Women's Dry Itchy Skincare | Moisturizers and Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Itchy Dry Skincare

Many older people suffer from dry skin that is also itchy. The problem can be especially bad on the lower legs, elbows, and forearms. The skin can feel rough. It may look scaly. The itch can be intermittent or it can be constant. Low humidity - caused by overheating during the winter or air conditioning during the summer - contributes to dryness and itching.

The problem can get worse with age. Why? It's because of the loss of sweat and oil glands as you get older. Anything that dries your skin will make the problem worse, including:

• overuse of soaps
• antiperspirants
• perfumes
• hot baths
• dehydration
• sun exposure
• smoking
• stress

Dry skin itches because it is irritated easily. If your skin is very dry and itchy, you should see a doctor. Dry skin and itching can affect your sleep and it can cause irritability. Itchy dry skin can also be a symptom of a disease. For example, diabetes and kidney disease can cause itching. Some medicines make the itchiness worse. Itchy skin can also be the result of allergies.

If disease has been ruled out and it's just a question of simple dry skin, there are different treatment options The most common treatment is the use of moisturizers. Moisturizers can reduce water loss and soothe the skin. Moisturizers come in several forms - ointments, creams and lotions.

• Ointments are mixtures of water in oil, such as lanolin or petrolatum.
• Creams are preparations of oil in water, which is the main ingredient. Creams must be applied more often than ointments to be most effective.
• Lotions contain powder crystals dissolved in water, again the main ingredient.

Moisturizers should be used indefinitely to prevent recurrence of dry itchy skin.

A humidifier can add moisture to the air. When you bathe, use warm water because it is less irritating to dry skin than hot water.

You should also avoid harsh soaps when your skin is dry and itchy. Look for soaps that at super-fatted or look for soapless soaps, which are cleansers made from petroleum products. After gently cleansing your skin, and while your skin is still moist, is the best time to apply any moisturizer. This will help seal the moisture in the skin.

Finally, tempting as it may be - do not scratch. When you scratch, you can make things worse and irritate the skin even more.

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:

verify here.

Thank you for visiting. Be sure to tell a friend and bookmark this page so you can return.

Updated May 2008

Site Map | Skin Care Resources