Is your skin cracking, peeling, and flaking?

Quick guide to beating the skin troubles of winter

Photo credit: American Academy of Dermatology

Let's start at the top and work our way down....
Scalp itching and flaking
        Causes: Could be that the scalp is dry or that your dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis) is flaring
        Solution: Neutrogena T-Sal & Selsun Blue are good options to start.  Once daily followed by normal conditioner.  
        Still a problem: Time to call your dermatologist. The white flakes may be a sign of psoriasis, head lice, or a fungal infection.

 Lips are cracking and peeling
       Causes: When the skin is dry, lack of attention to proper lip care becomes more apparent.  Lip licking is also more common when lips begin to become dry.
       Solution: Aquaphor is my favorite treatment for lips.  It contains petrolatum (Vaseline)     and lanolin. Lanolin is a wool derivative, so if you are leary of using that, Cerave Ointment is a great second choice, and it doesn't contain lanolin.

Skin becomes red, dry, and itchy all over
       Causes: Common when the humidity drops along with the temperature.  Also, antibacterial soaps (Dial) are especially drying along with other scented soaps like Irish Spring or Ivory.
        Solution: Dove soap, Cerave bar soap, or Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
        Still a problem: You may have a rash to something you are using.  Yeast infections on the skin can occur due to sweating under our layers of clothes also.  If you are really dry and itchy, your doctor may check your thyroid too.

Hands and Feet are cracking
         Causes:neglecting proper skin care will rear its ugly head in the winter time. Excessive hand washing during cold and flu season is hard on the hands.  Lack of sun and its great anti-inflammatory effects can be troublesome too for hands and feet.  Skin infections are also common when you have open skin and a reason for not healing.   
        Solution: Proper moisturizers that not only hydrate the skin, but repair it. Not all skin creams are created equal.  The skin on the hands and feet is thicker, so takes more time to heal.  You want to look for moisturizers that contain ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Examples are Cerave cream in the jar or Cerave hand cream.  Using Vaseline or Aquaphor at night with cotton gloves is another great option.
        Still a problem:  You may have a hand dermatitis, hand eczema, or hand and foot psoriasis.  You may need more than just a moisturizer, and it's time to see a dermatologist.

Keys to caring for your skin in the winter:

• apply moisturizers morning and night 
• gentle soaps 
• start using moisturizers early fall
• don't wait if things aren't healing, see a dermatologist 

Too many people rely on Dr. Google and try to self diagnose; this can lead to more overall expense and time spent.  

In good health,

Kris

For more info:
Cerave Coupons
Aquaphor