Dry skin is common among many people. In most cases, it’s caused by environmental factors that remove moisture from the skin.
Dryness is mainly shown in patches on the ankles, hands, lower legs, arms, thighs, and abdomen. The following are ways to deal with dry skin and restore its moisture.
Moisturize Regularly
Moisturizing your skin after you bathe ensures that you lock in moisture and help return the natural oils removed. Lanolin cream is one of the best moisturizers recommended. It is a natural product produced by animals to protect their skin. For the face use an oil-free moisturizer. Apply a moisturizer immediately after a bath, do not leave the skin dry for long. At night apply a thicker layer of moisturizer and be sure to wear clothing to cover the skin.
Some of the best moisturizers are petroleum jelly and mineral oils since they don’t contain water. Emollients such as lauric acid and linoleic smoothen the skin by filling in the spaces between the cells. The improved results will be seen after a long period of routine moisturizing.
Be Gentle When Cleaning Your Skin
Have a 5-10 minutes shower daily. Bathing for longer than that may remove the layer of natural oils and lose the skin’s moisture. Use lukewarm water instead of hot water to retain natural oils. Lower the temperature of the showers and only use bathing soap indicated “for sensitive skin”, or use a mild soap.
After a bath dry your skin gently, vigorous rubbing can make the dryness worse as it irritates the skin. If possible air-dries or pats yourself using a clean and soft towel. Using hard water can irritate the skin as it contains large amounts of calcium. Treat your hard water so that it comes out calcium-free.
Protect Your Skin From Cold
When it’s cold the air gets cold and precipitates all the moisture out of the air. The moisture available on your skin is sucked out. Your hands are so much exposed to environmental irritants. The hands get irritated when you’re working outside and the temperature drops.
Wear insulated gloves when doing house chores or when outside, it minimizes skin irritation. Put on gloves when performing tasks that require constant wetting of the hands. When sitting around the fireplace during winter wear your gloves, a source of heat can dry your skin. Most people with dry skin tend to feel scratchy. The gloves will help you prevent scratching. Ensure that your skin is covered when it’s cold to avoid drying.
Use Fragrance-free Products
Deodorant soaps are too harsh for sensitive dry skin. Dermatologists recommend using fragrance-free products. Unscented products contain chemicals that can neutralize or hide odors of other ingredients.
The chemicals may irritate dry skin. To help the skin to retain its natural oils avoid products that contain alcohol, retinoids, fragrance, and Alpha-hydroxy Acid. Always ask if the product is fragrance-free before making a purchase.