Skincare Moisturizing for Dry and Itchy Older Skin in Men and Women

Itchy, Dry Skincare

As we get older, many of us find that our skin is drier. It can often get itchy as well. The problem can be especially bad on the lower legs, elbows, and forearms. The skin can feel rough. It may look scaly. The itch can be intermittent or it can be constant.

Many people suffer from itchy dry skin. If you have older skin, the problem can be even worse. Low humidity - caused by overheating during the winter or air conditioning during the summer - contributes to seasonal dryness and itching.

Dry skin itches because it is irritated. The problem can get worse with aging skin and older skin. Why? It's because of the loss of sweat and oil glands as you get older. Anything that dries your skin will make the problem worse, including:

• overuse of soaps and antiperspirants
• perfumes or harsh ingredients in skin products
• hot baths, especially with harsh soaps
• dehydration and sun exposure
• smoking
• stress

If your skin is very dry and itchy, you should see a doctor. Dry skin and itching can affect your sleep and it can cause irritability. Itchy dry skin can also be a sign of disease. For example, diabetes and kidney disease can cause itching, and some medicines make the itchiness worse. Itchy skin can also be the result of allergies. So see your doctor

If it's just a question of simple dry skin, the most common treatment is the use of moisturizers. Moisturizers can reduce water loss and soothe the skin and also help give you younger looking skin. Moisturizers come in several forms - ointments, creams and lotions. Ointments are mixtures of water in oil, such as lanolin or petrolatum. Creams are preparations of oil in water, which is the main ingredient. Creams must be applied more often than ointments to be most effective. Lotions contain powder crystals dissolved in water, again the main ingredient.

Moisturizers should be used indefinitely to prevent recurrence of dry itchy skin.

A humidifier can also help, adding moisture to the air. When you bathe, use warm water because it is less irritating to dry skin than hot water.

You should also avoid harsh soaps when your skin is dry and itchy. Look for soaps that are super-fatted or look for what's called soapless soaps, which are cleansers made from petroleum products. After gently cleansing your skin, and while your skin is still moist, is the best time to apply any moisturizer. This will help seal the moisture in the skin.

Finally, tempting as it may be - do not scratch. When you scratch, you can make things worse and irritate the skin even more.

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Updated June 2011

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