Moisturizers Effectiveness for Relief of Itch(y) Dry Skin with Creams, Lotions or Ointment Care Treatment

The most common treatment for dry skin is using moisturizers to reduce water loss and soothe your itchy dry skin. These relief of dryness moisturizers typically come in the form of ointments, creams, and lotions.

Ointments are a mixture of water in oil, most often either lanolin or petrolatum.

Creams are oil in water as the main ingredients, as well. But creams need to be applied more often than ointments for similar effectiveness.

Lotions main ingredient is powder crystals dissolved in water. In response to their high water content, they feel cooling to flaky, itchy, dry skin, and feels less greasy to the touch.

Although lotions are easier to apply and more pleasing to use than ointments and creams, they don’t have near the level of protective qualities for flaky, scaly and itchy dry skin. Therefore lotion needs to be applied more frequently for relieving signs and symptoms of skin dryness.

In order to prevent recurrence of itchy dry skin, moisturizers should be used regularly, daily and indefinitely.

Other itchy dry skin assists:

  • humidifier can help by adding moisture to the air
  • warm water is less irritating to dry skin than hot water
  • bathing less often and using milder soaps helps relieve itchy skin dryness

If your weather report predicts less than 20% humidity, you really need to slather on some extra cream, lotion or ointment.

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