Dry skin on your face can feel stinging and uncomfortable, but fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to help. Changing your skin care habits may reduce dry skin. You can also shorten your bath time and use a humidifier to reduce moisture loss from your skin. Changing your diet and taking supplements may also help. If all else fails and your skin is still dry, you may want to consult a general practitioner or dermatologist.

Change Your Skin Care Routine

Choose a gentle cleanser that is free from fragrance, alcohol, and dyes. These ingredients may make the skin drier. Check the label of your cleanser to make sure it does not contain these ingredients. For best results, choose a cleanser specifically designed for dry skin.

• You can buy soap-free facial cleansers such as Cetaphil or Aquanil.

Wash your face twice a day with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser. Hold cold or lukewarm water on your face with both hands to moisten your facial skin. Use your fingertips to work the cleanser into your skin in small circles. Then wet your skin again and wash the cleanser off your face.

• Don’t scrub your skin too hard with a sponge or washcloth, as this will remove more oil and dry out your skin.
• Do not wash your face with hot water to avoid drying out your skin.

Pat your face dry with a clean towel. After washing your face, pat it dry with a clean, dry towel. Do not rub too hard to avoid drying the skin further. Gently pat your entire face dry with a towel.

• You can use a regular towel, or a microfiber towel or T-shirt that’s gentler on your skin.

Choose a moisturizer that contains oil, shea butter, or other emollients. These ingredients are effective in treating dry skin on the face. Check the product label to make sure it contains at least one or two of the above ingredients. It is better to use a cream or ointment rather than a lotion. Choose a moisturizer that’s labeled “stronger” or specifically formulated for dry skin.

• Other ingredients that can help moisturize dry skin include dimethicone, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, lanolin, mineral oil, petrolatum, and urea. Check the label of your moisturizer to see if it contains any of the above ingredients.

Apply moisturizer immediately after washing your face. Now is the perfect time to lock in your skin’s moisture and moisturize well. Apply a generous amount of moisturizer to your entire face and wait for the skin to absorb it. Use your fingertips to spread moisturizer evenly over your entire face and neck.

• You may only need a pea-sized amount to cover your entire face, so start with a little moisturizer and add more if necessary.

Apply aloe vera gel to the skin to enhance the moisturizing effect. Apply pure aloe vera gel to your skin once or twice a day to help reduce dryness. You can use aloe vera gel on your face after washing your face instead of moisturizer, or apply moisturizer and then use aloe vera gel. Apply enough to cover the entire skin and wait for the skin to absorb them.

• Pure aloe vera gel is available at pharmacies or grocery stores.
• Make sure the aloe vera gel does not contain other ingredients such as fragrance, dyes, alcohol, or lidocaine (which numbs sunburned skin). These ingredients are likely to irritate dry skin.

Apply a manuka honey mask once a week. Manuka honey helps reduce dry skin. After washing your face, apply a thin layer of Manuka honey on your face. Rinse with lukewarm water after 10 minutes. Apply once or twice a week to deeply moisturize skin.

• You can buy Manuka honey in specialty food stores and online.
• If you can’t find Manuka honey, you can also use regular honey.

Keep Skin Hydrated

Whenever you are at home, turn on your humidifier. Humidifiers release moisture back into the air, helping to reduce dry skin. Using a humidifier at home can help your skin retain more moisture and reduce dryness. Install a humidifier in the bedroom at night to increase ambient humidity.

• If you’ll be home for several hours during the day, you can run the humidifier during that time, too. Take it to the room you’re in and turn on the switch.

Limit baths and baths to 10 minutes. Long baths and baths can be relaxing, but they can also dry out your skin. Time yourself and try to keep your baths and showers to 5-10 minutes to avoid drying out your skin.

Do not sit directly in front of a heat source to stay warm. If you feel cold, put on warm clothes and wrap yourself in a blanket. Don’t sit directly in front of a fireplace, space heater, or heating ducts to avoid further drying out your skin.

• If it’s very cold at night, use an electric blanket to keep you warm. If you don’t have an electric blanket at home, you can also throw an ordinary blanket into the dryer and heat it for 5-10 minutes, then wrap yourself up.

Change Your Diet and Take Supplements

Drink water when you are thirsty. Staying hydrated helps promote skin health and prevents dry skin. Drink water when you are thirsty, during meals, and after exercise.

• Carry a reusable water bottle with you to stay hydrated throughout the day.

No alcohol at all, or maybe every other day. Drinking alcohol can dry out your skin because alcohol is a diuretic and pulls moisture out of the body. If you have dry skin and drink alcohol regularly, giving up alcohol can greatly improve the appearance of your skin. If you want to drink, limit yourself to no more than 1-2 drinks every other day.

• It may take several weeks before you see the effects of alcohol withdrawal on your skin.

Eat foods rich in vitamin C to promote healthy skin. Vitamin C is an important nutrient for skin health. If you have dry skin on your face, try eating more foods rich in vitamin C to see if that helps. Some good options include:

• Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes.
• Kiwi, mango, and papaya.
• Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
• Cantaloupe and honeydew melon.
• Broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes.
• Red bell pepper.

Take vitamins for healthy hair, skin, and nails. Consistently taking these vitamins can help promote healthy skin and reduce dryness. Look for a multivitamin for healthy hair, skin, and nails, and take it daily according to the manufacturer’s directions. These supplements usually contain a combination of vitamins A, B, C, and E, and some also contain omega-3 fatty acids and other ingredients.

• Always talk to your doctor before taking supplements, especially if you regularly take prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, or supplements.

Seek Medical Treatment

If you notice redness, itching, or bleeding, be sure to see your doctor. If your skin becomes red, itchy, chapped, or bleeding, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Your skin may already be infected, or it may become infected without treatment. Doctors will use a combination of medications and moist dressings to treat cracked skin.

If dry skin is severe, get a prescription moisturizer from your dermatologist. If your dry skin doesn’t improve with anything, you may want to see a dermatologist. They can prescribe special creams or ointments to hydrate the skin and relieve the sting.

• If you have a skin condition like psoriasis that makes your skin dry, your doctor may also prescribe medications to treat the underlying skin condition.

Ask your doctor to check your thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism can also cause dry skin. This situation needs to be diagnosed by a doctor, who will prescribe medication after diagnosis. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Tired
• Afraid of cold
• Weight gain
• Puffy face
• Thinning hair
• Heavy menstrual flow
• Depression
• Decline of memory

Tips

• You may need to try a few different cleansers and skin care products to find one that works for you. If the first product you try doesn’t work, don’t get discouraged and try the next one.
• Use lip balm if your lips are dry.