Condition dry skin: smooth rough patches and get your skin in balance with this expert advice

Shape, Nov, 2004 by Jody Buffalo

Dry skin is one of the most common--and treatable--skin conditions. If you have it, follow these tips from Howard Sobel, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologic surgeon and clinical attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.

THE BASIC FACTS

One of the skin's main functions is to hold in moisture: It does so through the epidermis (the top layer of the skin) and the stratum corneum, its outermost layer, which is in direct contact with the environment. The epidermis produces lipids, oily substances that limit the passage of water into or out of the skin. A skin barrier deficient in these lipids--a condition found in those with dry skin or eczema--allows moisture to escape and evaporate. With the loss of water, scales, cracks and even small cuts develop on the stratum corneum--all of which can trigger itchiness and introduce bacteria (and even infection) into the skin.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Here are some facts about dry skin:

* Dryness gets worse with changes in the weather; a decrease in humidity can speed water loss from skin.

* The most common areas for dry skin are the face and extremities (arms, legs, hands and feet).

* Dry skin is more likely to be a problem as we get older due to two factors: The skin produces fewer lipids, and cell turnover slows down (resulting in more flakiness).

* Water is lost from the skin each time you take a bath or shower. Harsh soaps also can strip lipids and increase water loss by up to 80 percent, says Sobel.

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

You can minimize dry, itchy skin. Beauty Rx:

1. Take quick showers with warm, not hot, water.

2. Wash with a mild cleanser (either soap-free or ones that contain hydrating ingredients like glycerin). For face, try Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash ($6), and for body, Dove Beauty Bar ($2.39 for two; both at drugstores).

3. Apply moisturizers at least twice daily and particularly after showering. Try creams with humectants (ingredients like urea that bind water to the skin), or for itchy, dry skin, try Cortaid Intensive Therapy Moisturizing Cream ($8; at drugstores) with 1 percent hydrocortisone.

RELATED ARTICLE: EPIDERMIS

1. stratum corneum

2. lipids

3. moisture escaping

4. scales/cuts/cracks

RELATED ARTICLE: WHAT WORKS

"Always apply moisturizer immediately after a bath or a shower while the skin is still damp," says Howard Sobel, M.D., director of the Skin & Spa Cosmetic Surgery Center in Manhattan and founder of the Doctor's Dermatologic Formula (DDF) skin-care line. "If skin is persistently dry, regularly use a potent cream with a humectant," he suggests, adding that avoiding rough fabrics like wool (which can irritate the skin and promote itching) and minimizing exposure to cold winter air can help too. Using a humidifier--at home and in your office, if necessary--also can aid in preventing dry skin. Just make sure to clean it regularly, says Sobel, as bacteria can build up in its reservoir.