The activities of the summer, spending time in the water, wind, and sun, can sometimes trigger a flare-up of dry skin. Chronic dry skin can have many possible underlying causes.
Patients come to me for holistic skin treatment when they don’t want to use conventional medicine, and I address dry skin, among other conditions often by changing the diet, adding nutritional supplements, and changing the products you use on your skin. Learning about what makes your skin dry or irritates is a highly individual process that an integrative physician can help you with.
However, I have one tip for occasional dry skin that works great. If you regularly use a moisturizer, always apply it immediately after bathing or showering. This seals in the moisture your body has just absorbed and leaves skin feeling soft and healthy.
Also be sure to reduce the use of hot water, soap, and detergents on scaly skin, so that you don’t wash out the lipids that keep your skin naturally moist.
To your health,
Dr. Alan M. Dattner, MD
Holistic Dermatology
New York, New York
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
