Dry Skin Secrets For Children and Adults Posted Wed, Mar 05, 2008, 4:17 pm PST

OK, I confess: You might not find this topic interesting... that is unless your child has dry skin, or you do. If so, I expect that you'll be fascinated. Every day I see children with cracked, flaking, itchy, irritated skin. If everybody knew what I'm about to tell you, the world would be a better place!

The Right Way to Bathe

• The best thing for dry skin is... water.
• Give your child a warm bath, not hot. It should last for about 10 minutes, no more than 15.
• As soon as it's over, pat your child's skin dry with the softest towel you own. Don't rub with the towel; that'll just dry the skin out again.
• Right away, smear on an oily substance to seal the water in. The best, cheapest, safest thing for this is plain old petroleum jelly (Vaseline is the big-name brand, but any kind will do). Yes, it's oily: That's the point. If you oil her up before bed, your child will feel much better in the morning.
• Do a bath like this once a day, or once every other day.

No Soap, Baby

• Soap was created to wash away oily stains. It also washes away normal skin oils. "Pure" soap is especially hard on dry skin.
• The best thing to wash with is a moisturizing bar that has no soap in it. Dove is one familiar brand name.
• Wash babies with a moisturizing bar for the grimy creases. Use plain warm water for the rest.
• "Baby soap" or "baby wash" is still soap -- and it still dries out the skin.

The Nail File

• What's the worst thing to do to dry, itchy skin? Scratch it! Scratching damages the skin, causing it to itch more, and then to thicken and darken.
• Use a nail file or emery board to make your child's nails short and smooth. Smooth nails can't scratch as much.
• Make up a nail filing song, the sillier the better. Sing while you file, so you (and your child) don't get bored.
• Nail clippers (or, as one friend calls them, "nippers"), scissors, and (heaven forbid!) your teeth all leave sharp edges -- exactly what you don't want!

Beware the Air

• Dry air, that is. Dry air sucks water out of the skin.
• Cold winter air is very dry. Indoor air is also dry during the winter, unless you add water to it.
• Vaporizers and humidifiers do the same thing: add water to the air.
• Pans of water on the radiator also add water to the air, until they spill all over the place. Also, burns from scalding water can be severe.

The Best Moisturizer

• The best moisturizer is the one you like to use. For it to work, you have to use it a lot.
• Oily ones are better at sealing in water.
• Creams are less greasy.
• Some contain lanolin, which can cause worse itching. If your child's moisturizer causes itching, switch to a different one.

Medicines

• Most over-the-counter, anti-itch creams contain hydrocortisone. It's safe, as long as you only use a little bit, for a short time, over a small area of skin. One possible side effect: it can cause the skin to lighten in color, so avoid the face if you can. Ask your child's doctor to be sure it's safe for him or her.
• Most prescription-strength, anti-itch creams are the same stuff, only stronger. The most powerful anti-itch creams also tend to have the most serious side effects. So use them if you need to, but let a doctor help you decide when, where, how much, and for how long.