I Gotta Itch I Can’t Scratch!! UGH!!

 

In a continuation from my post for altering my regimen for the winter, I’m going to talk about skin care today. Xanthia has DRY skin but I’ve NEVER experienced dry skin like this. I am CONSTANTLY itching and I’m getting white blotches on my face due to dryness.

Something has got to change quickly. I’m always uncomfortable because I’m always itching everywhere; my scalp included. After asking around and talking to my best friend Google, I’ve found some things that I am going to try.

1. Use a humidifier. With the heat on and the windows closed, the air inside can become very dry in the winter, making the dryness and itching of eczema even worse. Use a humidifier to place moisture in the air. I’m looking to purchase this one or this one.

2. Switch to an oil-based moisturizer and moisturize frequently.: The more oil a moisturizer contains the more effectively it protects against moisture loss. Moisturizers that come in ointment form contain the most oil because an ointment, by definition, consists of 80% oil and 20% water. This water-in-oil emulsion forms a protective layer on the skin and makes it more “moisturizing” than creams and lotions.

This next one is going to be a challenge…

3. Dry Skin Tip: Keep Water Lukewarm, Not Hot. Hot water robs skin of moisture causing dry skin, so it's best to shower in lukewarm water. If you can't bear this rule -- I can't -- try to keep your showers short and try showering only once per day. The same rule applies to hand-washing.

4. Dry Skin Tip: Exfoliate on a Weekly or Semi-Weekly Basis:  Moisturizer is much more effective on properly exfoliated skin. Use a salt or sugar scrub in the shower and exfoliate your face with a mild scrub made for the face. It's best to scrub skin when it's dry (WHO KNEW), according to Marcia Kilgore, the founder of Bliss Spa in New York, in InStyle Magazine. Apply scrub to dry skin before you turn on the water (mix with lotion if it's not moist enough).

5. Dry Skin Tip: Stay Hydrated But Don't Go Overboard: Many people believe if they drink more water, they'll hydrate skin. But I've read time and time again that this is a myth and you simply cannot moisturize skin from the inside out. That said, a small study recently published by the University of Hamburg (and reported in Allure magazine), suggests people who drink relatively little water could see a significant benefit in skin hydration if they started drinking nine eight-ounce glasses of water per day.

This one has been killing me softly:

6. Dry Skin Tip: Don't Forget Your Lips: Licking your lips will not moisturize them and instead will help dry them out. Lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body, so they tend to dry out more quickly. A simple lip balm helps, as does my all-time favorite lip trick learned in high school from "Seventeen" magazine: moisturize your lips with Vaseline. Take a toothbrush and "brush" your lips in a circular motion. This will remove dead flakes and leave your lips soft and supple. If you have the bucks, try: Kinerase Lip Treatment(about $38).

I already  have some of these but I don’t take them like I should

7. Fish Oil Pills: New studies show omega-3 fish oil pills may soothe super dry skin. Patients who took fish oils pills in a study reported in Allure magazine, saw significant results within a few weeks. "You can see, within six weeks, the skin, hair and nails improve markedly," according to skin expert Dr. Andrew Weil in Allure. Ever since I started taking fish oil pills in March, 2007, I have received numerous compliments on how amazing my skin looks. So there you have it.

SOURCE and SOURCE