Keeping Healthy

with Tracie Miller

While normal skin has a smooth and glowing appearance, dry skin looks dull and may be rough, scaly and prone to cracking. How dry our skin is varies with age and genetic make-up, but dryness can also be caused by exposure to the sun and wind, airconditioning, soaps and detergents, hot spas, baths and showers, and some medications. Although any body site can be dry, dry skin tends to affect the shins more than any other site, and areas may become itchy, indicating a form of eczema/dermatitis has developed. When the dry skin of an older person is itchy without a visible rash, it is sometimes called winter itch. The mainstay of treatment of dry skin is moisturiser/emollients. They should be applied liberally and often, and generally work best if applied to damp skin. Dry skin can be prevented by;

• Reduced frequency of bathing.

• Humidifier in winter and air conditioner in summer

• Consider having a short shower rather than a prolonged soak in a bath.

• Use lukewarm, not hot, water.

• Replace standard soap with a substitute

• Apply a moisturiser liberally and often, particularly shortly after bathing, and when itchy.

The drier the skin, the thicker this should be, especially on the hands.