How Do You Get Rid of Dry Skin? 3 People Share What Works for Them
Key takeaways:
Dry skin can occur for many reasons — including lifestyle and environmental factors.
Drinking plenty of water and using moisturizers regularly can help keep skin soft and smooth.
Those who experience dry skin have other ways of managing it, including how they fuel their bodies and not just what they put on their skin.
Dry skin is something just about everyone experiences at some point.
Certain seasons or climates — like cold or dry environments — can really make dry skin noticeable. Most people treat dry skin at home with moisturizers, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Below, three people share their experiences getting rid of all kinds of dry skin.
‘You have to talk about prevention before the solution’
For Charles Mayfield, a 48-year-old farmer and business owner in Athens, Tennessee, dry skin has been a lifelong journey.
“General metabolic health is the foundation for healthy skin, and you need to talk about prevention before the solution,” he says. For him, keys to prevention are hydration and sleep. He drinks about half his body weight in water daily and gets 7 to 8 hours of sleep when possible.
He also found a unique solution through his farming experience.
A few years ago, Charles turned to animal fats as a solution. One afternoon working on his farm, he became severely sunburned. Charles had the idea to put cold lard he had in his refrigerator on his sunburn to alleviate the dryness.
“My skin was soaking up the fat like a sponge,” he says.
He turned this experience into a line of chemical-free skincare products using animal fat as a main ingredient. His team launched the line of skincare products after 2 years of testing. He says the animal fat-based creams and moisturizers speed up the recovery of dry skin.
“When I work, my skin can be damaged beyond repair,” Charles says. “I found the animal fat to avoid the flaking and peeling with my dry skin.”
‘Use the right moisturizer for your body’
Erica Suppa, a 47-year-old skin care esthetician from New Castle, Delaware, says using the right moisturizer based on her skin and the time of year is her go-to remedy.
In the winter, she chooses a rich-feeling moisturizer that holds hydration in her skin.
“If the skin is flaky and tight, I’ll recommend Vaseline because it will retain the water but not congest the skin,” she says.
Erica uses a layering approach in the summertime with sunscreen and a good moisturizer. If you’re extremely dry, she says, you’ll need a serum.
Erica is a former research scientist turned esthetician. When she works with clients, she adapts products to their needs. She says she looks for answers to skincare problems that prescription or over-the-counter products might not solve.
She also advises her clients on what to avoid when skin becomes drier, you should avoid water-based moisturizers or moisturizers with parabens (preservatives found in many cosmetics) and oils.
“These moisturizers tend to mimic the natural oil in the skin and cleverly prevents skin from overproducing oil,” Erica says. “You should buy moisturizers that work together to cushion the skin’s protective barrier.”
‘Diet helps my skin most’
Meagan Hopper, a 36-year-old project manager and alternative health and wellness practitioner from Huntington Beach, California, has found her skin feels best when she approaches the problem from the inside out.
“My skin has felt best when I put real food in my body instead of processed food every day,” she says.
Meagan follows a diet centered around whole foods and mostly fruits and vegetables. Plant-based and whole food diets have been known to have anti-inflammatory effects on the skin.
When she was younger, Meagan suffered from dry skin. Her dermatologist tested her for psoriasis at one point. Meagan says she remembers her skin feeling “like an alligator's skin and constantly bleeding” before she got her skin under control. Her dermatologist recommended steroid creams, but Meagan says she wanted to explore natural ways to heal her skin by exploring her diet and overall wellness.
She recommends proactive steps to keep your skin hydrated, like using an ionizer for water or eating chia seeds. Meagan also uses avocado-based creams and moisturizers because she finds them to be less oily.
All in all, Meagan says good skin has a lot to do with what’s going on inside your body and not just what you put on your skin.
What does the doctor say?
Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH
Medical Editor
Your skin is the largest organ in your body for a good reason — it has a lot of work to do. And to do it well, your skin needs to be strong and healthy. Unlike a lot of other organs, you can easily see (and feel) when your skin isn’t in top form. Dry skin is the first sign that your skin is struggling.
The topmost layer of your skin — the stratum corneum — needs to be hydrated and moisturized. Both things are important for skin health.
To keep your skin hydrated, you need to drink enough water for your age and body size. To keep your skin moisturized, you need just a few reliable moisturizers.
Moisturizers come in lotions, creams, and ointments. The difference between them has to do with water content. In general, if it’s dry or cold, you need to use a moisturizer that contains less water. If it’s nice and humid, you can stick with a moisturizer that has more water.
An easy way to tell how much water is in a moisturizer is to turn the container upside down. If the moisturizer doesn’t move (or moves very little) — you have a nice, thick moisturizer without much water. If it slides out, you have a water-based moisturizer.
The best moisturizers are the ones that you use consistently. Pick out a lotion, cream, and ointment that you like. Make sure they don’t irritate your skin and fit in your budget. You want to have one of each on hand so that you can bump up your regimen during times your skin needs extra moisture.
In general, avoid items with fragrance and colors because they contain possibly irritating chemicals that can worsen your dry skin. And make sure to include sunscreen as part of your skincare routine, even during regular days when you’re not spending a lot of time outdoors.
Why trust our experts?
