Lizard like legs... help!

[orangina]

My legs are just HORRENDOUS, having recently emerged from a winter tucked away inside socks, tights, trousers and boots. Ankles make the odd outing, but they too look like the colour of frozen fish and are the texture of elderly lizard skin.

Have been putting on the St Tropez shower gel stuff, but with NO effect, and I think I need to tackle the lizard thing first. Am clutching a tube of Flexitol and am about to cover my lower legs in it.... any other suggestions? I think I need something that is industrial in its effectiveness. The lovely "this works" isn't going to cut it I fear.....

Thank you all!

Drink lots of water and keep drinking lots of water
Exfoliate using body brush or loofa whatever works for you
Slather skin in baby oil whilst skin is still wet
pat dry very gently or drip dry

Repeat daily

Second the baby oil straight from the shower when your skin is still damp.

Defuzz your legs with hair removing cream. It dissolves the keratin in the hairs, so it dissolves it on the skin too.

It won't be perfect after one go, but it'll be a lot better and you'll have hair free legs into the bargain.

Flexitol will do the job - slap it on and then wear long socks or leggings to bed so it gets to really soak in. I find the E45 spray is great for a quick moisturising in the morning with no waiting

Liquid Gold wipes for the body. They sorted mine out in a few days.

I'm with you. I exfoliate and have used all sorts including baby oil but just a few hours later I'm back to leaving leg dandruff where ever I've been. Don't know the answer sorry.

Ok, I definitely need to up my water intake, so will take that in hand. Will get the body brush out again too. Not sure what body oils I have, but must have something somewhere and will use it after my shower each morning. Have just covered my lower legs in Flexitol, seems to be feeling better at the moment, but will have to see what the state of my leg dandruff is again in the morning. I have no idea what Liquid Gold wipes are, will have to google! Like the idea of E45 spray....

Thanks for all your suggestions! I do have a large pot of coconut oil hiding in a cupboard somewhere.... can anyone report on its beneficial effects?!?!

The other thing that works is A.I. Physiogel (after exfoliation)

Aveeno with the blue lid.
Soap & Glory Sugar crush body scrub (has loads of oils in it.).
If really bad, Eucerin 10% urea body lotion but don't use on freshly shaved legs. Aveeno is fine after shaving.

I use St Tropez instant tan in light for a hint of colour. It's temporary and washes off with soap and water. Like a make up for your body. I'm not keen on fake tan as I'm so pale but this is perfect for me.

Also increase fats and oils in your diet so more nuts, seeds, salmon, avocado etc.

If baby oil (a mineral oil) has some effect but not enough, try Vaseline

Enid, I was just looking at the Eucerin 10% urea body lotion, perhaps it is too strong? I eat loads of avocados and salmon already, might up the seed intake and start taking an omega 3/6 oil capsule daily again (fell off that particular wagon a while back).

God, hitting a certain age, hormones plummeting, everything drying up and heading south.... it seems to be a full time job just making sure I don't actually fall apart ...

I just use whatever Body Shop body butter is on offer Tried coconut oil but that seemed more drying than anything.

However, I think the key to success is to keep doing it. I find it really boring doing it everyday, but last year was the first year ever that I had shiny legs rather than lizard scales.

You need Aveeno body lotion. My arms were beyond lizard after a snow boarding holiday, Aveeno sorted in a couple of days. I've used it ever since.

Orangina The Eucerin might be good just to repair and kick start things (if that makes sense.) I agree with Squiz Aveeno is good. I prefer the richer blue topped one to the green.

I found coconut oil to be kind of drying too. Wonder if oils are better for locking in moisture rather than adding it?

Exfoliating gloves in the shower followed by either Zerocream or the blue-topped Aveeno, as previously mentioned.

Use a flannel to scrub off the lizard skin but gentley

I was going to say Eucerin 10% body lotion! It is miracle stuff for sorting out extreme situations.

Next winter, use any bog standard moisturizer/face cream you don't like daily after shower on your legs. I've been doing this for a few years and have avoided lizard skin that I used to get. As a bonus, old half-empty jars get used up!

Urea works better when there's water in the skin so it's best used after a shower.

You are all brilliant, thank you. Covered legs with Flexitol last night before I went to bed and definitely less lizard like this morning. Then body brushed before shower, gentle exfoliation in shower and oil on damp skin afterwards. Definitely better, though still a long way to go. Will invest in Eucerin urea (still undecided on 5% or 10%) and get Aveeno blue (have had before, it is good stuff), and try not to forget to just keep going. Oh yes, and drink lots of water.

Sounds as though I should leave the coconut oil in the cupboard for the time being then!

The Boots version of flexitol doesn't smell!!

Sorry- to be clearer

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Resurfacing Body Cloths

They're like a baby wipe, but with a glycolic acid exfoliant (similar to the Liquid Gold exfoliation for your face). You give yourself a once over with one before going to bed. takes like two minutes because it's a jumbo wipe, easily big enough to do all over yourself. One side of wine is textured, other is smooth.

I got a pack of them last week (also came with big bottle of the stuff for your face and a cleanser). Lizard skin was gone after a couple of days. Really impressed, really quick, easy and effective. No mess at all, and super fast results.

You can use them every night, but it only took 2 nights to get rid of my winter skin, so I think I'll just top-up by using one every few nights and that way the pack will last all summer. Not a bad price, if you take into account the face exfoliant and the cleanser too.

Also good for ingrowing hairs from waxing etc apparently.

Oooh, thanks Stripey.... they sound great! Legs, apart from lizard-like qualities, are generally bumpy and elderly, so perhaps the glycolic acid will help..... sounds like a worthwhile investment....