dry skin

[Bad_Bananas]

my skin is so dry...i started using natural cocoa butter ...but when i wash it off my skin is really flaky and dry....should i use coconut oil instead?
is there something i could eat that would help?

[oai]

i'm interested in knowing the answers, too. since it's winter, my body is dry especially my face, hands & feet... well, whatever i expose. :p the dryess has been so bad that there's a lot of skin cracks on my right hand. it hurt really bad.

i've been using coconut oil, but it has not helped. i'm actually using a bit of jergen's (commercial product) now. :o

i think i read that steve pavlina ate more fats to help with dry skin.

[DebB]

I'm not able to use coconut oil/butter on my skin - it's like it's too harsh. It actually dries my (already dry) skin out further. I'm quite fair with sensitive skin. This is organic, cold pressed, etc.

Not an answer to your question, just wanted to toss in that not all of us can unfortunately use coconut oil - I sure wish I could! *Ü*

[Veganforlife]

Water. Dry skin usually indicates dehydration. Increase your water.

[juliebove]

I use shea butter if I need it, but mostly my skin is okay and I don't have to put anything on it. I too would say to drink more water.

[cara4art]

Lots of things can contribute to dry skin:

- age
- central heating that's pumped up too high
- arid climate, which can lead to surface dehydration, even in an oilier skin type.
- lack of essential fatty acids
- not drinking enough water
- genetic predisposition(if at least one of your parents has naturally-dry skin - you're quite likely to have a similar skin type)
- nutritional defiencies, like not eating enough healthy fats
- overuse of harsh products on skin
- prescriptions that can dry the skin out, like Accutane for acne, or topically applied Rx retinoids like Retin-A
- last but not least, skin can act like it is dry, due to not exfoliating. When one doesn't exfoliate(especially if you ordinarily have normal to oily skin)you have dehydrated dead flakes on the surface, making you think your skin is dry. Once you take care of that situation, anything you apply to your skin will work better. There are lots of ways to exfoliate ranging from simple home-made things on up to commercial products. I'd try home-made first, and stay with that if all possible. Some skin types though should NOT exfoliate - truly dry, delicate skin types. These are better off with gentle cleansing and a nourishing oil or cream. If one is using simple oils or butters, always apply while the skin is still damp so it will seal in the moisture, otherwise they don't work that well, in my experience.
Hope this helps!

[oai]

thanks cara for all the suggestions! wow! :eek:

- age
in my 20s. maybe not that one.
- central heating that's pumped up too high
i have the mom set it at 70. it's not going higher than that.
- arid climate, which can lead to surface dehydration, even in an oilier skin type.
i don't know what would constitute an arid climate. i'm in md... about 30 mins. from dc.
- lack of essential fatty acids
possible.
- not drinking enough water
i drink a lot. :p
- genetic predisposition(if at least one of your parents has naturally-dry skin - you're quite likely to have a similar skin type)
not my family.
- nutritional defiencies, like not eating enough healthy fats
possible
- overuse of harsh products on skin
i don't use anything. not even soap. i've only recently used a bit of jergen's b/c of the dry skin.
- prescriptions that can dry the skin out, like Accutane for acne, or topically applied Rx retinoids like Retin-A
i'm drug free... OTC or Rx. :D
- last but not least, skin can act like it is dry, due to not exfoliating.
i'm skin brushing tonight! i've been lazy about it lately. :) so i will try this.

[michigan roman]

dry skin is a topic ive not seriously read on , but today i was reading up on thyroid / iodine deficiency and came upon the below link stating it is one of the symptoms of iodine deficiency . which for i myself just ordered some sea weed / kelp powder . so thought ide post link , plus its an interesting looking site , link =
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu.ycoEFJgYgAEZVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyanR2a2d tBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNARjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0Y2NTRfODc-/SIG=122dp4bbs/EXP=1229124124/**http%3a//www.laurapower.com/iodinedeficiency.htm

also ide say that vita A , dark greens / carrot good sources , is needed for healthy skin . so are vita E , sunflowerseed and wheat germ oil good sources , and healthy fats / oils like cold pressed olive oil / flax etc in diet are needed by skin .

and i was just reading in a herbal where native south american women have always rubbed avacado on skin as moisturizer . and i know alot of people like jojoba oil .

[rawstrength]

I've had dry skin in the winter my whole life, raw didn't help. Some people just have genetically dry skin, plus I live in a climate where the winters are dry.
I apply unrefined sesame oil to my hands and lips everyday and that really helps. I have now gotten into the habit of massaging sesame oil onto all of my body once a week before I shower, and it feels amazing.
Best wishes!

[MelissaO]

I like to use pure shea butter. I will scoop out about a nickle size amount and rub it between my hands to warm it up - then I put it on my lips, hands, heels or where ever else it is needed. I always apply just after my bath or shower or before I go out in the winter.

[RaisingAlex]

Fresh Aloe Vera Juice works for me. Three days drinking the juice and my dry skin went away.

You will have to read my next column in TSM, it is all about Aloe.

[Bad_Bananas]

oh lots of good ideas!....thanks for all your help guys!

