Helen Hecker asked:


Skin is not dry because it lacks oil, but because it lacks water. As we age, our skin produces less of the natural oil that helps it retain its moisture. It’s easy to treat dry skin cheaply, simply, naturally, yet effective, at home.

The average square inch of skin holds 650 sweat glands, 20 blood vessels, 60,000 melanocytes, and more than a thousand nerve endings. Skin contains the hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands and blood vessels. The skin is often known as “the largest organ of the human body”.

The dermis is structurally divided into two areas: a superficial area adjacent to the epidermis, called the papillary region, and a deep thicker area known as the reticular region. The blood vessels in the dermis provide nourishment and waste removal to its own cells as well as the epidermis.

The epidermis contains no blood vessels, and cells in the deepest layers are nourished by diffusion from blood capillaries extending to the upper layers of the dermis.

Environmental factors such as exposure to sun, wind, cold, chemicals, or cosmetics, or excessive bathing with harsh soaps, can cause dry skin. Dry skin could also be a sign of an underactive thyroid Xeroderma can also be caused by a deficiency of vitamin A, systemic illness, overexposure to sunlight or some medications. The oil glands do not supply enough lubrication to the skin: as a result, the skin becomes dehydrated.

For any skin condition, it’s always better to take a natural approach. Apply cool compresses to itchy areas. Dry your skin gently and thoroughly, patting not rubbing.

Consider taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements every day.

Eat foods that contain essential fatty acids. Use flaxseed oil or walnut oil in your salad. You want to work from the inside out too. The two most common, sluggish, digestion culprits that affect your skin are not enough water and not enough fiber.

The best treatment I’ve found for dry skin is coconut oil. If you also have eczema or acne, coconut oil will treat those skin conditions too. Use coconut oil to remove your make-up at night, like I do; it leaves a fine layer of oil to nourish your skin all night long. Also use a thin layer of coconut oil under your make-up to moisturize your skin all day.

The skin must be regularly cleaned or it’ll become cracked or inflamed. The skin supports its own ecosystems of microorganisms, including yeasts and bacteria, which cannot be removed by any amount of cleaning. Dry skin can be converted into healthy skin using natural home remedies.

If your dry skin lasts for a long time and is itchy or feels hot when you touch it, see your doctor. You should see the results with improved skin within a few days following this advice. See your doctor or naturopathic doctor if your skin doesn’t improve in spite of your best efforts.

Helen Hecker asked:


Xeroderma, the medical name for dry skin, occurs most commonly on the lower legs, arms, the sides of the abdomen and thighs and is a very common condition. The use of natural or synthetic cosmetics to cover the appearance of the face and condition of the skin, like controlling the pores and covering blackheads, is common among many cultures.

Skin is one of the most important parts of the body; it’s our largest organ. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. The outermost layer of epidermis consists of 25 to 30 layers of dead cells.

If you break out on the skin around your eyes, it could be the shellac in your mascara; buy a shellac-free mascara like Ecco Bella’s. When the skin loses moisture it may crack and peel, or become irritated and inflamed. The symptoms most associated with dry skin are: scaling, which is the visible peeling of the outer skin layer, itching, and cracks in the

skin.

When the oil glands do not supply enough lubrication to the skin, the skin becomes dehydrated. Nutritional deficiencies, especially deficiencies of vitamin A and the B vitamins can also contribute to dry skin or result in a chronic dry skin condition that’s not relieved by anything else. Dry skin can also be a sign of an underactive thyroid.

I can’t stress enough the importance of drinking plenty of pure, filtered water – a minimum of a quart a day. Drink freshly extracted carrot juice, if you can, every day; carrot juice is an excellent cleanser for the liver, great for the skin and contains a great deal of nutrients, all beneficial for dry skin, eczema, acne, zits, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and other breakouts. Consider taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements, in liquid form, every day.

For any skin condition, it’s always better to take a natural approach. Dry and pat your skin gently and thoroughly after a bath or shower if it’s extremely dry or irritated. Try using a humidifier if the air is dry and you have a severe skin condition.

I buy coconut oil by the gallon; it’s cheaper for a whole gallon of coconut oil than a small jar of department store, name-brand moisturizer. Dry skin contributes to fine lines and wrinkles; coconut oil helps prevent the onset by keeping the skin soft and supple. Coconut oil is very inexpensive – a great, cheap home remedy for all skin conditions.

Use coconut oil to remove your make-up at night, like I do; it leaves a fine layer of oil to nourish your skin all night long; but better yet, apply more coconut oil. Apply coconut oil daily to your skin to heal, moisturize and soothe it.

Functions of the skin are disturbed when it’s not clean; it becomes more easily damaged, the release of antibacterial compounds decreases and it’s more prone to develop infections. Skin that’s not clean favors the development of pathogenic organisms; the dead cells continually slough off of the epidermis and mix with the secretions of the sweat and sebaceous glands and the dust found on the skin, to form a layer on its surface.

Call your skin doctor if dryness and itching are preventing you from sleeping. It’s time to call your doctor for an appointment when all your home remedies do not relieve your dryness and itching. And did I mention to drink lots and lots of water every day?

Helen Hecker asked:


Symptoms most associated with Xeroderma (dry skin) are scaling, which is the visible peeling of the outer skin layer, itching and cracks in the skin.

It’s easy to treat dry skin cheaply, simply, naturally, yet effective, at home.

Skin is not dry because it lacks oil, but because it lacks water.

The skin is often known as “the largest organ of the human body”. Skin also receives less blood flow and lower gland activity. Skin is considered one of the most important parts of the body.

The outermost layer of epidermis consists of 25 to 30 layers of dead cells. The epidermis contains no blood vessels, and cells in the deepest layers are nourished by diffusion from blood capillaries extending to the upper layers of the dermis. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane.

The oil glands do not supply enough lubrication to the skin: as a result, the skin becomes dehydrated. Xeroderma can also be caused by a deficiency of vitamin A, systemic illness, overexposure to sunlight or some medications. Symptoms most associated with Xeroderma are scaling (the visible peeling of the outer skin layer), itching, and cracks in the skin.

Nutritional deficiencies, especially deficiencies of vitamin A and the B vitamins, can also contribute to dry skin. Use bath oils and moisturizers daily. Take baths or showers less often. Cosmetics should be used carefully because they may cause allergic reactions like contact dermatitis.

Use flaxseed oil or walnut oil in your salad. The two most common, sluggish, digestion culprits that affect your skin are not enough water and not enough fiber. For an easy fiber boost, mix in 2 tablespoons of ground up flaxseeds in raw applesauce, from 2-3 apples, made in your food processor. Drink plenty of water, a minimum of a quart a day. Consider taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements every day.

The best treatment I’ve found for dry skin is coconut oil. Use coconut oil to remove your make-up at night, like I do; it leaves a fine layer of oil to nourish your skin all night long. Use bath oils and moisturizers, especially coconut oil, at least daily. If you also have eczema or acne, coconut oil will treat those skin conditions too.

The skin supports its own ecosystems of microorganisms, including yeasts and bacteria, which cannot be removed by any amount of cleaning. Dry skin can be converted into healthy skin using natural home remedies.

Unclean skin favors the development of pathogenic organisms – the dead cells that continually slough off of the epidermis mix with the secretions of the sweat and sebaceous glands and the dust found on the skin to form a filthy layer on its surface.

If nothing seems to work it might be more than dry skin, so you should see the doctor. Continue using coconut oil and the benefits of good, clear skin, free of dryness and other skin conditions should be your reward. It’s time to call the doctor when all your home remedies do not relieve your dryness and itching.