What Are the Treatments for Dehydrated Skin?
Dry skin can occur for many reasons 2. Sometimes, it can be genetic, forcing individuals to deal with the chronic problems associated with dehydrated, dry and irritated skin 2. It is common for dry skin to be sensitive and sometimes painful, often becoming flaky and itchy 2. Treatments for this problem can range from quick, temporary fixes to longer-term remedies that can correct your skin's health and prevent further dehydrated skin.
Gentle Skin Cleansers
The chemicals found in skin cleansers can often damage your skin by tapping it of water and nutrients. According to the Mayo Clinic, these cleansers should be avoided in favor of soaps and creams advertised as gentle skin cleansers, particularly those featuring added moisturizers 1. Soaps with added oils and fats will also prevent harsh treatment of your skin. Deodorant detergents and antibacterial products are harsh on your skin and should be avoided. If your skin feels tight or dry after using a particularly product, it's likely the product is draining your skin of nutrients and should be avoided 2.
Restrict Shower Time and Temperature
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Showers may seem like a good hydrating treatment, but they can actually strip oils from your skin and make it more susceptible to dryness. This is particularly true when the temperature of the water is very hot, and/or the length of the showers is excessive. In some cases, you can restore your skin's health by eliminating these harmful factors. Reduce your shower time to 15 minutes or less, and use warm or lukewarm water.
- Showers may seem like a good hydrating treatment, but they can actually strip oils from your skin and make it more susceptible to dryness.
Apply Moisturizers After Showering
When moisturizers are applied immediately after showering, they can help lock in the moisture and topically provide oils and nutrients to the skin, particularly as a means of replacing other oils stripped away in the shower. The Mayo Clinic recommends patting or blotting your skin so that a thin layer of moisture remains. Applying moisturizer over your skin while still wet to get the best results and seal in moisture.
Use a Humidifier
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When your home's air is dry, it can wreak havoc on your skin 2. While you may be avoiding the hazards of outdoor factors, you could be slowly drying your skin out through low humidity in your home's air. However, you can change this by purchasing a humidifer for your home. This simple machine emits moisture, making the environment more friendly to dry skin, according to the Mayo Clinic 12. Keep the humidifier clean to prevent mold and fungi from being dispersed into the air.
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References
- Mayo Clinic: Dry Skin Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- Daily Glow: Dry Skin
- Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Publishing. 9 ways to banish dry skin.
- Penn Medicine. The winter itch: what causes dry skin, and what you can do about it. Updated January 30, 2017.
- U.S. Pharmacist. Causes and treatment of dry skin. Updated April 23, 2012.
- Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Publishing. 9 ways to banish dry skin.
- Farage MA, Miller KW, Elsner P, Maibach HI. Characteristics of the aging skin. Advances in Wound Care. 2013;2(1):5-10. doi:10.1089/wound.2011.0356
- Engebretsen K, Johansen J, Kezic S, Linneberg A, Thyssen J. The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis. J Eur Acad Dermatol and Venereol. 2016;30(2):223-249. doi:10.1111/jdv.13301
- Goad N, Gawkrodger D. Ambient humidity and the skin: the impact of air humidity in healthy and diseased states. J Eur Acad Dermatol and Venereol. 2016;30(8):1285-1294. doi:10.1111/jdv.13707
- Flament F, Bazin R, Rubert , Simonpietri , Piot B, Laquieze. Effect of the sun on visible clinical signs of aging in Caucasian skin. CCID. 2013;6: 221–232. doi:10.2147/CCID.S44686
- Penn Medicine. The winter itch: what causes dry skin, and what you can do about it. Updated January 30, 2017.
- U.S. Pharmacist. Causes and treatment of dry skin. Updated April 23, 2012.
- Griffiths CEM, van de Kerkhof P, Czarnecka-Operacz M. Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2017;7(S1):31-41. doi:10.1007/s13555-016-0167-9
- Combs SA, Teixeira JP, Germain MJ. Pruritus in kidney disease. Seminars in Nephrology. 2015;35(4):383-391. doi:10.1016/j.semnephrol.2015.06.009
Writer Bio
Jonathan Croswell has spent more than five years writing and editing for a number of newspapers and online publications, including the "Omaha World-Herald" and "New York Newsday." Croswell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Nebraska and is currently pursuing a Master's of Health and Exercise Science at Portland State University.