Any good cures for very dry skin?

[XNemesisX]

Originally posted by tiki

Maybe you're using too much crap. Shower every day, but put more time in between showers. For instance...shower Monday morning, then shower Tuesday night. Then Thursday morn. It's like your skin doesn't even have time or means to produce it's own natural oils. Hell....idunno. Sounds like you're using a lot of crap tho.

 

That's an idea...I still think I couldn't bare the thought of not showering every single day, but maybe I could try the Monday morning/Tuesday night routine. I could do that.

 

Originally posted by Blind Otter

I read through this whole thread. How is your diet? Do you get enough EFAs? Are you on like a low fat diet? There are skin and ahir vitamins you can take.

 

My diet is not the greatest. It is probably a pretty low fat diet...I don't really eat much at all. Usually I just eat one meal a day to be honest. I just don't have much of an appetite. Where can I find these vitamins? Do you think that would help the dry skin problem?

 

Also, never shower longer than 5 minutes (the longer you are in the shower, the more it dries out your skin) and moisturize right after you get out.

 

This is what gets me. I am BIG on looooong very hot showers.

[blind_otter]

Originally posted by XNemesisX

My diet is not the greatest. It is probably a pretty low fat diet...I don't really eat much at all. Usually I just eat one meal a day to be honest. I just don't have much of an appetite. Where can I find these vitamins? Do you think that would help the dry skin problem?

 

This is what gets me. I am BIG on looooong very hot showers.

 

Health food stores have great vitamins....also olay has a new in-shower moisturizer you might wanna try. And eat more, dammit!

[jacquelyn]

My baby cousin had really dry skin that was peeling off her body. It was so sad. But when they took her to the doctor, he recommended that she use Cetaphil Cream. It's not too greasy and it stays on for a long time. What I normally do is, right after every shower, I pat myself dry with a towel, then immediately apply the cream on all over my body. I don't miss a day without apply any of it on. So maybe this will help you also.

[brashgal]

...and this is your surrogate mother speaking - stop smoking!!! It causes wrinkles and probably isn't helping your dry skin.

[moimeme]

My diet is not the greatest. It is probably a pretty low fat diet...I don't really eat much at all. Usually I just eat one meal a day to be honest. I just don't have much of an appetite. Where can I find these vitamins? Do you think that would help the dry skin problem?

 

This is what gets me. I am BIG on looooong very hot showers

 

Both the lack of eating and the long hot showers are causing the damage. It's kind of goofy to do damage and then have to fix it, no? So try a) eating and b) not having looooooong very hot showers.

 

Man complains to doctor 'when I hit my head with this hammer, it hurts'

Doctor says 'stop hitting your head with the hammer'

 

Expect my bill in the mail.

[Craig]

XNem, dry skin can be caused (as mentioned already) by a lack of essential fatty acids (EFAs). There are two essential fatty acids (we used to think there were three). They are omega-6 EFA, which is called linoleic acid. Good sources of linoleic acid are poly-unsaturated safflower, sunflower and corn oils. and omega-3 EFA, is called alpha-linolenic acid a good source is flax seeds or flax oil. An interesting note regarding alpha-linolenic acid is that as a person ages they are less able to make use of the alpha form and should supplement their diet with the gamma form (instead of the alpha) coincidently call gamma-linolenic acid. A good source of gamma-linolenic acid is Borage Oil. All of these can be found at a health food store.

 

Some research suggests that dietary EFA supplementation may help people with dyslexia, ADHD and a host of other problems as well as dry skin.

 

XNem, do me a favor and take your oral temperature in the day time say between 10 am and 3 pm. If it's below 98.0 (yes 97.9 is below) take that information to your doctor, she'll know what to do to help you--it's nothing to worry about.

 

I think you were tested for diabetes recently correct? Do you recall which tests they did?

 

Do you find yourself feeling angry or happy or lethargic or confused for no particular reason? (No I'm not thinking anything like bipolar, LOL)

[XNemesisX]

Hey Craig~

Thanks for the input. I have been repeatedly checked for diabetes. It would take about 4 hours I believe, and they woudl have me drink this very sweet drink after fasting and then my blood was drawn every hour. Each time, my blood sugar has been normal. I still feel like I have all of the symptoms of diabetes (especially with my neverending thirst I have had a problem with and feelings of being disoriented but my tests never show I have a problem).

 

So I should just take my temp in the morning/afternoon and have my doctor look at that? What could that show?

 

Do you find yourself feeling angry or happy or lethargic or confused for no particular reason? (No I'm not thinking anything like bipolar, LOL)

 

Yep...this was another reason I thought that I could be diabetic. I can feel VERY disoriented. I also feel very tired and exhausted a lot.

 

I have been taking Effexor 150 mg but I guess I should note that I stopped taking my medicine recently (without the help of my doctor, I know I know... )

 

I was just sick of the dry mouth and other side effects and I basically just didn't think I needed to take my meds anymore. I was tired of having to remember to take them.

