Best Ways to Treat Dry Skin
- skin-conditions
- skincare-tips
Winter is just around the corner and along with chillier temperatures comes dry air and dry skin! If using a moisturizer isn’t doing the trick, you may need to make an appointment with us at Charleston Dermatology to get relief.
Dry skin can be bothersome, causing rough, scaly, flaking skin that itches, cracks or bleeds. It’s important to stay on top of it because cracked skin can let in germs and cause infections.
Depending on the severity, we may recommend the following treatments:
Moisturizer
Help your skin retain moisture by using plenty of moisturizer, especially in the drier months. At Charleston Dermatology, we can help you choose the right ointment, cream, lotion or oil to best fit your skin type. For instance, you may want to use a moisturizer with urea or lactic acid as they help the skin to hold water. We can also look into prescription moisturizers that may make more of an impact than the standard over-the-counter lotion.
Medicine
Topical medication may be called for depending on how dry your skin is. Medications like corticosteroid (cortisone-like) or immune modulators (tacrolimus, pimecrolimus) can be effective at relieving itchiness, redness and swelling.
Changes to your routine
Whether it’s wearing gloves, limiting hot water exposure or applying extra moisturizer, we can zero in on what changes you can make to improve your dry skin. We can discuss prevention tactics like using gentle cleansers, humidifiers and more.
If you’re ready to have smooth, soft skin that doesn’t itch or peel, give us a call at (843) 872-3015 or make an appointment online today!