During the winter months, people wear layers of clothes to protect their bodies from the elements, but they don't always take the same precautions to protect their skin. Some may end up paying for this oversight: The lack of humidity in the air, combined with dry indoor heat, can lead to dry, itchy and even flaking or cracked skin.
And while a long hot shower sounds like just the thing to warm yourself up in cold weather, it might be just the wrong thing to do to your skin. Below, Dr. Robin Ashinoff, chief of dermatologic and cosmetic surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey and an associate clinical professor of dermatology at New York University, discusses how to manage common dry skin conditions and how moisturizing skin daily can usually keep skin smooth and soft.
What causes dry skin?
Certain people just have a genetic predisposition to having drier skin or even worse, eczema, which causes flaking and itching. In general, very fair-skinned, light-eyed people have a tendency towards drier skin.
Also humidity may play a role. You may not notice that you have dry skin if you live in a place like Florida or Louisiana. However, if you live in the Northeast, especially in the wintertime, you'll experience dry skin, especially if you have a predisposition. It can become even worse if you use harsh cleansers or washing frequently, which removes the protective barrier and increases water loss through your skin.
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
Click here to read the rest of the article at HealthVideo.com
