Dry Skin Rash

Dry skin rash is a very common occurrence. People of all age groups, right from infants to the elderly can get it. Some tend to get it only during winters and others may have it throughout the year. It has some of the most annoying symptoms. The extreme dryness gives a tight feeling on the skin all the time, and is accompanied by itchiness. Initially, there may not be any visible signs of skin rash. Later on, the skin gets inflamed and red rashes appear which often causes a burning sensation. Sometimes, cracks may develop on the skin surface that ooze out blood or colorless fluid. All these symptoms make the skin look very dull and unattractive.

Causes

Both internal as well as external factors can be responsible for dry skin rash. Actually, this skin problem arises when the natural skin oils produced by the oil glands is stripped off and does not get replaced. This oil keeps the skin soft and supple. When there is not enough oil, then the skin turns dry. Elderly people may get it because with increase in age, the production of natural oil decreases. While the reason behind dry skin rashes in infants is underdeveloped oil glands that does not produce sufficient oils. Some people may have extremely dry skin due to genetic reasons that trigger such rashes. Other underlying factors like poor diet, thyroid disorder, diabetes, eczema, psoriasis, excessive intake of alcohol and smoking, can be responsible for this. External causes are cold and dry weather conditions, exposure to harsh chemicals, heat, excessive washing of skin, and so on.

Treatment

Here, we are talking about some simple treatments that you can try out at home to get rid of dry skin rashes. They are as follows:

Follow a Proper Diet
You have to make the skin healthy from within. For this, eat a healthy nutritious diet. To reduce the skin inflammation, include cabbage, wheat grass, spinach and green tea in your daily diet. These foods can reduce the inflammation really well. Fresh fish and flax seeds are great source of essential fatty acids that are good for improving skin condition.

Keep your Body Hydrated
You have to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. When your body is hydrated, it will help the dry skin to retain a good amount of moisture. A hydrated skin in turn will reduce the tight feeling of the skin and the rashes will heal up faster.

Take Nutritional Supplements
Supplements of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids are highly beneficial for healing up the skin rashes. They will reduce the dryness of the skin and restore the natural elastic properties of the skin. Thus the structure of the skin becomes strong and healthy and is not susceptible to damage.

Apply Hydrocortisone Cream
Use hydrocortisone cream for treating dry skin rash when they are red and causes a lot of irritation. This will not only provide a soothing relief from the itching sensation but will also have a healing effect on cracked skin and swelling.

Protect the Skin
When you have skin rashes, then you must avoid all those external factors that can aggravate its symptoms. Use skin care products or cosmetics which have natural ingredients in order to minimize exposure to chemicals. Avoid direct exposure to sunlight as the heat and light can cause harm to the rashes. While going out, cover up the rashes under clothing to protect them from wind and pollution. Use humidifier in your home to add moisture to the indoor air.

Home Remedies

Caring for dry skin rash is an integral part of the treatment. Here are a few helpful suggestions that can cure the problem and provide that much-needed relief:

Warm Oatmeal Bath
Add one cup of uncooked oatmeal is your daily bathwater and soak your body into it. This will decrease the skin irritation restore the natural moisture of the skin and the skin rashes will disappear on its own. However do not use hot bath water as the heat of the water takes away natural oils from the skin and bath only once a day and not more than that.

Skin Moisturizer
You must apply a good quality moisturizer soon after the shower when the skin is still damp. Ideally, moisturizers with natural ingredients like beeswax, olive oil, beeswax is best for irritated skin. You must avoid moisturizers that contains fragrance, chemicals and other additives. Reapply the moisturizer at least 3-4 times throughout the day.

Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera gel works wonders on itching dry skin rash. Its natural healing properties heals them up fast and prevent any further spreading of the rashes to other parts of the body. Its antiseptic qualities reduces the chances of secondary skin infections caused by excessive scratching of the skin.

Vitamin E Oil
Vitamin E oil can be used in many different ways. Mix half teaspoon of vitamin E oil with equal amount of glycerin and a few drops of lime juice and use it on the skin rash. Alternatively, cod liver oil is rich in vitamin E and can be applied on the skin rash on any part of the body. There are skin creams and gels available that are enriched with vitamin E and can be used for the same purpose.

You should not try to diagnose a dry skin rash and take medicines on your own. If change in diet, lifestyle and skin care fails to bring about any improvement in the condition, then you must consult a dermatologist for further treatment. There could be some underlying health condition that is triggering this problem, which require proper medicinal treatment. Even skin disorders like psoriasis, eczema or rosacea cannot be treated at home.