"Winter Skin" - Anyone else besides me have this?

[Nisima]

Spinoff from "pale skin" thread - any bhuzzers out there have the same problems I do once the weather turns cooler? Every year it's the same, the temperature drops 20 degrees, and even if I don't turn on furnace much at home my skin start to dry out and bam, I get itchy skin that no moisterizer fixes - and we're talking on inside forearms, behind knees, and chest - classic "winter skin" itchy dermatitis is what my dermatologists calls it, it got so bad this year I was waking up a night scratching myself. I got tired of having to use cortisone cream - it works but is only for the short term because it has side effects - actually over time it "thins" the skin. I found a product by Eurcerin called "Calming Lotion" and it is non-steriodal and stops the itch in it's tracks for up to 8 hours. It has menthol in it and even though my skin is super-sensitive, does not burn in the least. I use it morning and night on problem areas. Also, I changed bath soaps and now use Aveenos' "moisterizing non-scented oatmeal based liquid shower cleanser". It took a week before I could sleep through the night without waking up with my arms, chest and back of knees itching like crazy.
My skin has always been like this, I think it as I've gotten older it is worse because skin does tend to dry out more. Hot showers make it worse, it is not an allergy, it is caused by dry air and sometimes overexcersizing can trigger it (!). Well, I'm not stopping dancing, but wanted to share the over the counter products that worked for me in case any of you buzzers out there are having same problems in colder weather.

[SummerSahar]

Did the doctors rule out eczema?

[*Shira*]

I've been lucky not to have this problem, but I've known other people who did.

My stepfather used to have the problem - for him, Vaseline Petroleum Jelly did the job.

My husband has the problem, and his favorite remedy is Cornhusker's Lotion - I steered him to that, because that's what my dad (a farmer) used to use to deal with dry, cracking skin caused by farming (repeatedly handling wet items outdoors in cold weather is beastly on your skin). My husband had tried other products too like No Crack and Vaseline Intensive Care lotion, and Cornhusker's has been by far the best solution for him.

[Taj]

You poor thing! My husband has the same problem. If he could live in a humid climate year-round, he'd be a happy, happy man. I'll have to look for the Calming Lotion. He does use an Aveeno wash and says that has helped him.

Have you tried anything like almond oil--you know, the stuff used for massage?

[Zana]

Thanks so much for the tips, Nisima! I'm trying to get my guy to switch to products that will enable him to use less cortisone cream for his dermatitis, so I'll be passing on your recommendations.

I've had this, too, though it hasn't been as severe yet. Just discovered Kiss My Face brand moisturizer for sensitive skin with olive oil and aloe, and it's helping a lot. I like that it's suitable for both face and body use and has no sunscreen or mineral oil so I don't have to keep it away from my eyes.

Jäson "beauty oil" with vitamin E is good too, and smells delicious -- it's a blend of almond, grapseed, and other botanical oils. But keep it away from dyed fabrics -- it leached the color from some of my towels!

[nasila]

Hi, I get eczema much like you're describing, sometimes with little itchy patches (esp inner arms and behind knees). Both of my children get it too. The best things I found to help:

Moisture. Drink LOTS of water, and lotion your body within 3 minutes of getting out of shower (limit baths to under 10 minutes, and you already know to avoid hot showers/baths).

Take Essential Fatty Acids. Either from lots of fish (salmon) or taken in capsule form.

Check your diet. Milk and dairy products inflame our eczema, but other common triggers are wheat, corn, soy, shellfish, chocolate (eep! yes!) ...any of the common allergies. Just pay attention to how your diet changes with the season and see if there are any connections. Also, when we're on low-sugar diets in the house, the eczema always seems to lighten up if not disappear. Also, when the Santa Ana winds kick up here in LA I break out big time (party due to dry climate but perhaps allergies too...other people in my family get sinus problems from Santa Anas).

Think of your skin as an organ that reacts to what's going inside your body, not just topical solutions, and you may find even more relief. Good luck! :)

[Surida]

I live in Vermont and heat my house with wood. My skin gets like this every winter. I swear by olive oil and/or safflower oil. About once a week I massage it all over my body (or sometimes I have hubby do it) before bed and hop under the covers. My skin always feels so good the next morning! When my hair is getting too dry I will also massage it into my hair before bed and wash it out in the morning. An added benefit is if you massage your scalp and feet just before bed somehow it helps you sleep better.

[tahiradancer]

Also be sure that your humidifier is going. If you don't have one, put a kettle on to boil frequently. And get indoor house plants.

