This weather is doing a number on my skin, any dry skin remedies?

[3tbear]

We must live in the coldest place, besides people who live in Alaska, and my skin shows it. It is so dry. I put moisturizer on it, and the next minute, it looks dry again. Help! Are there any great moisturizers out there that I should try? I'm thinking maybe if I just slathered cocoa butter on my face, but I'm wondering if that would be too greasy.

[tlspiegel]

- Keep the heat turned down as low as possible.
- Moisture in the house with a humidifier.
- Put lotions/creams/moisturizers on damp skin.
-Stay out of the wind - or protect your face with a scarf.
- Crazy as it sounds - Crisco is a great moisturizer for the face. My grandmother used it and at age 103 she had the skin of a very young woman.

[cujo0123]

I don't know what I would do without my humidifier. Mine is a warm air humidifier. It stays in my room. If I forget to turn it on I wake up with a dry mouth and dry skin. Even my dog benefits from it. He gets very dry, flaky, itchy skin when I forget to turn it on. He scratches so much he will wake me up and once I turn it on he stops about an hour after. I bought the 3rd to the cheapest model at Wal-Mart and I'm happy with it.
Drink lots of water too. If you are dehydrated, which most people are and don't realize it, your skin will be dry.
I choose lotion for extra dry skin and I make sure it does not have alcohol in the ingredients because it dries out the skin.
Hot showers and long showers draw moisture away from the skin.
Check your body wash/soap and make sure there is no alcohol in them either.
If you can go to a salon that has paraffin treatments that will help too. You can buy the stuff for it at beauty supply stores too.
I also cover my vents in my bedroom with wet towels so moisten the air that is coming in. I have to keep wetting them but on the real cold nights when the heat runs more often it really makes a huge difference.
I use baby oil to shave with because it is moisturizing. Shave creams have alcohol in them.
Perfume can also be drying for the same reason.
Put lotion in rubber gloves and wear the gloves for a while. It won't help all of your skin but it helps with dry hands.
If you have severe dry skin you may want to see a dermatologist or your doctor, it could be some kind of medical condition causing your dry skin.

[MrsLisaP]

My mom has severe dry skin (bleeding and cracking), and has seen a dermatologist several times, he recommended curel brand lotion, and she has used it for years now and it does wonders for her! My uncle recently came up from Texas (he is a welder and rancher, so he spends all his time working hard and outside) with a severe dry hand problem, and my mom put a lotion called "Hands and Feet" on him, it's in a blue bottle with white letters, it is made to peel off dead skin- you rub it in and it literaly rubs the old skin off, then she put curel on them for him. He called a few days ago and told here it's a miracle and he hasn't had hands like this in 20 years!

[tlspiegel]

Cujo is right. Drink lots of water. I remember in another thread 3t - you said you didn't drink much water. Not juices or pop. Drink water. It will amaze you how much your skin will love it.

Hands and Feet sounds similar to a product I by at Sally's. It's called Perfect Feet and it works magic on any skin. Face, hands, elbows, feet. Sloughs all dead skin - refreshing peppermint sloughing lotion. One 8 oz bottle lasts for years and years. The smaller amount used the better it works.

I quit using shaving creams a long time ago. I use any kind of left over hair moisturizer (the kind you rinse out).

[cujo0123]

I used to use hair conditioner to shave with but the baby oil is cheaper and seems to keep my skin from drying out for a longer time than the conditioner.

[tlspiegel]

Cujo... so right again! I buy cheaper than baby oil - mineral oil. Baby oil may have perfumes, and I then to allergic reactions. One other thing is when the blade is lubricated with lotion/oil/cream it stays sharp for a very long time.

[3tbear]

Ok, I've been drinking a ton of water, but my skin is still really dry, but then the weather outside, well, let me just say, it's not a heat wave, it is -1 degree. Maybe that has something to do with it? I'm going to try all of your solutions though. Thanx!

That's the only thing we don't need in this house, a humidifier. The air is so damp, we get mold because of it. It's only my face that is super dry. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the surgery I just had which I'm guessing it might.

[cujo0123]

Good luck!

[cata5]

Cetaphil for your face. There is a face lotion, but I just bought the regular stuff to combat some dry red patches. Recommended by my dr.

[worshipfulheart]

Emu oil! I usually have rather oily skin but since I have moved to Washington I find I am having trouble with exzema (sp?). I have been putting emu oil on after every shower while my skin is still damp and I use it on my hands every time I wash my hands or do the dishes, It has been wonderful. Not only that but it is natural and good for you. You have to remember that your skin is an organ and will absorb for your liver to process everything that you put on it. All the moisturizers with chemicals are not good for your skin or your body.
Since I have been using the emu oil my exzema has cleared up and my skin feels great.
God Bless!!
Angela <><

[cujo0123]

Your skin does not absorb everything. It is actually very hard for your skin to absorb things unless the product is made just right. Your skin is waterproof in a way and very few things can be absorbed through the skin because of that. Thats why not all meds can be delivered with a patch or cream.

