symptoms.

 

My skin looks like a dried out river bed!

 

I've been on WebMD and a couple of health sites, but nothing seems to work.

 

Anyone found a permanent solution (ha, solution, get it?).

 

Thanks.

 

 

Olive oil is great, by all means use it when you dont mind that you smell like a salad.

 

Another one guaranteed to make you smell like a salad but is a miracle cure-all for skin problems is apple cider vinegar.---Seriously!

 

My hubby had skin so dry one year that when he took his clothes off it looked as if they had been rollling in sand! Soaking in a quart of apple cider vinegar added to his bath was the only remedy that worked.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Khyla