7 Ways to Avoid Dry Skin
Is your skin dry? Want to fix that problem? Do you know why your skin is so dry? Well that is the first step in finding out how to alleviate and avoid the dryness. Your dry skin could be caused by the environment, eczema, dermatitis, or other simple things. In this article you will learn the difference between dry skin, eczema, and dermatitis, and then you'll learn 7 ways to avoid dry skin all together.
Dry skin:
For starters, normal healthy skin has a thin layer of fat on its surface, called natural lipids. They keep in moisture, leaving the skin soft and supple. Usually, something in the environment, or something you're doing to your skin, is stripping away these fatty oils, leaving your skin unprotected. Less often, the cause is internal; a health condition or genetic predisposition is making your skin dry out.
Eczema:
Eczema is term for a group of skin conditions that cause the skin to become inflamed or irritated. It can be the result of allergies, asthma, or hay fever. Symptoms include extreme itchiness, dryness and redness. The area often becomes infected due to scratching, and the eczema can crack, causing oozing and weeping of the area.
Dermatitis:
Dermatitis is a general term that describes an inflammation of the skin, accompanied by redness and itchiness. The differences between dermatitis & eczema are not always easy to spot since the conditions are very similar. Dermatitis is an allergic reaction to a substance, such as a chemical in soaps or makeup, that comes in contact with the skin. Eczema, on the other hand, is often the result of allergies, asthma or hay fever.
Don't Want Dry Skin? Then Don't Do these 7 Things
Don't #1: Don't Wait too long After the Bath for the Lotion
To alleviate all three problems, try applying moisturizer immediately after a bath. This will seal in the moisture from the bath. For dry skin in general, one tip is to apply natural skin care balms to your skin as soon as you get out of the shower to trap the water moisture that is already there.
Don't #2: Don't Take Long Showers
Don't take long showers. Long showers will steal the lipid layer from your skin, causing dry skin. It is very nice to take a long shower but if your skin problem is very bad, shorten the shower time.
Don't #3: Don't Take Super Hot Showers
Hot water in the shower makes a difference. When you shower with extremely hot water, the lipid layer that keeps in moisture on the skin is depleted. Therefore, take shorter, colder showers. These two factors dry out the natural lipid layer from your skin, causing dryness.
Don't #4: Don't Wear Wool
Do you wear a lot of wool? This dries out your skin. Avoid it! Try to wear softer fabrics, like cotton, or cashmere.
Don't #5: Don't Sit in a Dry Air House
A big help is the humidifier. This machine is great as it replaces the moisture that is taken out of the air by things such as the heater in the winter. This will greatly help your dry skin.
Don't #6: Don't Scratch Eczema!
Don't scratch at the eczema! This will cause more oozing and more dryness later.
Don't #7: Don't be Ignorant about Your Dermatitis
As for dermatitis, the allergen causing it has to be found. Try not wearing jewelry for a few days, or try taking a shower with a new soap free of perfumes and other allergens.
To soothe dry skin, eczema, and dermatitis, you will need a balm for eczema and dry skin with extreme moisturizing power. When deciding on skin care products choose those that don't have perfumes and too many chemicals. A great product on the market is BioBeautyBalm. This product moisturizes wonderfully and doesn't leave an oily residue behind. It is made from all natural products, has no perfumes or allergens in it, and it is soothing to irritated skin. I highly recommend it as a moisturizer for dry skin.
Published April 18th, 2009