How To Get Rid Of Dry Skin On The Body

Dry skin and the winter months go hand in hand, especially when it comes to dry skin on the body. As the temperatures drop the more layers go on and we are all too distracted with keeping ourselves warm meaning body care goes out the window. Today we are going to share with you some tips on how to get rid of dry skin on the body and ways to avoid any flakiness and discomfort.

How do you get rid of dry dead skin?

There are luckily a number of different things to do to get rid of dry dead skin on the face and body. Taking into consideration that whichever products work for the body, are usually too harsh for the skin on the face. This sometimes explains how many of us fall into the trap of focusing our efforts in skincare on the face and forget about the body, your face shows signs of ageing and dryness quicker after all. Here is an example of a body care routine and how it can help treat any signs of dry skin;

1. Ensure you keep the body cleansed and washed daily, especially during the winter months as this can cause a build-up of dead skin cells, excess oil and sweat. Which in time can result in the skin having flaky, dry patches and suffer from breakouts found on the back and chest.
2. Use a body scrub every week, remembering to use it more if your skin is particularly dry. This can either be a physical scrub with ingredients in it such as grains or pumice or a liquid exfoliant containing an AHA or BHA, most popular being lactic acid. You will find there are a number of formulas of shower gels containing an acid to aid exfoliation.
3. Body brushing is an added benefit, as not only will it scrub away any remaining dead skin cells, it also stimulates blood circulation making the skin appear a lot healthy and smoother. Ensure you keep the brushing to the body however as it can be too harsh for the face.
4. Consistency is key, maintaining a good body care routine will see the same benefits of the using a daily skincare regime. You will find body skin will appear visibly smoother and will continue to improve as time goes on.
5. Take into consideration your skin type, this will help you find the best products to use in your routine. For example, a thicker and more nourishing cream will work better for someone with a dry skin type.

There you have a few ways of treating the skin when it is showing signs of dryness, by simply trying at least one of these you will find there is some improvement to the skin.

Why is my skin suddenly so dry and flaky?

If you are finding your skin has suddenly become dry and flaky, this could be the result of the following;

• Heat- Any form of heat, be it from central heating, fireplaces, radiators etc reduces the humidity in the air and dry out the skin.
• Weather- seasonal changes have a large impact on the health and appearance of the skin. Temperatures dropping results in humidity doing the same meaning the skin has a tendency to become dry during winter months.
• Harsh soaps and detergents- many soaps and detergents contain ingredients that are too harsh for the skin resulting in it becoming stripped of moisture and uncomfortable
• Hot showers and baths- yes, believe it or not the temperature of your bath water can have an effect on the skin, especially if you stay in them for long periods of time
• Skin conditions- if you are finding you are suffering from areas of dry skin that you haven’t before, then you may be experiencing some form of eczema or psoriasis, both of which are prone to develop when the skin becomes too dry. If you have any concerns with potentially having eczema it is best to consult your GP for further advice.

There is also your age, lifestyle and area you live to take into consideration when trying to understand why you are suddenly suffering from dry and flaky skin. If you are wanting to cure the problem in the easiest and most effective way than take a look at the simple body care swaps you can try at home.

What is the best cure for dry skin?

Here are some easy and effective changes you can make that will have the biggest impact in treating dry skin;

1. Stop taking long, hot baths and showers

As mentioned before bathing in water that is too hot can worsen the skin causing more dryness. To avoid any discomfort try the following;

• Limit bathing time to 10 minutes
• Keep the door etc closed to keep humidity high
• Use a fragrance-free shower cream
• Use warm water only
• Avoid rubbing and pat yourself dry
• Moisturise whilst the skin is slightly damp allowing the cream to lock in the hydration 

2. Add moisture to the surrounding air

• Using an air humidifier will keep the humidity in the air ensuring your skin doesn’t become dry

3. Avoid using non-irritating clothes and laundry detergent

• When your skin is feeling dry it can become irritated easily, try wearing cotton or silk under any heavy jumpers containing wool.
• Use a hypoallergenic laundry detergent 

4. Use heavy cream and ointments on the skin instead of lotion

• Opting for skin nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, glycerin and hyaluronic acid
• Use an ointment or cream as they are thicker and generally better at locking in moisture

These four changes are the best start at curing dry skin in the most effective and quickest way, you can also include these with the other tips we previously mentioned to help get rid of dry skin on the body.

I hope you have found this blog to have a few helpful tips on ridding the body of dry skin. Once you have a well-established body care routine that has a similar amount of attention given to maintaining it than you will be surprised to see the difference in your skin.