Dry skin can be an uncomfortable position to beat. It can sometimes seem like you’re always uncomfortable, especially if your dry skin is also sensitive. If you’re looking for some relief, let’s check out some tried and true advice for keeping dry skin from taking over your life.
Keep your shower from making things worse
When your skin is dry, you can’t keep up the same shower routine all year long. In the winter, when the humidity drops, your skin will be way more prone to dryness, so one of your first orders of business will be to adapt your routine to the weather.
Although it might be tempting to take steaming hot showers during cold winters, it’s essential to resist! Choose warm showers instead, so you don’t dry out your skin with the heat. You can compound the benefits of warm showers by keeping them 5-10 minutes long and only using a small amount of fragrance-free cleanser. When you get out of the shower, resist the urge to scrub yourself with a towel and instead gently pat down, and immediately reach for a thick moisturizer as soon as you turn off the spray.
Always use lip balm
Lip balm is good for everyone, but it’s essential for the person with dry skin! Make sure you carry a lip balm with you at all times. Make it part of your regular skincare routine, putting it on when you apply your moisturizer in the morning and night.
Skip the fragrance
While some shampoos, body washes, and lotions smell divine, the chemical fragrances in these products can irritate dry skin and dry it out further. Seek out fragrance-free products for sensitive skin instead to keep away flakes and irritation.
If a perfume is part of your regimen, consider switching to a solid perfume or perfume oil, which will contain less alcohol and be less drying.
Always choose gloves
One of the first places you’ll notice dry skin is on your hands. When the skin on your hands becomes too dry, it can crack and even bleed. You may see this most frequently in winter, but it may also become a problem when you wash your hands too often or work with your hands and are frequently in contact with chemicals or greases.
No matter the situation, when you’re exposed to any of these things, make sure you wear gloves! Keep some warm winter gloves available in the cold and rubber or work gloves available for when you need to work with your hands.
Keep the air moist
If you live in a place with low humidity, it can worsen the flaking and cracking of your skin. To combat this, invest in a humidifier for your home. It will keep the water circulating in the air and keep your skin from painful irritation.
Dry skin can be a huge hassle, and if you’d like some more profound guidance in taking care of it, contact one of our board-certified dermatologists today. An appointment at Advanced Dermatology’s New York or New Jersey offices can help you find your way to the skin you deserve!