We had a rude awakening here in the Northeast US yesterday. The temperature dropped to 0º F! Even more of a rude awakening was my skin! There’s nothing like walking outside in the blistery wind to test my skin’s ability as a barrier. It was dry, flaky and red. Though the article I just read in Natural Solutions magazine has made me realize the real problem may have been the extra long, hot shower I took to compensate for the cold.

In the article Stave Off a Dry Skin Spell, By Alan M. Dattner, MD, I learned that bathing is often the culprit causing dry skin. Over-bathing or an allergic condition like eczema can damage your skin, and dryness is a sign of this. 

“The skin holds in moisture with layers of flattened skin cells and fatty materials made up of waxes, cholesterol, and fatty acids. Over-bathing with soap and hot water washes away these layers as well as the salts in the skin that also hold water.”

Dr. Dattner says using oils and creams are not lasting solutions. The real solution is to nourish the skin from the inside out. Consuming foods with Omega-3 rich foods and oils and balancing them with gamma-linoleic acids like borage or evening primrose oil, will replenish your skin’s natural oils and help retain moisture. and moisture can’t be retained unless you put it in your body. That means drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. 

“You should also avoid trans fats, fried foods, and excessive sugar, all of which affect the skin’s production of healthy oils.”

Also make sure to get vitamin E daily, to prevent oxidation of essential fatty acids (like Omega 3).

Dr. Dattner suggests taking shorter showers, not too hot, and not as often in the dry winter months. Moisturizing after showers will help prevent water from evaporating from your skin. Plus allergens can cause dryness and flaking of the skin. Dr. Dattner suggests “ fragrance- and paraben-free creams to prevent allergic reactions.”

To read the full article click here.