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4 ways to prevent and treat dry skin

Vaseline Clinical Therapy I recently heard about a new Vaseline body lotion—Intensive Rescue Clinical Therapy Skin Protectant lotion—that was formulated to treat severely dry skin. It's a nice lotion, non-greasy and unfragranced, and is now available across the country for $6.49 to $8.49 for a 200 mL bottle. The people at Vaseline were also kind enough to share some tips on how to prevent and treat dry skin, a hot topic in Canadian winters (could it get any drier in my house?). Check them out, plus the related articles below.

What it means to have dry skin
• Dry skin is often also considered sensitive skin.
• People with dry and/or sensitive skin have skin that is often easily irritated.
• The skin can react after being exposed to a trigger, i.e., a disruption in the skin's natural moisture barrier, harsh irritants or environmental conditions.

Symptoms of dry skin include:
• Flakiness, scales, cracks
• Redness
• Soreness and/or tightness
• Burning, itching, tingling

Some tips for prevention and care of severely dry skin:
1. The clothes make the skin
• Make sure to wash clothing in mild detergents and avoid bleach and fabric softeners.
• Leftover detergents can irritate the skin, so take the time to double-rinse clothing.
• Natural fabrics such as cotton are the best choice for bedding and clothing. Avoid wearing synthetic fabrics and wool next to the skin.

2. Environmental concerns
• Try to avoid exposure to allergens and irritants, especially common ones such as dust, animal dander, smoke and grass.
• Exposing skin to very hot or very cold water can affect the skin's moisture levels and exacerbate dry skin. Only shower when necessary to limit moisture loss.
• Dry skin responds best to a humid environment. Keep the indoor moisture level between 40 and 50 percent with the help of a humidifier. A hydrometer (humidity monitor) can help track humidity.

3. You are what you eat
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes healthy fats. Fatty acids such as omega 3s are the building blocks of your skin's natural, moisture-retaining oil barrier. Flax, walnuts and safflower oil, as well as cold-water fish such as tuna, herring, halibut, salmon, sardines and mackerel are excellent sources of omega 3s.

4. Handle with care
• Exfoliate your skin gently with a soft cloth or scrub to rid your skin of old cells so that moisturizer can penetrate deeper.
• Moisturize right after your shower to trap and lock in moisture on your skin.
• Protect your skin from the sun by using a moisturizer with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 that protects against UVA and UVB rays.

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Posted by Kat Tancock on December 26, 2008, 7:24 am

1 Comment

Another way to keep our skin from drying out is to drink lots of plain water. This does not include drinking coffee, pop, fruit drinks, tea and alcohol. The body needs water which is immediately available for our cells. Rehydration of the cells takes time; you have to make the effort to drink more water every day even when you do not think that you are thirsty. When you divide your weight in half, this is the number of ounces of water you should drink every day. I started doing this a few months ago and I now drink 8 to 10 cups of water daily. I thought my skin was smooth enough but it surprised me when my skin became smoother. So far this winter I have no dry itchy spots on my legs and arms. My scalp is no longer flaky and dry.

The skin cells need water all the time because they lose water through sweating, perspiration and evaporation. When the skin becomes dehydrated there is less capillary circulation to the skin. Drinking water is so simple, and it is a fabulous moisturizer for our skin.

Posted by Amber Reed on 2008-12-27 08:56:25