How to Banish Dry Skin For Good
Dry skin is an uncomfortable condition often accompanied by scaling, itchiness, and cracking skin. It occurs for a variety of reasons; some have naturally dry skin and even if your skin tends to be oily you can still develop dry skin from time to time. It is certainly no fun, and especially in this cold winter weather where temperature drops can wreak havoc on your skin. This article shares some of our favorite tips, tricks and products to use during the winter months to keep your skin hydrated and feeling fresh.
What are the best lotions to combat dry skin?
This is actually a bit of a trick question. When it comes to selecting products to protect your skin from dryness and cold weather, ointments and creams are much more hydrating than lotions. You can usually identify ointments quickly as they have the consistency of Vasline. Creams typically come in a tub container versus a pump bottle and are heavier than lotion. Most people prefer creams over ointments as they don’t feel as heavy on the skin. Lotions are mostly water and while they make the skin feel moist, this is fleeting as the water quickly evaporates. However, ointments and creams leave a thin film of oil on the skin that helps retain moisture in the skin. This is why they work better than lotions at truly moisturizing the skin. Fragrance-free ointments and creams are going to be a better choice since they are less irritating for sensitive skin and won’t set off any allergies to fragrances.
We recommend Cerave creams for the body, particularly the Cerave Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream if the dryness is also causing some symptoms of itchy skin.
When is the best time to apply my products - morning or night?
The best time to apply your moisturizers is when you are fresh out of the shower. During your morning routine, first apply your serum and moisturizer, then after this has been absorbed into your skin make sure to apply sunscreen before you leave the house (one of our favorites is the EltaMD SPF 46 Sunscreen, it is great for everyday use and is very soothing).
The added layer of sunscreen will give an additional moisturizing effect and protect you from those UV rays – which are hitting us regardless of season or time of year/day (yes, you need sunscreen every day even in the winter for full protection from the elements. Wear gloves too, and keep a pocket hand moisturizer for use throughout the day – gloves and a good hand cream go a long way to keeping your hands from getting dry cracked skin.
At nighttime it’s good to use an overnight mask or ointment two to three times a week; this gives your skin lots of hydration and helps you wake up feeling fresh. Masks that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid are going to be great for re-hydrating your skin overnight. NEOCUTIS Hyalis Hydrating Serum contains hyaluronic acid and is a great one to soothe your skin if it’s feeling very dry. Vitamin C is another essential ingredient to make sure you’re getting enough of, it is an antioxidant and helps to protect against free radicals that cause premature aging.
What else can I do?
Stay hydrated! The old saying '8 glasses of water a day keeps the doctor away' is no joke, it is very true! Drinking lots of water on a daily basis will help your skin stay hydrated plus help flush unwanted toxins out of your system.
Dry skin commonly affects the face, hands, arms, and legs. In many cases, lifestyle changes and over-the-counter moisturizers are all you need to treat it, however, if you find the treatments suggested in this article aren’t working then contact us to see a skin specialist at Idaho Skin Institute. Sometimes dryness can be more extreme, or a symptom of a more serious skin concern such as psoriasis or rosacea.