Annnd it strikes!
You've ended your day, taken a shower or bath, and now it's time to chill out for the night. You sit or lay down and "it" starts. You now what I'm talking about. That annoying itching sensation that comes out of no where. You instantly wonder why your itchy? Did you put on lotion? Is your lotion just not working? Your skin is dry. That's all you know for sure!
Please don't Judge Me!
Can I share with you one of my guilty pleasures? I loooovveee to watch some of the health shows on The Learning Channel. Yes!!! The ones that have those warnings before they start about showing actual medical procedures and not being suitable for all audiences. There was a patient in one episode who had my full attention because he like myself, served in the military. The veteran suffered from a condition called Ichthyosis that caused him to have extremely dry scaly skin and intense pain. The treatment was as easy as doing a wet-wrap therapy where the skin is moisturized and then wrapped in a layer of wet bandages under a layer of dry bandages. His condition greatly improved after only 5 weeks of this routine.
His case is rare. But many people suffer from bouts of dry skin and more serious, flare ups of eczema. I'm all for simple solutions that have a big impact! So here are four easy tips to keep the dry itchy skin episodes to a minimum.
Decrease Your Risk of Suffering from Dry Skin
1. We all need it. Water, a form of moisture, is yelling "Here I am". Take full advantage! Apply lotion directly after your shower. DO NOT let you skin dry out before application. This easy routine helps seal the moisture from your shower into your skin.
2. Grab a book. Grab a candle. A glass of wine makes everything better! No matter how you have to justify to yourself that you need to relax for 15-30 minutes, just make it happen! Take a bath! S-O-A-K in a bath of warm water at least once a week. This allows your skin to absorb as much moisture as it can hold. And don't forget to put on lotion directly following your bath to help seal in that moisture.
3. Choose your lotion carefully. You'll normally see water as the first ingredient on the label which means the products is mostly comprised of water. We're all trying to stay moisturized! If you check out MawAhh's coconut milk lotion you'll notice that coconut milk is our next ingredient after water. Coconut milk contains vitamin E and anti-inflammatory properties to assist with skin problems and help keep away signs of aging.
Okay, prepare yourself...
4. I know. It might sound simpler than it actually is. Drink water. There are all sorts of water bottles with goal milestones printed on them to make sure you drink a specific amount of water by a certain time. I had an associate who was tracking her water intake using an app. Remember that I said I am all about simple. Be conscious of your water intake. Maybe you drink a glass of water before you reward yourself with that non-water beverage. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends 9 cups of water per day for women and 13 cups for men. That's a lot fo water per day! #watergoals
I want to hear from your! Share with us your tips to combat dry skin.
MawAhh!