[PiercedGecko]

It's kind of pricey (about $16 for a 9 oz tub), but I've just started using The Body Shop's Body Butter for my skin. I've noticed a difference when I use it as soon as I'm out of the shower. It also smells yummy, I have it in papaya.

[tlspiegel]

3T, I'd bet a lot of the dryness has to do with the surgery, swelling, and anything associated with your procedure. You also were bandaged for a while and that might have exacerbated the problem. Keep drinking water, because it takes several days for results.

In addition, it might be a stress - due to the anxiety prior and after the surgery. Plus the cold weather and indoor heating. Also many places aren't ventilated properly so fresh air isn't at a premium this time of year where you live.

[cata5]

You might be interesetd in this:

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John Ewoldt: Not-so-pricey cures for what ails dry skin
John Ewoldt, Star Tribune
Published January 29, 2004JE29
Dr. Spencer Holmes, a dermatologist at Park Nicollet Clinic in St. Louis Park, can cure his patients' dry skin in less than one day. His Rx: Arrive in Hawaii in the morning and you'll have moist skin by 4 p.m., he said.

If Hawaii isn't on your itinerary, there are other ways to minimize dry skin. But don't expect to eliminate it. Winter is a difficult time because of low humidity. There's little moisture in the air for the skin to absorb and it evaporates quickly. A humidity level of 40 percent is ideal, Holmes said, but many homes may be closer to 20 percent during the heating season. Drinking more water, although it won't hurt, won't help much, either, said Holmes.

Unless you're wintering in the rain forest, moisturizers are the answer.

Moisturizers generally come in three types -- vanishing creams/lotions, emollients and ointments, said Jeffrey Potter, a compounding pharmacist who owns Clinical and Consulting Apothecaries in Ohio. Many creams typically contain water, glycerin, urea or glycol, ingredients that help the product vanish into the skin. They don't feel greasy, but aren't a very effective barrier. Examples include Aveeno, St. Ives Extra Relief Collagen Elastin, and Vanicream.

Emollients, which are usually thicker than creams, are better for treating dry winter skin. Typically, they include mineral oil, petrolatum or lanolin in small amounts. Examples include Eucerin, Lubriderm and the "udder" products such as Bag Balm, Dr. Naylor Udder Balm and Corona. Holmes said Corona Udder Butter is the product that many of his patients prefer, partly because of its mild fragrance. It can be special-ordered from Walgreens or other pharmacies.

Ointments contain larger amounts of mineral oil, petrolatum or lanolin. Although they offer the best skin protection, they're greasy. Examples include Vaseline and Aquaphor.

Cheap fix

Holmes, an admitted penny-pincher, said the best moisturizers are often the cheapest. If you're paying for brands found in health food stores, specialty gift shops or cosmetic counters, you're overpaying, he said. Stick with Eucerin, Aquaphor, Cetaphil, Curel and Vanicream for products that do a good job without costing as much as those sold as cosmetics.

Store brands can be good buys, but it's trial and error. Wal-Mart has the largest selection of store brands, including its own versions of Aveeno, Eucerin, Lubriderm and Vaseline Intensive Care at less than half the price of the name brands. I tried Walgreens' version of Aveeno and found it watery. I returned it for a refund, tried it again a year later and it was fine. Target also sells a couple of store brand moisturizers like Vaseline Intensive Care, but the discounter has been cutting back on its store brands overall.

Determining a favorite moisturizer is subjective. Popular products may not work for everyone. Problems may occur -- the scent may be offensive, the texture too greasy or the absorption too fast or slow. But you needn't have a shelf full of rejects. Save your receipt and return products you don't like. Paula Begoun, the cosmetics guru who wrote "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me," encourages women to return cosmetics they don't like. It's the same principle with moisturizers. Buy the smallest container first, return it if you're unsatisfied, and buy the most economical size after you decide it's right for you.

Other options

What else can you do to combat dry skin?

Doctors recommend bathing less often. Holmes says it may be necessary to wash only the feet, crotch and under the arms. Some may want to cleanse with bath oil rather than soap or with a low-lather soap such as Aveeno, Purpose or Vanicream.

Those who like to take baths can add bath oil such as Keri or RoBathol to the water. Some oil will be removed when towel drying, so you may want to apply the oil directly to wet skin. Check labels first. Some products must be rinsed off. Also, note that bath oils can make the tub very slippery. Older or less agile users may need holding bars on the walls.

Lotions or creams also can be applied while the skin is still damp. If you have especially dry skin, towel off, then apply an emollient or ointment such as Eucerin or Aquaphor, which essentially lock in moisture.

The ointments, which leave a greasy sheen and feel, may best be saved for nighttime wear. Some people with dry, cracked hands and feet have found relief from wearing moisturizing gloves and booties to bed. The cotton, washable material is placed over the hands or feet after moisturizing. Although any thin cotton gloves or socks will work, specialty stores such as Ulta (Coon Rapids, Edina, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Roseville) and Bath & Body Works (various locations) sell fancier, pricier varieties. Moisturizing the hands or feet overnight can offer protection that lasts days.