Treating dry skin does not have to be a mystery. To take care of your condition permanently you must first determine what is causing your skin to dry out and then buy the right products to address the issue. Early intervention and consistency is key, so be sure to stick to your skin care routine at all costs. Doing so will not only cure dry skin, it will prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Before we look at the products for dry skin, let’s look at some reasons why your skin could be lacking in moisture. It is only after you have a good idea of what is causing your dry skin that you can actually formulate a plan to cure it. Here are a few of the major causes of itchy, flaky skin:
* Medical condition – There are several medical conditions that can cause dry skin. Some of these conditions include Thyroid disease, Hodgkin’s disease, diabetes and liver failure. In order to treat a skin condition when a medical cause is present, you should first address the medical issue. In many cases, controlling the medical concern is enough to bring the skin back into balance. If not, you may want to consider hydrating your skin with the skin care products mentioned below.
* Dehydration – Did you know that the majority of people are dehydrated and do not even know it? To stay fully hydrated, you must drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day. This number increases dramatically if you are physically active or if the weather is extremely hot. Remember; your skin is hydrated internally. If your body lacks the water to do this, your skin will suffer and become dry.
* Weather – Cold and harsh weather can zap the moisture right out of your skin. You may also experience dry skin during the winter months due to your heating system. Be sure to cover all exposed skin before going outdoors and use a humidifier inside your home.
* Bathing – Hot water and soap all work to remove dirt, debris and oil from your skin. The only problem is that bathing also removes the oil that is responsible for keeping moisture in your skin. To reduce the effect that bathing has on your dry skin, bathe in tepid water and use moisturizers afterward.
* Medications – Certain medications and medical treatments can result in dry skin. Be sure to talk to your doctor about the possibility of this. He or she may be able to give you some pointers on how to counteract this side effect of treatment.
The Most Popular Dry Skin Products
Once you know what is causing your dry skin, it is time to find a product to hydrate it. There are many products out on the market so it can be a little confusing to choose the right ones for your needs.
Here is a brief guide to help you out:
* Basic lotions – Basic lotions are ideal for use after showering or several times throughout the day. They are not good for chronic dry skin conditions or for spot treatments. The Sweet Grass Farm Shea Butter Lotion sold by Dogwood Square is suitable for hands and body. It contains shea butter and olive oil, a powerful combination of moisture and natural antioxidants. This lotion gets rave reviews for its rich creamy texture and moisturizing abilities.
* Silicone lotions – These lotions are great for the hands and feet. They protect the skin against the elements by forming a silicone layer. This is ideal for people who have to wash their hands a lot.
* Body butter – Body butter is an intense moisturizing cream that is best used for dry skin spots or as a weekly treatment. You can use this intense treatment on tough spots throughout the day, but you should avoid applying it to the rest of your skin on a regular basis as it can cause greasiness.
* Medicated creams – Are used by people who have a recurring dry skin condition that will not heal. These creams are most often used by diabetics who are facing several skin issues including infection.
Curing dry skin is easily done if you know which products to use. If you use the wrong products, you will likely not get the results that you desire. Keep in mind that what works for your friend may not work for you. Everyone has different skin and each skin type requires a different kind of treatment.
Sometimes, the best way to find the perfect products is through trial and error. Take advantage of trial offers, and if a product does not cure your dry skin, do not hesitate to return it for a refund or exchange.
By: Della Franklin
There is no secret to a natural treatment for psoriasis; it’s as simple as caring for your skin. Reading the labels of the skin care products you use and knowing the ingredients is the starting point for care for your psoriasis. For any natural treatment for psoriasis there are things that you need to consider.
You begin your natural treatment for psoriasis with a skin cleaner that is very gentle. Anything too harsh will only exacerbate the scaling and increase the discomfort of your psoriasis. The cleanser you use should be one the completely cleans your skin of dirt and makeup and does not leave your skin feeling oily.
While the majority of skin care lines do have exfoliates, many of these products are much to harsh for anyone with psoriasis or any other form of inflamed skin. Exfoliates such as those with ground up apricot pits should be avoided, while exfoliates with oatmeal, sugar, or Epsom salt are gentle enough for regular use. They are good for removing the dirt, make up and flaky skin; yet as a natural treatment for psoriasis they will not hurt your already sensitive skin.
As important as good and consistent cleaning of your skin is, you need to be equally careful when it comes to moisturizing your skin. Everyone, especially someone with psoriasis, should moisturize all parts of their skin especially the rough and dry patches. For psoriasis suffers the moisturizing will help to prevent both cracks and sores from developing.
While most of your local drug stores will not have over-the-counter products for the natural treatment for psoriasis they will have a number of skin care products that are very beneficial for helping to control your psoriasis. Skin care products with plant or mineral oils or cocoa butter can be applied topically to the rough and dry patches, if not all over the entire body, to help with itching and dryness that is so noticeable with psoriasis.
You may not be aware and it may seem strange to you, but a great natural treatment for psoriasis is coal tar. These tars come in a variety of forms and in many products, including creams (moisturizers), shampoos, gels, and soaps. These tar products tend to enhance the effect of ultra violet light (a moderate amountof sun) and are beneficial to the dryness and skin lesions.
Psoriasis suffers need to be especially careful that the skin care products they use, cleansers or moisturizers ‘Do Not’ have the ingredients of perfumes or alcohol as these will dry and crack the skin.
“Good” moisturizers for psoriasis suffers tend to be creams that are thick and rich enough to keep moisture directly on the skin and should be applied after showers while the skin is still wet. The moisturizer or lotion should then continue to be reapplied many times during the course of the day.
Now even though sunlight is somewhat good for psoriasis, too much sunlight, not to mention a sunburn, is not good for psoriasis. To much sun will cause drying, cracking and sores to the skin. With skin care for psoriasis you need to find a moisturizer with sunscreen. If a good moisturizer with sunscreen cannot be found, then you need to find a good, gentle sunscreen that is non-drying and is free of perfume.
Some psoriasis suffers find that a simpler natural treatment for psoriasis often works very well. That of taking cool water baths and adding such natural ingredients as Epsom salts, oils, or even oatmeal to the water. The resulting bath calms the inflammation of the skin and eliminates itching.
By: Mike Herman