Educate yourself about alternative medical treatments available for specific diseases and conditions. This site is presented to help you research alternative medical treatments, natural and herbal remedies and different ways of thinking about how to solve specific medical problems.  Please read our disclaimer.

Alternative Treatments for Dry Skin

Alternative treatments for dry skin have been used by people in other cultures for many years.  Some treatments are very effective for some people.  Others may only work because the patient believes they will work, much like the way placebos sometimes work in medical experiments.  However, we believe that the more you know about the options, the more you will be able to make intelligent, informed decisions about the medical treatment, which may be right for you and your particular medical conditions.  Please read our disclaimer.

About Dry Skin

Dry, itchy skin, medically known as xeroderma, is a common and recurring problem for hundreds of thousands every year. Dry skin is more common for those who live in cool climates and must heat their homes, but can also for those who handle harsh soaps or come in contact with water repeatedly. Dry skin can flake, peel and become scaly and is a large frustration for many who experience it. Oftentimes moisturizers don’t help as much as needed or may be too expensive to continue purchasing. For this reason, we’ve listed some useful home remedies here that we hope you find helpful!

• Avoid repeated and brief exposure to water. Although it seems that water should moisturize the skin, this is only true with prolonged exposure, akin to bathing or soaking. Like licking chapped lips, it provides temporary relief, but only exacerbates the problem.
   
• Try an oatmeal bath. Oatmeal baths are known to soothe itchy skin and to relieve dried and chapped skin as well.
   
• Ensure that your soap is mild. Harsh soaps, often containing perfumes, can damage and irritate the skin. Try to find soaps that contain a lot of fat or oil, such as Dove.
   
• If you own a humidifier, turn it on. Chances are that if you own a humidifier you reside in a cooler location, at least seasonally. Especially during winter, humidity leaves the warm house for the cooler outdoors. This leaves both the house and your skin feeling dry. Increasing the humidity wherever you are can help to moisturize your skin.
   
• Apply moisturizer when your skin is damp. When you just get out of the shower or have washed your hands are ideal times. Applying lotion or oil at this point helps to lock in the moisture you feel in and on your skin.
   
• Keep your skin cool. When bathing avoid hot water, as it can leaches important oils from your skin. Further, make sure your house is not overheated, as cool skin is more comfortable, less irritable and less itchy.
   
• Make sure that you have enough Vitamin A in your system. Vitamin A deficiency is known to be a cause of dry skin, and ensuring that this vitamin is present in your system can help your skin troubles. Good natural sources of vitamin A include carrots, cantaloupe, spinach, sweet potatoes and squash.
   
• If you are interested in saving some money, try natural and effective home moisturizers. Rubbing any type of oil, oftentimes vegetable, on your dry skin can provide a great deal of relief. In fact, the two components that keep our skin soft are oils and water. Of course, you may not enjoy the greasier feeling this leaves you with. But it may be worth a try.
   
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol. Because alcohol is a diuretic and the liver requires water to process the alcohol in our system, drinking can leach water from our skin. Therefore, avoid drinking if you are serious about your dry skin.
   
• Get out of the sun! Too much exposure to the sun can evaporate the water right out of your skin.
   
   

Have questions about Alternative Treatments?

We recommend that you review the information about physical therapy on this website, look at the alternative medical treatments on the appropriate websites, do your own independent research, talk with your doctor or other medical professional and learn as much as you can before making the decision that is right for you.  We are not qualified to answer medical, behavioral or health related questions, so please do not ask.