Simple changes can soothe dry skin
Following the same skin care routine year-round may not work so well when the humidity drops. Without a change in your skin care, dry air can make fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable. Dry, itchy skin can flake, crack, and even bleed.
To help heal dry skin and prevent its return, dermatologists recommend the following.
Stop baths and showers from worsening dry skin. When the humidity drops or your skin feels dry, be sure to:
Close the bathroom door.
Use warm rather than hot water.
Limit your time in the shower or bath to 5 or 10 minutes.
Wash with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser.
Apply enough cleanser to remove dirt and oil, avoid using so much that you see a thick lather.
Blot your skin gently dry with a towel.
Slather on the moisturizer immediately after drying your skin.
Baths and showers can worsen dry skin. You can prevent baths and showers from worsening dry skin by following these dermatologists' tips.
Apply moisturizer immediately after washing. Ointments, creams, and lotions (moisturizers) work by trapping existing moisture in your skin. To trap this much-needed moisture, you need to apply a moisturizer within few minutes of:
Drying off after a shower or bath
Washing your face or hands