Aircon, humidifiers, heaters, fans, hot, dry air, intermittent rain, pollution, soap… the list is endless of things we put on our skin.
From time to time, even those of us with the most beautiful skin may have a few dry patches.
Healing dry skin is a priority, but slathering a single cream over it might not be the best thing you can do.
Dry skin needs to have care from the inside and out in order to recover from what has caused it.
Photo by Nsey Benajah on Unsplash
Bathing
Dermatologists recommend having fewer baths or hot showers while you are suffering from dry or cracked skin. Baths and showers can worsen dry skin.
If you need to shower or bathe, then reducing the temperature of the water can be kinder to the skin and leave you less dehydrated.
Try to keep your time in the shower or bath to a maximum of 10 minutes, and avoid using any soap products. Often bathing products marked as sensitive and for children can be soft enough to use on painful dry skin.
Rather than rub your skin dry, carefully pat off most of the water, then apply moisturizer as quickly as possible.
Speed
Every moment after a bath or shower or simply washing your hands can cause your skin to crack and dry out.
When you moisturize after washing, the creams and ointment you choose will lock the moisture in, helping to hydrate the skin.
To help get that layer to lock in the moisture, you should apply your moisturizers within a few minutes of washing.
Seasons
Our skin is our protective barrier against the elements, but this also means dealing with cold temperatures, heat, dry air, and more.
Your skin has to adapt to the changes in the weather quickly.
From warm to cold weather can be the biggest struggle. When the weather changes quickly, it can shock the system. Going from cooler months to warmer ones, our skin needs to work harder to remain hydrated.
Many people find that sweating during the summer can irritate them even more; wearing loose-fitting clothing made with breathable materials can help. Botox in the armpits from Waterloo Medic Cosmetics can help with that.
Increasing your hydration by drinking more water is a starting point. But adding more moisturizer to your skincare routine is the best route.
Dry skin skincare routine
You might be tempted to use harsh exfoliants to remove the dry and peeling skin, but this can irritate the area more.
While it is essential that you do exfoliate at least once a week, you should switch to a gentle exfoliant. Scrubs and chemicals can make the patchy skin tighter and cause it to flake more.
A flaky patch is your body telling you it needs more hydration.
A sensitive exfoliant with as many natural ingredients as possible is ideal.
Foam cleaners can irritate the skin and cause tightness. Typically, a cleanser rich in hyaluronic acid will help infuse your skin with the moisture it needs without stripping away the essential layers of oil.
Cucumber extract can be soothing and help to cleanse skin deeply. Rosewater is known for helping to balance skin, while oatmeal is soothing for dry and irritated skin.
Look for the following on the bottle or jar:
-
- Non-foaming
- Non-irritating
- Fragrance-free
- Niacinamide
- Glycerin
- Hyaluronic acid
Your skin oils and your skin having dry patches might seem contradictory. However, your skin can still be oil and dry at the same time.
In the warmer weather, we often keep using heavier and thicker creams from the winter. Or ditch them altogether. Instead, swap to a gel formula. Gel formula will absorb quickly into the skin and is much lighter.
Your daytime and nighttime skin routine should look different. Your daytime skin routine should protect the skin from pollution, and your nighttime is to infuse it with moisture to heal.
If you have recently changed your laundry detergent, introduced new food or clothing materials, then it might have been causing your irritation. Trial and error can help find the causes of skin irritations.
Include the following items in your dry skin routine:
Water
If you are skipping out on drinking a few liters of water a day, your skin will show it. Dehydrated skin shows wrinkles, fine lines, and dry patches and increases the chances of you having these issues too.
Drinking more water isn’t a cure-all, but giving your body the right amount of water will enable your body to perform all of the processes efficiently.
Problem Areas
Knees, elbows, and ankles tend to be on the rougher side and take a little bit more care than other areas on the body.
Dry patches occur here most commonly but can be managed and soothed with a thicker ointment-style cream.
Healing ointments, balms, and lanolin are highly recommended, so is Vaseline.
Pay extra attention to these areas, and add an extra layer to help soften them up.
If, after a few weeks of maintaining your daily skin routine, there are no improvements, or the dry patch gets worse, then book an appointment with your general practitioner or with a dermatologist.
Read More:
5 Effective beauty tips to deal with dry skin
7 Reasons why your skin ages in youth
Tips on how to iron patches onto clothing
6 Best ways to get rid of acne for a blemish free skin
