How To Prevent Dry Skin

All of us long for a healthy, wonderful and beautiful looking skin. After all, a smooth skin not only enhances your personality, but also protects the body from the nuances of the outside world. However, most of us are not fortunate enough to be born with a perfect skin and complexion. Eventually, with too much exposure to sunlight and too little caring, the problem worsens, resulting in dry skin that looks dull, damaged and tight. Dry skin can be caused due to various reasons that include genetic inheritance, low humidity, illness, soaps, sunlight, swimming, skin disorders, dehydration, alcohol and drugs, and so on. Hence, hydrating yourself is very essential for a healthy and beautiful skin. Read on further to find tips for treating dry skin and getting a smoother and delightfully moisturizing skin. Go ahead and discover a new you!

Image: Nick-K (Nikos Koutoulas)@flickr

Tips For Preventing Dry Skin

Increase your water consumption level to keep your skin and body properly hydrated. Drink at least 8 glasses of pure water a day.
Add a tbsp of almond, jojoba, olive or hazelnut oil to your bath water, 5 minutes after you’ve soaked yourself. Your skin will get plumped up when your soak yourself first. By adding oil later, the water seals the absorbed moisture, making the skin rejuvenated.
Since caffeine, smoking and alcohol are diuretics, stay away from them. They will not do any good and leave you with dry skin.
Natural elements, such as wind, sun, heat, cold, and dry office and airplane air can quickly exacerbate the condition of dry skin. Hence, it is advisable to apply a moisturizer, before you expose your skin to these moisture-sapping conditions. You can spray lavender, rose or German chamomile aromatic hydrosol onto your face, neck, chest and hands, to keep your skin refreshed and hydrated.
Limit your contact with hot water. Long, hot showers and baths taken during cold weather dehydrate the skin. However, warm showers and baths for a short duration benefit the dry skin.
Use gentle cleansers to moisturize your skin. Avoid deodorant, soaps and harsh abrasives that further dry out the skin. Instead, opt for a moisturizing soap, soap-free product or a gentle, grain-based cleanser.
Always wear soft fabrics, such as cotton, that would not scratch or irritate the skin, unlike synthetic fabrics and wool.
Include healthy oils, such as olive oil and other heart-healthy oils, in your diet to get a soft and smooth skin. These oils are also beneficial for hair, nails and the rest of you.
A good and healthy diet is an excellent way to prevent and treat dry skin. Fatty acids are the building blocks of the skin’s natural, moisture-retaining oil barrier. Hence, include a lot of fatty acids, such as flax oil, walnuts, safflower oil, tuna, herring, salmon, sardines and mackerel, in your diet.
Have lots of fruits and vegetables, rich in vitamins A, B and E, grains, eggs and garlic, as they assist in keeping the skin smooth and healthy.
For treating very dry skin, dab petroleum jelly on the problem areas to seal in the moisture.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Beauty & Fashion'