[GoingtoRAW]

I have had serious problems with dry skin this year as well - like never before. My skin is so dry now (luckily not my facial skin), that I sometimes can't sleep due to the itching and scratching. I have gone through 1/2 jar of coconut oil to no avail. Finally out of desperation I used some of my daughters' prescription for a dry skin condition that she has and that has been the only thing that works. Believe me, I hate using any kind of drugs - but I can't stand the itching any more and I can't afford to lose any more sleep.:(

[rawstrength]

GoingtoRaw - do you ingest any raw fats? Sometimes we need fat internally, not just on our skin, to correct dryness. Make sure you eat enough fats, and the right types/balance of fat.

[Pitaya]

coconut oil works brilliantly for me, especially in dry weather - though i don't use it on my face (my boyfriend does!) - i use a moisturizing cream for my face by aubrey's organics

skin is the largest organ

i love to feed it good coconut oil after hot shower, especially after shaving.

[ShelShel]

You guys are going to love me. :p First, yes, bump up the raw fats in your diet. Especially avocado. But...and I just finished with this, SO I know it works. :D Kosher salt, olive oil, your favorite all natural fragrance. (such as organic Frontier natural Peppermint oil.) I personally use Myrrh.
Combine these three ingredients in a small bowl and bring it to your bathtub with candles. Make sure whatever body part you are scrubbing...you lift out of the water and really scrub it before it goes back under. Rinse. Scrub, rinse and so on until your body is lovely and smooth. It feels so refreshing! :) Enjoy once a week.

Warning...scrub tub before next use...as it will be very slick and your dear hubby may go "slip-sliding-away!" LOL

[rawstrength]

Thanks, ShelShel. I have found salt scrubs to be a bit to harsh for my skin, but you just may have made someone's day :) .
I just rubbed an aloe vera leaf on my hands. They were instantly transformed from sandpaper rough to avocado smooth :D.

[oai]

i'm going to keep my eye out for an aloe vera plant. :p

[ShelShel]

Another great scrub...without the harshness is adding ground flaxseed instead of salt. I do that for my face scrub. Flaxseed, coconut oil, peppermint oil and honey. Smells great. I keep it in the fridge and it's very refreshing. Rub some all over your face an lay down for 10 minutes with cucumber slices on your eyes. Viola! Exfoliation, no chemicals...clear skin! I love natural scrubs!:D

Aloe Vera is tops! Love that too!;)

[rawviveyourself]

you can't expect chronic dry skin to clear up with just external products - you need to change the internal environment, too.

so ingesting more healthy oils helps, then dry skin brushes and saunas, maybe consider a niacin flush if you do supplements, and THEN apply external oils (i use coconut, but jojoba and sesame are also good - and i use melted cocoa butter/shea butter on massage clients.)

if you want to do a salt scrub and find them too harsh - put your dry salt in the vitamix with some seaweed and voila! you have a complete mineral scrub with a finer grain that won't be so rough on your skin. you can then mix it with oil, aloe, honey, and essential oils....for body only - never use salt scrubs on the face.....hope this helps!

[ShelShel]

Oh, my...that is the best idea! :D Thank you! Mineral salt! Very cool.

[cara4art]

To add to what I posted earlier, especially since a couple of people at least have mentioned what they use for exfoliating scrubs/masks, here's mine:

2 level tsp. finely-ground oat flakes
1 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar
tiny bit(like the size of a match head or so, or one-quarter of a 1/4 tsp.)Vitamin C powder
1 tsp. local honey

Mix the oats and ACV together first into a thick paste, then add the C, and last the honey, making a smooth mixture. Apply to face and leave on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off, even using your cleaner if you want. Then apply something soothing and rich like shea butter, coconut oil, etc.
I've done this mask without the Vitamin C too, for a somewhat gentler mask, 2-3x a week. With the C though, just once a week is fine as it is a stronger exfoliating action.
Another thing that I've seen advised but haven't tried myself is to apply straight ACV to the face, rub it and supposedly dead flakes come off. You only have this on for a very few minutes though.
Good luck!

[LisaCorine]

Hi,

I use products that I order from an online company called From The Meadows.

www.fromthemeadows.com

The products are absolutely fantastic, organic and chemical free. I use the olive oil bar soap and I no longer have issues with dry skin.

I highly recommend their products! If you have any questions or concerns, email Jennifer - She's wonderful. :)

[rawererin]

I have the driest/flakiest/not-sexiest skin ever, seriously.
I've been through dozens of moisturizers and oils, butters and the such, but the thing I found that really helps get rid of the dry skin, so that the moisturizers just make me softer instead of masking the problem is:
DRY SKIN BRUSHING...
I love it, there are brushes everywhere, it's quick, there are tons of posts on here about this, PLUS it helps your lymph system drain out all the toxins and booga boogas that we don't want in out system.
I recently got into using essential oils, and from now on I'm just going to use a healing body oil blend that I can make myself.

Things you can do now to help with moisture:
Don't use bodywashes/soaps with SLS or surfactants, water down some dr.bronner's baby soap (3 or 4 parts water, 1 part dr.bronners) and use that in the shower.
Add about a tsp or so of vegetable glycerine to the soaps and moisturizers you use now (this can be found by the band-aids and gauze in any store)
Slather on moisturizer while you're still wet to help it absorb even deeper.

Good luck!