Very Dry Skin

[Walnutcakelover]

Can anyone advise me on a good cream for extremely dry skin?. My mum has extremely dry skin, to the point where you can see dry flakes on her clothes. She isn't itchy, or red, and tbh you can't see that she has dry skin, until you go very close to her. Her legs look abit like lizard dry (If that makes any sense) but it's smooth looking rather than thick and very dry. The Dr gave her E45 and Aquaoeus, but they haven't worked. Any suggesstions? I know it sounds a bit weird but it's hard to explain.

She needs to go back to her GP and ask for a referral to the dermatologist. A lot of skin conditions require a trial and error approach to the creams, I doubt E45 and Aqueous will make any difference unless it's very mild. There's no real active ingredients in them. Have you googled psoriasis?

Hi yes have seen psoriasis ladymary. There is no redness on her skin, she is not even itchy, just extremely dry skin.

It's scaly rather then anything else (I have seen it, although it was a few years ago). There's lots of things which can cause dry skin, it's best to get an expert to look at it in case it gets worse.

Aveeno is quite good

Thanks ladymary. My mums a rascal when it comes to going to the dr.

has she tried the usual; change of soap, change of washing powder? I used to use Ecover after ds was diagnosed with eczema.

Diprobase works well for us :) GP can give you a script for a big bottle. Works on all sorts of skin complaints.

I second Aveeno, only thing which works for any of us, and we have tried them all!

Another vote here for Aveeno (it is on offer at Sainsbury's half price I think this week). I do not bother with E45 as it is not brilliant on my dry skin. Palmer;s cocoa butter is good. Trial and error I am afraid - and avoiding any highly perfumed soaps. In fact I would avoid soap altogether and use unperfumed liquid shower gel to wash as soap is very drying.

Does yr mum use biological washing powder? Try Fairy or another good non-bio washing powder to ease itching from dry skin. LMCC suggested Ecover and that sounds like good stuff.

Ecover is great, it's all natural ingredients so won't irritate skin (I don't work for them, it was great for ds). Baby oil also helped, just make sure she puts it onto wet skin when she gets out of the bath and pats dry. It's easily absorbed.

I buy Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Moisturiser - is great and you can get a huge tub on the net for about £30 but lasts for about 4 - 6 months. It isn't the great greasy oily stuff but a lovely smelling cream that is the only thing that makes my skin un crusty.

Be careful with aqueous - lots of people are allergic to it.

Thanks for the replies. She hasn't changed her soap, washing powder or anything. Aveeno sounds good. I will tell her to go back to the Dr, and get something else. She has been using cocoa butter with no improvement. My mum never wears perfumes or highly scented stuff. I think she may be a bit run down. She is suffering with proctitis, she also had two bowel polyps out back in June.

Epaderm ointment. Big pot from the pharmacy counter. Thick and greasy but it will work.

Will enquire about Epaderm and Diprobase, Thanks.

I swear by Dream Cream from Lush, might be worth a try?

Thanks frustrated will take a look.

Aveeno, I tried a carrier bag full if creams from the dermatologist and it was the only thing that worked I found it by accident too as I bought a cream with oatmeal and it worked so asked for it in prescription. My hands were cracked and bleeding and kept me awake at night but it is totally gone now as long as I keep using Aveeno. I recommended it to my friend too and it worked for her, the oatmeal is cooling.

Increase use of vegetables and fruits ...

I will check Aveeno out, sounds nice.

You could buy her this cream, to heal her skin; and ensure she only washes with something like this and, once her skin is healed, that she moisturises after every bath with something like this.

I've suffers from dry skin forever. I would really recommend switching to a soap and shampoo without sulphates. They're so harsh and in everything. People don't realise that it's basically detergent. There's a really excellent brand called 'naked' which is available in boots and online, not to expensive and really good quality. Don't be fooled by soaps that say 'sensitive' on them, they're often not sulphate (sls/sles) free.

Re moisturisers. I've tried them all, the one that works for me is oilatum. And don't just put it on once or twice a day. All the time. You can't use too much.

Hope this helps!

Thanks ladies.x

How about changing to sulfate free soap/shower gel? Helped me a lot. I use moogoo

Crosspost!!