Dry Skin Tips: Give Your Dry Skin Relief

Ladies aways care about their skin problems. Skin includes oily, dry and mixed. Flaky, itchy, dry skin can plague you all year, but it’s often worse in winter.

You want relief from dry skin. You want it fast. To help you give your dry skin the comfort it craves, WebMD turned to the skin care pros. We asked dermatologists for their top tips on how to combat dry skin fast. Here are their six simple solutions.

Dry Skin Tip: Warm Up to Warm Showers

As soothing as a sizzling steamy shower feels, that hot water isn’t doing your dry skin any good, says dermatologist Andrea Lynn Cambio, MD, FAAD.

The problem? Hot showers strip your body of its natural oil barrier, the same barrier that helps trap in moisture and keep skin smooth and moist.

So the next time you bathe, the skin care experts recommend short, warm showers or baths no longer than 5 to 10 minutes. When you dry off, give your skin a gentle pat dry instead of a brisk rub. Immediately moisturize your body.

Dry Skin Tip: Grab a Gentle Cleanser

While you’re taking those shorter showers, wash with a soapless cleanser, advises Cambio. Or you can opt for gentle soaps that are free of fragrance, deodorant, or antibacterial additives, which can be harsh on skin.

You might also consider a cleanser containing ceramides, suggests Carolyn Jacob, MD, a dermatologist in Chicago. Ceramides, fatty molecules that make up the outer barrier of your skin, help skin hold in moisture. Some skin care products contain synthetic ceramides to replace those we lose with age.

Go easy on toners, peels, and other astringents that contain alcohol, which can further dry out troubled skin. If you crave the fresh feel you get after an exfoliation, be careful of too much scrubbing, says Jacob, which can irritate and thicken skin.

Dry Skin Tip: Use That Razor Right

Shaving can irritate dry skin. After all, you’re essentially scraping off natural oils as you shave off unwanted hair. If your razor blade isn’t sharp, you’re really asking for problem skin.

The best time to shave is after you shower, says the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Hairs are softer and more pliable after bathing. And your pores are open, making shaving easier.

To protect your skin, always use a shaving cream or gel, and shave in the direction the hair is growing. Don’t forget to change your razor blades often.