Is your laundry detergent causing your skin to itch?

If you think your laundry detergent might be contributing to your dry itchy skin problem, look for a laundry detergent that says "hypoallergenic" on the label. Another idea is to give your sheets an extra rinse when doing the laundry. An extra rinse will help get all the detergent out of the sheets. Be careful about the type of fabric softener sheets you use, or consider hanging the sheets on the line to dry. In addition to giving them that outdoor freshness, the sunshine will kill any germs that might be in them.

Don’t skimp on a moisturizer

To combat dry itchy skin, use a skin moisturizer, but for best results, don't simply slather lotion all over your dry body. First soak in a lukewarm tub of water for 15 minutes. This will hydrate your skin cells. Now, gently pat yourself almost dry and then smooth on the moisturizer. The purpose of a moisturizer is not to add oil to dry itchy skin, but to trap the moisture (water) after it is already there. The moisturizer can be any lotion or oil that will seal the water into your dry itchy skin so that it can't dehydrate again as easily.

When looking for a moisturizer or ointment for dry itchy skin, there are some natural ingredients to look for, so read the label. One of these ingredients is zinc. This mineral comes in different forms. Zinc citrate protects against infection from bacteria, microbes, and fungus. Zinc picolinate moves through cells and heals them. L-lysine is an amino acid (part of protein) which is used in skin care medicines. It normalizes cell division and soothes irritation that other healing ingredients might cause.

Sometimes you can find a medicine or moisturizer for dry itchy skin packaged in a spray bottle. This is a nice way to apply the medicine to parts of the body you can't easily reach. It also is soothing because you don't have to rub the raw irritated skin with anything.

Get better air

A first step in soothing dry itchy skin is to add moisture to the air so that it doesn't dry out the skin. Using a humidifier in your bedroom will give your skin a fighting chance against itchy dryness.

Try MSN

MSM is a health food supplement that is usually taken by mouth for arthritis. When it is added to an ointment, it adds moisture to dry itchy skin and acts to stop the itch.

Scratch and it can get worse…

Scratching dry itchy skin is a bad idea. Sometimes when a person scratches the itch becomes worse, so they scratch more. The result can be a rough patch of thickened skin that looks darker than the rest of the body. Doctors have an unpronounceable name for this condition - lichen simplex chronicus. It doesn't have anything to do with the lichen that grow on rocks. If you've been diagnosed with the disorder, you may have thought it was some sort of a parasite because of the word lichen in the name. Rest assured, all it means is that you've succumbed to the urge to scratch too much! Finding a medicine that stops the itching, such as one containing MSM or cortisone, will help you overcome the urge.

To know more about dry itchy skin and the remedies available visit http://www.dry-skin-care–guide.com for more dry skin care tips.

Copyright 2006 – Jerrick Foo. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give author name credit.

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