Our skin is the largest organ of the body and is mostly exposed to all weather conditions. Therefore, it is the one most prone to damages and infections.

There are different types of skin, and all have different ways of being taken care of.

No matter what skin type we have, it is key that we maintain proper skin health. Dry skin is one of the major problems we face with our skin but may go unnoticed sometimes, especially for people whose skin is naturally dry.

Some of the Symptoms of Dry Skin Include:

• Redness.
• Skin that looks and feels rough.
• Itching.
• A feeling of tightness on the skin, especially after swimming or taking a shower.
• Cracks or fine lines.
• Slight or severe scaling, flaking or peeling.
• Grey ashy skin.

What Causes Dry Skin?

Skin dryness happens when the skin has insufficient oil or water, and it may happen to anyone at any time.

Some of the most common causes of dry skin include;

1. Cold Weather
   1. The skin tends to become drier during the winter because of the extremely low humidity levels in the air and the very cold air.
2. Very Hot Baths 
   1. Taking very hot showers may help in reducing tiredness and muscle cramps, but it rips the skin of all its natural oils, leaving it dry.
3. Nutritional Deficiencies
   1. Very low amounts of zinc and vitamin B6 cause dry and itchy skin that may be hard to heal.
4. Age
   1. As we grow older, the skin tends to become thinner, increasing the chances of dryness.
5. Harsh Soaps
   1. Some soaps we use may do a good job in cleaning and even smell good, but they may strip the skin of its natural oils and moisture.
6. Skin Conditions
   1. Some skin conditions like eczema make the patients more exposed to dry skin.
7. Dehydration
   1. We may get dehydrated after a long strenuous physical exercise or after being exposed to the sun for a long time. That leaves the skin with very little moisture, hence drying it up.

We may also experience skin dryness after traveling, after coming into contact with chlorine in the swimming pool, after visiting a place with a dry climate, and after being exposed to direct sunlight for a long time.

How To Get Rid Of Dry Skin

Having dry skin is not the end of the road for us because it is possible to restore perfect skin health, especially if it is caused by external factors.

The following are some of the best tips on how to have good skin health:

Regulate the heat

Heat is one of the major things that rob our skin of its natural moisture and oils. When showering, we should use lukewarm water because very hot water will remove not only the dirt but also the natural oils of our skins.

Also, sometimes the house is very cold, and we have to turn on the heaters, it is best we keep those temperatures down because the hot air will not only rob the air of the humidity, but it will also drain and dehydrate our skin.

Use the correct soap

We should not select our soaps only based on their scents but also their ingredients. Soaps that have irritants like alcohol or retinoid or strong smells may be bad for our skin, and we should ensure our soaps are made with mild and mostly natural ingredients.

We can also replace the soap with body cleansers, preferably the ones with hydrating properties.

Moisturize

Using mild soap is only one part of the equation. We need to restore and seal in the skin’s moisture after the bath by using a good moisturizer. Also, the best time to moisturize is when the skin is still wet. We should also choose moisturizers that have little or no perfumes, fragrances, or dyes.

Waxelene Multi-Purpose Ointment is perfect for using after a shower because it creates a thin, protective, and breathable barrier while providing the best oils for the skin.

Use a humidifier

A humidifier will restore and maintain the moisture in the room we mostly spend our time in, which reduces the chances of our skin dehydrating.

Pat instead of rubbing

Most of us are tempted to rub our face when drying it, but that will wipe away all the moisture on our skin, leaving it dry. Patting, on the other hand, ensures that there is a trace of moisture still on our skin.

Oatmeal baths

Oatmeal has been known to be a great treatment for skin irritation. Colloidal oatmeal contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help soothe skin irritation.

We can make an oatmeal bath at home by chopping oatmeal into a fine powder using a food processor, then stirring the powder into warm water.