Taking Care Of Dry Skin

A glowing skin makes you feel beautiful, attractive and healthy. This one single asset can make up for many other weaknesses in us. And conversely, an un-attractive skin can take away the glory of many other beauty assets that we may be having. Thus, it becomes extremely important that we take great care to make our skin look healthy and glowing.

A dry skin is one of those problems that we especially face during winter, due to lack of humidity. Of course, we may have a dry skin due to other reasons. Some people are prone to having dry skin due to heredity. In old age too, skin gets dried up.

Dry skin can lead to itching, scaling or cracks and is more likely to occur on the lower legs, arms, sides of the abdomen and thighs.

Besides unfavorably affecting our visual appeal, a dry skin also leads to some other problems - we may become prone to eczema, dermatitis or other skin related health problems. As we know, skin is the largest organ of our body. It requires proper diet, rest and exercise. It is also very delicate. We should protect it from hair colorings, bleaches and many other chemicals that we come into contact with in our daily life. Wherever it is recommended, we should take care to wear gloves. These chemicals make our skin dry and may cause itching or irritation.

There are certain things that, if taken care of, can mitigate the problem of dry skin. We should take baths with mildly hot water, not very hot water and limit bathing time to up to 5 minutes. Hot water takes away moisture from the skin leaving it drier. After taking a bath we should gently pat ourselves with a towel instead of scrubbing. We should apply a moisturizer immediately afterwards as it helps skin to retain moisture for longer. Bar soaps are particularly harsh on the skin. Mild cleansers are highly recommended for the face.

Then, we should take care that we are drinking sufficient water during the day. During winter and especially if we are going through a hectic schedule, we are prone to forget this. But, even during winter, it is important that we drink at least eight glasses of water a day. This helps skin to retain its glow as well in flushing the toxins out of the body.

It is, however, important that we do not overdo certain things. If our body gets used to a set of conditions, then it starts behaving accordingly. If we make much use of moisturizers, then our body stops producing its own moisture. It is better to make use of shielding lotions than moisturizers. Moisturizers make a layer over the skin and get rubbed off very easily. Shielding lotions, on the other hand, make a bonding with the skin and help it retain its internal moisture.

The skin also needs protection from sun. Even during winter, ultraviolet rays can prove harmful for the health of the skin, so we should make use of a good sun block.

If self care is not working, we should definitely see a dermatologist. For example, if there is so much itching that it is preventing us from sleeping, we should consult the specialist. Or, if there are there are open wounds due to scratching, expert advice is certainly called for.

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