Nobody likes feeling like a raisin.
Imperfections in my skin is one of my major pet peeves. I don’t have perfect skin by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is when I can physically feel those imperfections. Do you know how annoying it is to have a stiff, crusty feeling on your wrist just from moving your thumb around? Really annoying. That’s why I try not to let my skin get dried out, and if it does, I make it a priority to remedy it.
Your skin can get dried out from any number of causes. Maybe the air is really dry in your home, maybe you’re bathing with too-hot water for too long, or maybe the material of your clothes is disagreeing with you, just to name a few examples. Because there are so many potential causes, preventing dry skin entirely is extremely difficult, but thankfully, fixing it isn’t.
Fixing dried-out skin is as simple as hydrating it. What hydrating it actually mean, though? Well, you need to make it moist and keep it that way. The best way to do this is to utilize simple moisturizers. After you wash your hands or bathe, you should apply some moisturizer to any of your problem spots. This will help to lock in the moisture and keep your skin from drying out again.
If your skin becomes dried out to the point of becoming cracked and itchy and/or painful, you may need to use a medicated balm or ointment to get it back on track. Things like petroleum, shea butter, or hydrocortisone can help. Just make sure that whatever you’re using doesn’t have any wacky chemicals or preservatives in it, as they can dry you out as well.
If you’re having chronic problems and simple solutions aren’t working, you may have a skin condition that necessitates specialized treatment. Talk to a dermatologist for some solutions.
