Oh No! It is getting cold again in most places and we have so many calls asking about dry skin. Why do we have dry skin and what can we do about it?
Dry skin is often just a temporary problem -- one you experience only in winter, for example -- but it may be a lifelong concern.
And although skin is often driest on your arms, lower legs and the sides of your abdomen, this pattern can vary considerably from person to person. What's more, signs and symptoms of dry skin depend on your age, your health status, your locale, the amount of time you spend outdoors, and the cause of the problem.
Most dry skin is caused by environmental exposures, such as:
- Weather. In general, your skin is driest in winter, when temperatures and humidity levels plummet. Winter conditions also tend to make many existing skin conditions worse. But the reverse may be true if you live in desert regions, where summer temperatures can top 110 F and humidity levels sink to 10 percent or less.
- Central heating and air conditioning. Central air and heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all reduce humidity and dry your skin.
- Hot baths and showers. Frequent showering or bathing, especially if you like the water hot and your baths long, breaks down the lipid barriers in your skin. So does frequent swimming, particularly in heavily chlorinated pools.
- Harsh soaps and detergents. Many popular soaps and detergents strip lipids and water from your skin. Deodorant and antibacterial soaps are usually the most damaging, as are many shampoos, which dry out your scalp.
What can we do about it? Help is on the way. Here is a list of some of our favorite remedies and we picked the ones that are affordable. Just click for more information and enjoy smooth, soft skin.
Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream
Dermalogica Ultrarich Body Cream
