Here are some tips to keeping your skin well-hydrated:
Drink water.
- Drink water to hydrate the skin.
Skip long, hot showers.
- Try to limit to a single 5 or 10 minute warm water shower or bath in a day because hot water strips oils from the skin faster than warm water. Taking long showers or baths actually lead to dried out skin.
Use a humidifier.
- Use a humidifier to add moisture into the air.
Use a gentle cleanser or shower gel with moisturizer.
- Use unscented, soap-free, or mild soap cleansers instead of harsh cleansers. Oatmeal baths (one brand name: Aveeno) may help to soothe dry skin. Some people prefer bath oils to help make their skin less dry. Note that the bath oils make the tub more slippery and hence more dangerous, so to avoid slipping and falling, apply the oil onto your skin after you get out of the bathtub. Plain baby oil works well.
Moisturize while skin is moist.
- Pat your skin with a towel, leaving it damp. This applies to after you shower, wash your face or hands. Apply a moisturizer within three to five minutes of washing to lock in moisture on your skin.
Put a moisturizer on your skin 3 or 4 times during the day. Put moisturizer on right after you wash or bathe. This will hold in the moisture from the water. If you have very dry hands, put petroleum jelly on them before you go to bed at night and sleep with your hands in cotton-lined gloves.
- Choose the appropriate moisturizer for your skin type.
Moisturizers work well to treat dry skin. Choose a moisturizer that is hypoallergenic (though it may say so on the label, you may want to look through the list of ingredients to make sure the moisturizer contains safe and natural ingredients that are truly hypoallergenic). The best moisturizers are also the most "gooey" ones. Ointments (or oils) make the best moisturizers, followed by creams, then lotions. Petroleum jelly (one brand name: Vaseline) is an excellent skin lubricant, but it can be messy to use.
- It’s not necessary to pay a fortune for a good, rich moisturizer. Read the label. Ingredients that may be helpful for dry skin include:
Ceramides
- Ceramides help the skin hold water and soothe dry skin. Although ceramides occur naturally in the outermost layer of our skin to allow our skin to appear smooth and glow, natural ceramides might be compensated as we age, thats why synthetic ceramides are used in moisturizers to mimic the natural substances to keep moisture in.
Hyaluronic acid
- Like ceramides, hyaluronic acid helps skin hold water.
Lanolin, mineral oil, and petroleum jelly
- These keep water in the skin that has been absorbed during bathing.
Dimethicone and glycerine
- These draw water to the skin and retain it there.
Be sure to apply sunscreen to areas of your body that are exposed to the sun during the day. Look for a sunscreen thats at least SPF 15.
References
1. Scott, Steven. APhA Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs: Chapter 33 Atopic Dermatitis and Dry Skin. 16th Edition, Washington DC: American Pharmacists Association, 2009.
2. American Academy of Dermatology. Dry Skin. 2011. Available at: http://www.aad.org/skin-conditions/dermatology-a-to-z/dry-skin. Accessed on September 30, 2011
3. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Dry Skin. November 2010. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dry-skin/DS00560. Accessed on September 30, 2011.
4. WebMD. Skin Care for Dry Skin. 2011. Available at: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/cosmetic-procedures-skin-care-dry-skin. Accessed on September 30, 2011.
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