5 Dry Skin Hacks that Work

Hands up whose skin feels thoroughly moisturised, glowing and looking its best? Yes thought so! Not many of us. The recent changes in temperature, central heating, using the wrong skincare can often lead to a lot of us suffering from skin that’s feeling a bit tight, dryer than normal, even a bit flakey and just not looking as glowing as it could be. Here are 5 tips from the dermatologist that can help.

1. Avoid anything that foams

Foaming ingredients in cleansers can have a really drying effect on our skin so should be avoided. Instead look for relatively simple and cream based cleansers, which can be quite hard to come by these days. You don’t have to spend a fortune on an expensive cleanser. CeraVe have a good ‘Hydrating Gentle Cleanser’ for normal to dry skin and Cetraben lotion can both be used on face and body in the shower and can help with dry skin which is prone to itchiness too.

2. Nourish your skin barrier

A healthy skin barrier means that skin is more likely to stay smooth and hydrated instead of parched and flakey. To rebuild a compromised skin barrier, it’s good to look for a moisturiser with ceramides on the ingredients list which serve as building blocks within the skin. Hyaluronic acid is also a good one to look out for as it’s a humectant which occurs naturally in our bodies and traps moisture within our skin and so helps give parched skin a more plumped out, more healthy appearance. For nourishing dry skin on the body try and use a thicker emollient ointment instead of a creams which won’t be as effective as they tend to have lower oil contents.

3. Avoid Long Hot Baths or Showers

Hot temperatures can make dry, itchy skin worse so try and limit hot showers to just 2 – 3 minutes. Washing the face in tepid water can help too.

4. Avoid Stripping the Skin

You may not realize it but your skincare routine may be making your dry skin worse. Dr Ophelia says, “’Double cleansing’ in most cases is not necessary and can in some cases make dry skin worse.” Also avoid over exfoliating if you have a tendency to dryness and avoid using chemical exfoliants such as AHA’s as they can strip the skin . As a general rule, the simpler and gentler the routine, the better it will be for someone with dry skin.

5. Monitor your alcohol and coffee intake

Both alcohol and coffee can act as a diuretic which can make skin dry-er. So limit your intake of both. Try drinking a glass of water to every glass of alcohol (or coffee) you consume. Even two glasses of wine can have a drying effect on the skin. Alcohol can also trigger dry skin conditions, so is something I always advise to limit if you suffer with a dry skin condition such as eczema.

If you are suffering from a skin condition and need support from an award-winning and highly respected Consultant Dermatologist, book an appointment today at Dr Veraitch's London Clinic.

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