Winter Skin Woes

Just about now, your skin may be feeling tight, itchy and just plain uncomfortable. It's winter. If you have naturally dry skin you can feel this way at any age. For most people it begins to show up in middle to late life. The skin cannot hold water as well as it did when you were younger. The critical component which is missing is commonly known as the skins Natural Moisturizing Barrier (NMB). When the skins' NMB is no longer in tact water escapes from the tissue causing it to break down and become dry and uncomfortable. The skin in effect is unhealthy when this happens. And you just thought you had dry skin.

To get your skin back into shape you must correct this barrier disfunction. It's not just about moisturizers any more. One of the most important elements in your skin is called hyalluronic acid. It is what is know as a humectant. It attracts water to the skin either from within the body or from the environment. Guess what. You can now BUY it in your drug store. It is a most effective ingredient which is found in several of the MOST effective moisturizers available today. And best of all it works with your skin to reestablish the protective barrier it needs to hold on to water!

You can look immediately for a moisturizer called Cera Ve. It came onto the market about 2 and half years ago. I loved it when I was introduced to it in my office by the representative from Coria Labs. I am not impressed with too many of the products I see. This was immediately impressive. Having had my own skin challenges with atopic dermatitis and working in dermatology as a skin care specialist for now YIKES! 27 years, I am trained to know when something good shows up. It have the magical ingredient of hyalluronic acid coupled with ceramides which also work to recreate the "morter" which has broken sown between skin cells.

About a year or so ago, another great product came out. Hylira. You have to ask your doctor for a prescription and you won't get it for $4 but, you will save. It is a large bottle, almost 40 ounces. You put it on right after a bath or shower and then top it off with Cera Ve. I prefer the Cera Ve Cream in the Winter, it is lighter than other creams you may have tried. Switch to the Cera Ve Lotion which is more like an emulsion (cross between a cream and a lotion) in the warmer months. It boils down to personal preference and in dermatology we always advise the heavier if you have really dry skin. The neat thing about this is that you will begin to notice the difference almost immediately. Because it heals and repairs, unlike most moisturizers that you must reapply to continue to receive their benefits. After about three to four days of using Hylira and Cera Ve your skin will be able to take care of itself if you skip a day of applying it! That is pretty amazing. Cera Ve also offers a cleanser that rivals Cetaphil. If you have been a fan of Cetaphil you may want to give this a try. At least on your body in the shower

Other dry skin tips:

1. Limit shower time to 5-8 minutes. The longer you are exposed to water the more water your skin loses to the water you are in whether a shower or a bath or a swimming pool.
2. Apply a moisturizer BEFORE you exercise. You lose a lot of water when you perspire. Those water molecules dry the surface of your skin. You can protect your skin by applying a basic moisturizer before you work out. This will not block your pores. That's another story.
3. Exfoliate with CAUTION. I hear skin care experts all the time advising people to "really scrub" their skin. In my opinion, this is a mistake. REALLY BIG mistake. Some gentle exfoliation will help but, the key is gentle. I advise adding a half teaspoon of sugar or salt to a hand full of Cera Ve or Aquanil Cleanser. Apply to wet skin. Water itself softens skin so that it easily sheds with the use of a face cloth. Apply the gentle scrub and use LIGHT pressure for 30 seconds to a minute. That's it. If you haven't removed the dead cells with that, they are not ready to leave.
4. Apply moisturizer after you BLOT your skin dry. Make it your first mission.
5. If you have difficulty reaching your back or your feet buy a moisturizing wand. You can find them in some bath and body stores but, you will definitely locate them on line. Buy one for yourself and everyone you love. I don't know too many people who can reach their back easily. They are also good for applying lotion or cream medications.
6. Wear soft cloths that breathe.