How to Remedy Peeling Skin

For many men and women, dry, peeling skin is not serious but unattractive. Yet it is important to rule out illness and other causes, such as fungus. Otherwise, the condition of your skin is largely determined by your overall health, environmental exposure and to some degree genetics. These tips can get your skin soft again.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Towel
• Lotion containing alpha hydroxy
• In-shower moisturizer
• Loofah
• Replacement detergents and skin-care products

How To Fix Dry Skin that Peels

1. Isolate the cause of peeling skin if possible. This may require research or journaling about daily activities, diet and products. The goal is to remove the cause, if possible, be it chemical exposure, friction, allergens or sun exposure, or to protect against these elements.

2. Eliminate harsh soaps, including antibacterial skin-care products, detergents with fragrance and fabric softener dryer sheets if necessary. Consult with a pharmacist or health provider for non-drying products.

3. Replace products that irritate the skin with more gentle alternatives such as fragrance-free soaps or alcohol-free lotions. Try non-chemical methods, such as dryer balls, to soften clothes.

4. 
   Don't overdo exfoliation

   Remove dead skin and peeling skin through regular exfoliation, but don't overdo the process. Daily mild exfoliation of damp, peeling skin offers cumulative results. Add more friction when toweling after a shower or for more stubborn areas, try a loofah or even a strong plastic kitchen brush on calloused feet.

5. 
   Lotions with alpha hydroxy work well.

   Try intense moisturizers, such as hand and foot creams, that contain alpha hydroxy to both accelerate dead skin removal and allow moisturizer to penetrate better. This works on other dry, rough areas too.

6. Address overall body dryness and flaky skin by using an in-shower moisturizer with shea butter or apply one immediately after showering.

7. Avoid wetting the skin more than necessary and protect the skin during temperature extremes, be it gloves in the winter or sunblock on sunny days. Evaluate the need for a humidifier in the winter.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep skin dry as much as possible and apply moisturizer frequently.
• Ensure adequate sleep for healthy skin as this is the time the body repairs itself.
• Sleep without socks if dry peeling feet are a problem unless a deep-conditioning treatment is applied. Feet tend to sweat, and this aggravates dry skin.
• New skin conditions, including peeling skin, may require medical care. Peeling fingers, for instance, may indicate disease, fungus or a reaction to irritants.
• Kawasaki disease is a rare autoimmune condition that involves peeling skin and affects young children.
• Let a sunburn heal before applying new products or exfoliation techniques.

[MidniteWriter]

on 2/23/2008 Good to know, I struggle with this.

[jpwhickson]

on 2/14/2008 I know where to look if I need this information. Dry skin scales more, so, I'll probably be using this.