 

I'm starting to think my doctor thinks I am a hyperchondriac. I have had every kind of test done under the sun...everything from my thyroid, to diabetes, to liver functioning has all been checked. HIV, the whole nine yards. Time and time again, my tests show I am healthy. Which is why I was eventually just put on more antidepressants and sent on my way.

 

Also, I do know that I have VERY low blood pressure. Something like 101/52 something to that degree..the last time it was checked. I don't think this is a bad thing though, right?

I also have very low cholesterol. But like I have said, I'm just not a big eater and I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit (at least now I do) but not much meat.

 

I don't think any of this has anything to do with my dry skin. I have skipped a shower today because of some suggestions on here. I still find eating to be hard, not sure how to make myself eat when I'm not hungry. Antideps did nothing to help that for some reason so maybe my problem is not a chem imbalance that meds can cure.

 

Whew...sorry this was so long. So should I go to the health food store and find this supplement that older people take?

[mental_traveller]

Have you tried Aqueous cream? An ex of mine used it and found it worked, when moisturisers etc didn't.

[RecordProducer]

I use Panthenol cream for the dry parts of my face. It's pure vitamin B (one of them). Go-ogle it. It regenerates the skin amazingly. E.g. if my lips are totally dry, I put it once or twice and they become totally soft and tender within a day. I used it for my nipples when I was nursing my babies. They'd hurt like hell and the Panthenol would cure them in a few hours. It's magical. I still use it regularly. Ask in the drug stores.

[dawn duval]

this is a weird one -- a dermatologist once told me put mineral oil all over after showering. It's really really oily and gets on everything -- makes my books all oily and stuff.

 

It's cheap as hell -- about $2. It took me forever to find because they store it in the laxative section!! I was appalled/embarassed at first, but it does work well for dryness, used externally. Makes my skin plump up too, looking younger.

[This_Too_Shall_Pass]

A few observations and suggestions -

 

1) Anti-D's can make your mouth go dry. It's called the anti-cholinergic effect. It depends on the type of anti-D though, ask your doc about it.

 

2) I don't know your age, but if you're in your mid 30s or older, it could be menopausal symptoms. If not, it still could be a hormonal imbalance.

 

3) Get your thyroid checked.

 

4) Even if it's none of the above, you really owe it to yourself to eat three healthy meals per day!!

 

5) If you tolerate dairy products well, get some milk / yogurt everyday. Really, not all fat-free stuff is good! I drink milk with 2% fat. It's necessary to get some fat and enough carbs in your diet. Believe me, your diet will make all the difference.

 

6) Take multivitamins and minerals daily. Alpha and Gamma linoleic (ALA and GLA) will help, but I believe vitamin E is the best. I take natural vitamin E, 400 I.U. everyday.

 

7) Ah...excercise!! It will work wonders for your skin, absolutely! Get into a gym routine or something 3-4 times a week. That goes with your shower routine too!

 

8) Cut down your caffeine intake a bit. Or, drink tea instead of coffee.

 

:whew:...hope I didn't tire you out!! Just can't help passing around some health advice, that's just me

 

Hopefully you'll find something useful out of this!!

[This_Too_Shall_Pass]

Er....one more thing. Are you taking medications for any other ailment? Certain drugs, like benzodiapenes (used in some anti-Ds) can cause some of these symptoms.

 

Do you take cold medicine - Sudafed or something? It's easy to get habituated, and some people I know take one everday! To keep themselves "on the go". Pseudo-ephedrin (sudafed) will most likely cause all this.

 

Any drug you're taking for asthma, or other anti-allergy medications could also be the culprit.

 

 

Oh well...didn't want to leave any loose ends from my side!!

[Lil Honey]

As ThisToShallPass said, get your thyroid checked.

 

I live in Michigan, as does AlphaMale. My hands get very dry and chapped in the winter. The very best thing that works for me is to put a nice coat of Desitin (baby butt cream) on my hands. Sometimes I use a 50/50 mix of that and petroleum jelly. By morning my hands are A LOT better. The Desitin helps heal them and the petro jelly helps soften them.

 

Try drinking more milk or eating more yogurt.

 

Do a Google about milk bathes. I think that is an old home remedy that is supposed to work.

[New_Wife]

I see that someone else already posted on the Palmers Cocoa Buttuer Cream. I've got to second that motion!

 

I'm allergic to lanolin (the ingredient in most lotions) and have exema. I spent years trying to slather the lotion on, only to turn even scalier as a result. Sucked big time!

 

So, now I use one of those funky scrubby things in the shower, dry off mildly, and then slather on either shea butter (pure), cocoa butter, bag balm or tiger balm. The last two were originaly suggested when I was breast feeding for some hard core beat up nipples - but I tell you what - they work like an absolute dream on the dry skin.

 

You also want to change that diet a bit. Even if you just nibble on some veggies or fruit during the day, you're putting a little more vitamins in your system and giving your body what it needs.

[sarah12]

For your hands, try vaseline over night but wear GLOVES on them. Not your regular winter mitts, but the ones you can get at health/beauty supply stores that are so light you barely feel them when you're sleeping. Your hands will feel like silk in the morning.