Banish Dry Skin Without Costly Prescription Cream

You don’t have to spend your winters in dry, tight, itchy skin.
I have incredibly dry, sensitive skin. I’ve had eczema or dermatitis for the last 10 years, the severity of it changes depending my stress level, the weather, and on my exposure to allergens. There are four products that have helped me to heal my skin with very little medicated creams or ointments, and since I began using them regularly, my eczema is somewhat under control. They are dye and fragrance free, and I recommend them without hesitation to everyone with eczema I meet.

On my face I use Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion for all skin types (not the oily skin version). The Cetaphil cleans my skin without leaving it dry or irritated. Even though it is a moisturizing cleanser, it does not leave a greasy film. Instead, my skin is soft and supple, not tight and dry. I then use a Neutrogenia moisturizing lotion with sunblock.

In the shower I use Dove for sensitive skin. It is not completely fragrance free, but has a very soft pleasant frangrance. This fragrance has not irritated my skin and my dermatologists recommended it along with Aquaderm and Cetaphil.  Dove is a unique body bar (it is not really soap) it leaves no “soap scum” in the bath or shower walls or on my skin. The ph of dove is 6 the same as healthy skin.  Most soaps have a ph of  7-9, that’s why they cause dryness.

I tried the Cetaphil cleansing bar and Aquaderm and did not like them as well. After I eliminated all fragrances from my life, I found it amazing how annoying some fragrances can be. I hate the smell of  Cetaphil’s Cleansing Bar and Neutrogena’s unscented Cleansing Bar.

After my shower, I apply  Cetaphil Fragrance Free Moisturizing Cream in the big jar. I have tried everything and this works the best for me. Eurerin is too stiff and paste-like to spread evenly on my irritated skin without considerable discomfort. Other advertised brands either had too much perfume or did not moisturize enough. Sarna Sensitive was a complete bust, after the sedative wore off I was itching like crazy. Prescription brands were no better and cost a lot more.

My dermatologist prescribed a hydrocortisone cream (Topicort) to help with the eczema, and it helped dramatically at first. After using it for several years I noticed a change in the skin in the affected areas. The skin seemed thinner and less supple and the texture was changed. Hydrocortisone cream is not to be used long term on large areas of the skin. I no longer use it at all except for emergencies. You know, those times when you’ve purchased a sleeveless dress for a special occasion and your arms break out in a blistery rash three days before the event.

Hopefully this blog will help someone else to find the products that work best for them. Comment at the end of this blog about  what works best for you.