DH has horrendously dry skin

[MiniMum97]

Any tips please? This is body skin rather than face. And we prefer to use natural/non-toxic products.

I am hypothyroid and use a vitamin c lotion which I find is fantastic and the best thing I have tried for me. But my DH:

1. Can't really be bothered to moisturise his entire body after showering
2. Hates the feeling of moisturiser on his skin. He moisturised this morning and came in complaining that his skin felt weird and itchy all day!

Any suggestions. Was thinking maybe an oil in the shower or straight afterwards on wet skin as this is meant to be good and is v quick. And you don't get that cream on skin feeling after you dry. However, I tried this a while back and didn't find it that great in terms of moisturising. It was ok but not great. And DHs skin is REALLY bad! Anyone had good results from this? What oil did you use?

Anyone tried oiling up BEFORE you get in the shower? Read this is a good thing to do but can't see why as surely when you add wash with soap you wash it all off?

Any thoughts?

Thank you!

Send him to his GP.

Thanks but I know what a GP would advise and it did nothing to help his or my eczema! I found my own "cures" for me. Was looking for ideas of products that other people had used that fulfilled the above criteria.

Is it a new thing? How bad is really bad? Is it cracking? Bleeding?

Is there a dream cream soap? Lush sell it I think

Or try Aloe Vera plant or Aloe Vera Soap and shampo

surely when you add wash with soap you wash it all off?

Is he using soap on his whole body? He really shouldn’t need to on most of his body. Face, pits and bits and maybe feet should be enough. But maybe I’m misreading.

Maybe it's just the type of moisturiser that he didn't like, get him to try a few more. At this time of year I use an after shower mist from Aveeno on my skin, which is great for keeping moisturised. I do use a moisturiser every day as well though - but even just the mist would make a big difference.

If his skin is not cracked or sore just very dry, would it be helpful if he exfoliate before moisturizing? He could probably use less moisturiser and may feel less sticky.
Google oatmeal scrub for lots of simple diy recipes...Basically lather yourself in porridge. However oatmeal has been good for my and my DD's dry, sensitive skin.

Might be worth taking a supplement . I found this strain of probiotic really good for dry skin
www.amazon.co.uk/Quest-L-Plantarum-90-Capsules/dp/B005DE6NOA?tag=mumsnetforum-21

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/26428734/

Dry skin oil is good as they soak in a couple of minutes and don't leave that sticky feeling. Grape seed oil is a good one. Apply it after a shower to damp skin

I think the Sanctuary Spa wet skin moisturiser which goes on straight after the shower is quick and really good.

Where are you? Dermal Therapy (in australia) is the absolute best thing Ive found.

If he ever has a bath, olive oil in the bath water is amazing for dry skin without leaving a film.

I like the Boots own brand unscented stuff in the blue tub.

I don't know how anyone can prefer the feeling of dry skin over the feeling of even the stickiest moisturiser, it feels HORRIBLE.

Change the shower gel - even if it is natural, doesn't mean there isn't something in there that's drying out his skin. Especially as it's only his body and not his face.

Maybe try pure soap for a while and see if it settles down.

How’s his diet?

It feels strange to do, but using an oil based product instead of soap Is effective. As a PP said, only use soap on pits/bits/feet, otherwise use something like oilatum or aveeno or diprobase instead of shower gel/soap. Putting moisturiser on v dry skin does hurt. Instead if he doesn’t dry himself after himself but instead applies oil/moisturiser to wet skin then drip-dries that’s less painful.

Agree with rubbing oil into wet skin after shower/bath. Even plain old olive oil.

E45 cream is meant to be a good, straightforward and effective, moisturizer.

What is he washing with?

Rather than replacing what he's washed off with a mosituriser, which he prob can't be arsed to do, a lot of the problem with dry skin is that with shower gels, esp foaming ones, we are washing off stuff our skin actually needs.

Also as minipie asks, which bits is he washing? Neck, pits, bits and bum, feet. The rest only if visibly dirty.

He needs to avoid any shower gel with sodium laureth sulphate (SLS) in - this is the foaming bit and is often responsible for stripping oils off your skin. There are now loads of choices if he wants to stick to shower gel from the more medicinal Eucerin Shower Oil and E45 wash, to some of the 'green' ranges like Weleda. I really liked Earth Friendly Baby. You get to be an expert in reading the backs of bottles - note, Sanex and Dove are NOT SLS free.

Or you can go down the bar soap route - again no SLS which is why so many mumsnetters have started threads about how they switched for eco reasons, and now wouldn't go back.

If you are really into natural products, I use these soaps and they are gorgeous:

allnaturalsoap.co.uk/product-category/bars/

Have a look at QV cream for dry skin.

It was recommended to me after radiotherapy and its excellent

Sorry for delay in coming back. I'm not well myself. Thanks for all the tips.

We already use a completely natural, non-toxic bar soap. We've tried a few different ones of these and the one we currently use seems to be the most non-drying. Will check he's not using it over his whole body.

Will also try him on a few oils on wet skin and see how he gets on.

Thanks again to everyone who replied.