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Mercy Medical Center Dr. Oanh Lauring

Mercy Dermatologist Dr. Oanh Lauring Discusses Ways To Treat Dry Skin In The Wintertime

This time of year, cold temperatures and harsh winds can really take their toll on your skin.

But there are some "do's" and "don'ts" you can follow to help prevent dry, itchy winter skin.

Rose Eder said she suffers from severe dry skin on her hands and arms — and it gets worse in the winter.

She showed a list of all the different lotions she has tried to help her cracking, and sometimes bleeding, skin. But it wasn't until her dermatologist switched her to a moisturizing cream that her pain and itching stopped.

Mercy Medical Center dermatologist Dr. Oanh Lauring said the environment can really affect our skin this time of year.

"Our skin tends to get drier and with the addition of hot air, the coldness outside, the wind... it just kind of sucks out the rest of the moisture," Dr. Lauring said.

She said there are a few "do's" that you can follow to get your skin back on track: Start with maintaining a healthy diet full of fish, vitamin A and vitamin E; drink lots of fluids; and moisturize often. Using a moisturizing cream instead of a lotion helps trap the moisture in your skin.

"One of the easiest things you can do is just make a regular habit of using a mild soap, like the Cetaphil or the Dove," Dr. Lauring added. "Either the bar soap or the body wash is fine."

"Don'ts" include, don't use harsh soaps; don’t go over 10 minutes with hot showers and don’t let your skin get dehydrated.

"People often times, if they try to put the cream on while their skin is still very dry, it just takes a lot of work and it never feels like it goes in and people always say its very greasy," Dr. Lauring said. "But if you do it when your skin is damp, it'll go in much easier."

If you are prone to dry, itchy skin, it is probably best to avoid those popular antibacterial gels and foams. The alcohol in them can crack the skin and pull the moisture out. For more details, watch Dr. Lauring's interview on WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor" program at http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/18464638/detail.html.