{{{HUGS}}}

[enigmahealth]

Originally Posted by nasila

Take Essential Fatty Acids. Either from lots of fish (salmon) or taken in capsule form.

Check your diet. Milk and dairy products inflame our eczema, but other common triggers are wheat, corn, soy, shellfish, chocolate (eep! yes!) ...any of the common allergies. Just pay attention to how your diet changes with the season and see if there are any connections. Also, when we're on low-sugar diets in the house, the eczema always seems to lighten up if not disappear. Also, when the Santa Ana winds kick up here in LA I break out big time (party due to dry climate but perhaps allergies too...other people in my family get sinus problems from Santa Anas).

Think of your skin as an organ that reacts to what's going inside your body, not just topical solutions, and you may find even more relief. Good luck! :)

That's exactly what I was going to say! The essential fatty acids are very important. If you can handle the pills, I know a number of people who've found relief by using EFA supplements. Also, put extra virgin olive oil on EVERYTHING. Replace butter with extra virgin olive oil on everything you eat. I do this, and it very much helps. I even put about a 1/4c of it on my popcorn! Yum! Put it on potatoes, put it on salads, put it on rice, etc.

[Nisima]

Thanks, bhuzzers, for all the tips and yes, Summer, it is actually a form of eczema; in fact eczema is a catch-all term for various types of "dermatitus" type itchy scaly dry skin. There is no real "cure" but there are things in diet and environment that make it better/worse. And drinking more water helps but I didn't know about the essential fatty acids. I think also that it is worse for me this year because about 3 months ago I stopped taking my "super woman vitamins" - big mistake. They are just regular vitamins for women with iron and B complex. I also found out from doctor that eczema type skin problems are also aggrated by stress (rolls eyes at current in-law drama going on for past guess, what two months).
Chocolate seems to make my arms redder, sob, so that's out for now!

[Nisima]

Originally Posted by Taj

You poor thing! My husband has the same problem. If he could live in a humid climate year-round, he'd be a happy, happy man. I'll have to look for the Calming Lotion. He does use an Aveeno wash and says that has helped him.

Have you tried anything like almond oil--you know, the stuff used for massage?

I can't use anything with a scent, not to rub on body. Too much oil just cloggs my pores and that makes it worse. That's why when I do find a lotion that works, I'm ecstatic - so many of them do not work on me and I hate having to use cortisone creams. Oddly enough, the Aveeno Body Wash, Unscented for dry sensitive skin works for showering but their "calming lotion" did NOT work. Eucerin, another brand name, makes a "calming lotion" and I was surprised at how well that one works.

I do have a humidifier for bedroom because the house heat (even though we turn it off at night) dries out air so much my sinuses get all swollen and stuffed up.

It is hard to be a happy camper if itching up a storm. Another irritant is pet dander, but my dogs are with us year-round and I only have this problem when colder weather starts in autumn. I went to an allergist who ran blood tests and said I'm not allergic to any food, but that if I break out in itching rashes, hives from environmental pollen/dust that certain foods will make it worse, guess what, shellfish, chocolate, nuts, caffein. Allergist put me on year-round Zyrtec and it is very effective but the fall season is tough - lots of grasses and dry air outside and inside the house.

Xmas trees, the real ones, also are a problem, it's not just the pine scent or the sap, they have their own "dust" that even if they are rinsed down cause lots of skin problems for people sensitive to pollens and dust. So we had to go to fake trees years ago.

It's amazing to me how many people will tell me I have "beautiful skin" and they don't realize what it takes to keep it from breaking out in itchy, scaley rashes or hives. I am very careful about trying any new cosmetics - once a rash starts, can't really put anything on hives!

[HubicRuzz]

Originally Posted by Nisima

Spinoff from "pale skin" thread - any bhuzzers out there have the same problems I do once the weather turns cooler? Every year it's the same, the temperature drops 20 degrees, and even if I don't turn on furnace much at home my skin start to dry out and bam, I get itchy skin that no moisterizer fixes - and we're talking on inside forearms, behind knees, and chest - classic "winter skin" itchy dermatitis is what my dermatologists calls it, it got so bad this year I was waking up a night scratching myself. I got tired of having to use cortisone cream - it works but is only for the short term because it has side effects - actually over time it "thins" the skin. I found a product by Eurcerin called "Calming Lotion" and it is non-steriodal and stops the itch in it's tracks for up to 8 hours. It has menthol in it and even though my skin is super-sensitive, does not burn in the least. I use it morning and night on problem areas. Also, I changed bath soaps and now use Aveenos' "moisterizing non-scented oatmeal based liquid shower cleanser". It took a week before I could sleep through the night without waking up with my arms, chest and back of knees itching like crazy.
My skin has always been like this, I think it as I've gotten older it is worse because skin does tend to dry out more. Hot showers make it worse, it is not an allergy, it is caused by dry air and sometimes overexcersizing can trigger it (!). Well, I'm not stopping dancing, but wanted to share the over the counter products that worked for me in case any of you buzzers out there are having same problems in colder weather.

