Treating dry skin as soon as it appears is crucial because it can lead to irritation, redness, undesirable texture, and even skin infections if your skin breaks open.
If moisturizing alone hasn’t worked for you, you might need to use some of the slightly more advanced dry skin strategies. Here are three things to think about:
For your Body, Embrace taking Shorter, Colder Showers
While it’s good treating yourself to the occasional “everything shower” that lasts for thirty minutes because of the lengthy list of tasks, it doesn’t have to happen every day. As a matter of fact, rinsing your body more quickly can assist relieve dry skin.
Furthermore, hot water might exacerbate skin dryness. Take long, leisurely showers in lukewarm water instead, submerging yourself until your fingertips wrinkle. This indicates that your skin has been greatly rehydrated.
If you really want to go above and above for hydrated, dewy body skin, use body lotion and even a coating of body oil once you’re done.
Apply Body Oil and Hand Lotion to your Hands Before going to Bed
Some people first notice symptoms of dryness in their hands. This can look flaky, wrinkled, or dull on the backs or palms of the hands.
The initial task is to locate a hand cream that works well and doesn’t contain any substances that could irritate your skin, like retinol or artificial smell.
Apply and then cover with a coating of body oil. Because oil is occlusive, it will help keep the moisturizer in place and stop the hydration from disappearing. It’s better to complete this step at night because your hands will feel slick.
For the Face, Throw Away the Abrasive Cleanser
Although cleansers including physical exfoliant granules, salicylic acid, and tea tree oil may occasionally be helpful, they will only become detrimental when dry skin appears. Use a mild facial cleanser as an alternative.
Use the double-cleansing technique if you’re worried that sunscreen or makeup won’t come off completely without a strong cleanser: Before using your mild water-based cleanser, use an oil cleanser.
This step, despite its seeming paradox, also benefits people with oily and acne-prone skin. By substituting healthy oils that support the hydration and preservation of the skin’s barrier for sebum in clogged, filthy pores, using an oil-based cleanser can help restore equilibrium to the oil balance in the skin.
Don’t Sleep on Internal Hydration
Sometimes, after you’ve done everything, you can concentrate on wetness outside, you still need that internal support. Therefore, you may wish to concentrate on taking supplements that support the lipid layer and moisture levels of the skin internally in addition to drinking adequate water.
For instance, phytoceramides have been clinically demonstrated to raise moisture levels: In one study, people with dry skin who took a wheat extract oil rich in phytoceramides for three months experienced an improvement in skin hydration of up to 35% (1); in another, they saw improvements in skin hydration after just two weeks (2).
Supplements containing essential fatty acids are also disregarded. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, are the building blocks needed to make healthy cell membranes. They thereby aid in preserving the skin’s moisture content and enhancing the integrity of the skin barrier. Even after consuming the good fats for two months, rats fed fish oil showed enhanced skin hydration, according to one preclinical study (3).
![](https://i0.wp.com/jasminefeliciano.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/How-To-Get-Rid-of-Dry-Patches-on-Your-Face-Hands-and-Body-pin.png?resize=683%2C1024&quality=80&ssl=1)
Related Post: Decoding Collagen: Is It Truly a Protein Powerhouse?
To Wrap Things Up
Addressing dry skin promptly is crucial to prevent irritation and infections. Beyond basic moisturizing, opt for shorter, cooler showers for your body and indulge in hydrating lotions and oils. Combat dry hands by applying nourishing hand cream and body oil before bedtime.
Ditch abrasive cleansers for a gentle alternative to preserve your skin barrier. Don’t overlook internal hydration—supplements like phytoceramides and essential fatty acids can enhance skin moisture from within. Prioritize both external care and internal support for a radiant, well-hydrated complexion.
Sources |
- The moisturizing effect of a wheat extract food supplement on women’s skin: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Cosmetics | Free Full-Text | Improving Skin Hydration and Age-related Symptoms by Oral Administration of Wheat Glucosylceramides and Digalactosyl Diglycerides: A Human Clinical Study (mdpi.com)
- Oral supplementation with fish oil reduces dryness and pruritus in the acetone-induced dry skin rat model – PubMed (nih.gov)
Really helpful, thank you! This winter has been brutal on my face since starting Tretinoin last April. I’ve been taking Omega 3 fish oils, so glad I’m doing the right thing!
My pleasure! I am so glad it was helpful and you are taking the Omegas! It’s such a game-changer 😉 I wrote an article back in November touching on Tretinoin that you may find helpful too: https://jasminefeliciano.com/retinol-tips-for-cold-weather-your-questions-answered/
Thank you for the informative blog! I always struggled with dry skin since I was young, I will try out some of the tips you shared:)
You’re most welcome, Juane! I’m so glad that this post shed helpful insights; keep me posted on your results, if you like!
Great info, thanks for sharing.
You’re most welcome and thank you for your feedback!
Thank you for the tips! I moved to California from Florida, and my skin has been so dry. I will try some of these tips. Thank you for sharing!
Awesome and it’s my pleasure! Thank you for stopping by 💜