Any supplements for crazily dry skin?

[Oldisthenewblack]

Can anyone recommend any supplements to help with excessively dry skin? I've started taking cod liver oil and flaxseed, but so far, no difference. Obviously I do everything else to offset the dryness, moisturise it into oblivion, drink lots of water, etc, but nothing works.

The main problem is my hands. I moisturise them about eight times a day and when I can sleep with cotton gloves on, having slathered them in a thick cream, but they are still like sandpaper an hour after taking the gloves off!

I'm not looking for recommendations for any kind of cream as I use heavy duty stuff, some of it on prescription (Neutrogene, Eucerin, etc) and know what works (in as much as it does work) for me.

Thanks in advance!

Aveeno. I have horrendously dry skin prone to ezcema. I find a soak in the bath (with Dead Sea salts) followed by literally smothering myself in the moisturiser really helps and stops itching/flaking. That stuff is a godsend and I genuinely panic if I run out of it... Hope that is some help. Ps avoid the lanolin based ones like double bass/diprabase, I find they make it worse

Oh whoops, just seen you don't want cream advice I may be slightly hungover. Dead Sea salts in the bath as I said seem to help with washing. Vitamin b capsules also seem to make my skin less horrendous. Also cod liver oil (tastes foul, but the oil stuff really seems to helo)

Helo? Help even. Note to self - do not drink so much on a Friday night...

Do you eat fish? DD has eczema and very dry skin in general and we noticed a big improvement when we upped her intake of fish, oily fish in particular.

Can you get eucerin on prescription?

Nantucket - yes, I get the Eucerin 10% Urea cream on prescription. it's for severely dry skin and is very good. Clearly, not for my hands tough!

Ohnonotagain - ha ha! No problem - I've tried Aveeno and it's hopeless for me, though I hear it raved about by others, so it must be doing something right. I will look into the vitamin b, but think there's a bit in my multi vitamin. Perhaps I need more?

misspym - I don't eat fish actually. Though the cod liver may be a good stand in....perhaps I should look at salmon, at least I like that.

It takes a while to see the effects of supplements so you have to persevere.

Krill oil is excellent, I've went from dry, dull, flakey skin to 'normal' skin which looks much healthier after several months of daily use. Eskimo fish oil is also really good. Also try Evening primrose oil and a multi vitamin such as perfectil.

Lemon water (i.e. a slice of lemon in a glass of hot/cold water or tea taken as often as possible) is also good for the skin and gives a boost of vitamin c.

And exfoliate regularly as moisturising creams seem to work much better afterwards.

Thanks, ontherightpath, I was thinking about krill oil actually. Can't hurt anyway so will order some. I recall evening primrose oil brought me out in a rash, but that was years ago so may try again!

Salmon, mackerel and other oily fish, Avocado's, nuts are all supposed to help.

My DS who gets eczema seems to do well on avoiding bathing too much, and eating these things regularly.

And use gloves whenever you clean/wash up anything, or even touch wet laundry (I am sure you do already)

And use a gentle washing powder.

Water softener?

This isn't a recommendation for cream as such, but I've been suffering terribly with dry hands this winter and my doctor said to try oil in water. So a bowl of warmish water with oil of any kind- I was thinking baby oil or oilatum and soak your hands for 10 mins or so. She said that the skin absorbs moisture better through water. I haven't got round to trying it myself yet but could be with a go?

As PPs have said it's probably your diet you need to look at.
Google 'good fats for skin'.
Avocado, oily fish, olives, olive oil, real butter, full fat plain yoghurt, walnuts, almonds, green veg.
You should be eating most of these daily.

Coconut oil. My skin is better when I eat coconut oil and avocados regularly. Suppliment Vitamin D and A (Biocare). Drink juices with greens and carrot juice. I would consider doing a cleanse diet, no grains, dairy, soya, sugar, red meat, deep sea fish, no additives. (I would also avoid petroleum based creams.)

if a balanced diet containing real food doesn't fix it, see a doctor. He/she can then tell you what you need, which may be medication rather than supplements.

if your kidneys and liver are not 'cleansing' then you will be very sick indeed. Cleanse and detox are babble.

Thank you, Aotherday. I would struggle to do a cleanse diet (I like my chocolate!) but I can see how it would be beneficial to some people. Although I may not buy into the whole thing, I certainly don't think cleansing and detoxing are babble, as specialsubject suggested, if applied sensibly. We do take in a lot of toxins and they simply can't be good for us, although we obviously cope.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.