A tablespoon or two of flaxseed oil daily should fix this. The skin is the last organ in the body to receive Omega 3 fatty acids. So if the skin is dry this is a sign that you need to up the level of essential oils in your diet.

[ThespiSis]

I get uber dry skin and hair. My hands are most effected. My cat also got so dry last year he was licking his fur off and leaving bald patches! For him I occasionally feed him a little wet food to replace the oils in his skin. For me, I use Avon hand creams and lotions (I sell them, so it's convenient). Last year we had a product called WinterSoft, and I hope they bring it back. I only have a few tubes left! For my hair, I use a spritzer from Avon that's an anti-static spray.

[maliam]

Nasima, I'm so relieved that someone else understands this! Everytime I tell people I have sensitive skin they start whining about their small nuances here and there and they just don't get it!

When I was a girl my skin would get so bad during winter that it would crack and bleed. It was horrible! I also use the Aveeno body wash but I use the Aveeno unscented lotion. NO menthol. I might have to use something different during winter though; my skin is getting dry slowly again.

For facial care, the only thing that has worked is Avalon Organics sensitive skin line. I use the heavy duty cream at night and the one with SPF during the day. It's the only facial cream with SPF that doesn't make me break out. And it smells good but is fragrant free (as in no added fragrances). Only herbs and the lavender feels great.

If the itching gets bad enough, consider taking a Benadryl. It is non-habit forming and will at least help you sleep.

Happy dancing!

[jahbie]

I have eczema on my hands and shins. In the past I've used Oilatum and E45 etc, but they were too oily, is Aveeno any better?

[zumarrad]

Have you tried Palmers' cocoa butter - the original version in the pot? It does have a scent, but I think it's the cocoa butter itself that creates it. It is certainly very emollient (and cheap, which is always a plus).

[jahbie]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that.



QUOTE=zumarrad;84478]Have you tried Palmers' cocoa butter - the original version in the pot? It does have a scent, but I think it's the cocoa butter itself that creates it. It is certainly very emollient (and cheap, which is always a plus).[/quote]

[SamiraShuruk]

Year round I drink lots of water and eat well...
The most useful thing for me is to have humidifiers going- or a humidifier in the main part of the house and little fountains in the smaller rooms. It's amazing how much water evaporates from those things. It makes a huge difference in my skin and my hair AND (bonus!) my veils and clothing have less static.

[Azeeza]

I have dry sensitive skin and have been diagnosed with eczema and allergies.

The best product I've found for winter skin is Aveeno, both body wash and body lotion. It's on the heavy side, but it doesn't dry my skin out and I have less itching. The lotion has a hint of cooling in it (it might have a little bit of camphor in it) but it soothes my skin too.

If I'm not careful my hands and feet will split open and bleed and I've had PUVA treatments in the past, which were awful, so I know about dry skin and eczema. It's no fun.

Azeeza

[Bellydancingcaroline]

I don't actually have any eczema anymore because I manage it, there are loads of things you can do to help your winter skin itchy thing. Everyones eczema or dermatitis is different, so what works for me may not work for you.

1. Learn to love natural fibres that aren't fluffy ones (silk good, mohair bad).
2. Boil wash your cotton sheets
3. Bin the steroid (cortisone/betnovate) creme if you can, you may have to ween yourself off it first (it is evil, evil, stuff in the long run).
4. Take fish oil, bathe in salt water (those new age float tanks are really salty), go on holiday to a salty spa place, and watch your skin heal up. They have them in iceland and italy probably other places too. Volcanic hot springs are the wrong kind and will make you itch.
5. Calendula Oil in a massage is good, creams with german chamomile (the blue stuff) have helped me.
6. Try not to get too wet too often. Buy rubber gloves for the dishes.
7. Perhaps your house is 'wet' does it have damp (buy a dehumidifier), or is there something growing in your cellar ???
For me at least drinking and eating water is good, spraying it on myself all the time bad.