TDC Health News

Fall is the time to begin doing some things correctly regarding the general care of your skin to prevent dry skin in the winter and dry skin eczema that is common during the colder months. First, most Americans are not performing activities at work that make their skin all that dirty. Over bathing and long hot showers are huge contributors to dry skin. So when you are in the shower, keep the temperature of the water more warm than hot. Also, using fragrance-free mild cleansers and only using cleansers where most people are dirty such as the face, under the arms, in the groin and buttocks can help. Try to avoid unnecessary cleansing on the arms, back and legs, unless those areas are dirty from work or play activities. After bathing, pat the skin dry and while the skin is still moist, apply a generous amount of a bland moisturizer. Good moisturizer recommendations include CeraVe, Cetaphil, Aveeno or Eucerin which all come in lotions and creams. Moisturizing the skin immediately after a bath, rather than waiting for the skin to dry out, is usually smart. If itching is noticed, in addition to these steps, try simple things such as over-the-counter anti itch products made by CeraVe and Sarna. These can be applied multiple times a day to help relieve itching. Also, if redness is noticed along with the dryness, try over-the-counter products that contain hydrocortisone. 1% hydrocortisone cream can be applied to the skin once or twice a day, usually is cheap, and can calm down this redness and relieve itching. Finally, if the itching and redness continues, higher strength creams and occasionally oral medications can be prescribed by any of our board certified dermatologist to help with your problem. Being smart with the simple recommendations of less soap, less bathing, and more moisturizing in the fall can hopefully avoid dry skin in the winter. But if problems develop this winter, let us know and we would be happy to help you.