Dry Skin: Options for At-Home Treatment

Itchy, scaly, irritating dry skin; is there any easily obtained relief out there for those of us that deal with this desert dry skin? I have had extremely dry skin all of my 36 years on this earth and have tried numerous over-the-counter products, tips and tricks to alleviate the itching and irritation of the condition. The list of options goes on and on, with more being considered and tested all the time.

Some people will opt for medical treatment of their extreme dry skin issues, the options there are a whole another subject/article. For today, we'll just address some over-the-counter options.

Let's talk about those layman tips and tricks. It seems there are as many tips and tricks in dealing with dry skin as there are for winning the World Series or the Super Bowl. Some are old wives' tales that actually have some promise, others seem to make sense but do not really have lasting results, and then there are always those completely-not-helpful ones out there as well.

It used to be thought that simply drinking 8 or more glasses of water a dry would solve dry skin, just like that. Instead, doctors have amended that to actually soaking the skin in water to rehydrate--short, fifteen minute soaks to put water back into the skin. Dry skin afflicted people should not bathe or shower every day, it only serves to sap the already dry skin of moisture. Also, when bathing/showering, as little soap as possible should be used on dry skin--in fact, soap should only be used when a person is really dirty, the less the better for extremely dry skinned individuals.

Moisturizing extremely dry skin often is a big deal, in fact, it is the cornerstone of dry skin care. Adding moisturizing lotions to the skin, especially after a bath or shower, will help lock in moisture and rehydrate the dry skin somewhat. This is often best done several times a day--the moisturizing, not the bath/shower.

We've established that moisturizing is important, now to discuss some of the available moisturizing products out there to help relieve extremely dry skin. In my experience, it's best to find a good lotion and stick to it--as long as the brand is not discontinued or the store ceases to stock it!

In dealing with extreme dry skin, I have tried many over-the-counter creams, oils and lotions. Here's my take on a few of those:

Eucerin--While touted as a great treatment for extremely dry, cracked skin, I find this one to be greasy and the 'non scent' is instead a waxy smell to me.

Neutrogena--This hand cream was a life-saver to me in years past when my hands were exposed to cold air and wind a lot while I worked as a cashier in front of the grocery store doors. Thick and creamy, the greasiness factor was not significant enough to matter in such circumstances. After I no longer had that exposure factor, I did decide this cream to be too greasy.

Udder Delight--A cream that is supposedly especially for weathered hands, sold at a local farm supply store. While the locking in of moisture factor was pretty good, I could not get past the scent.

Baby Oil--A true success when soaking in the bathtub with baby oil in the water, in my opinion. The drawbacks are the mess in the tub it leaves behind and the difficulty keeping baby oil from getting in one's hair. Just a bit too messy and the long term effect after a bath does not really measure up to the mess factor.

Keri--I was given this lotion in the hospital after the birth of my son. While cool and creamy, this lotion was too thin to really do much good. My skin would absorb it thirstily and need more before I could blink.

Curel-- For me, same story as Keri(above).

Vaseline/petroleum jelly--This one trumps for me when it comes to dry, cracked feet. After a bath and lotion, Vaseline and cotton socks top off my foot treatment and, when done often enough, works like a charm. Obviously, for overall treatment of dry skin, Vaseline is too greasy for many places--however, feet covered with socks are perfect for a Vaseline coating.

Vaseline Advanced Healing-- Here is my choice for overall, multiple-times daily moisturizing. I have been using this one for several years now and have been quite pleased. Thick enough but not too greasy and easily absorbed but yet not so weak it needs replacing too quickly.

The key factor in treating extremely dry skin of any kind is moisturizing over and over , finding what works for you and being consistent in application. Every day, several times a day will keep moisture locked into the skin and hopefully heal the dryness somewhat if not completely.