Soothe Dry Skin From Head to Toe

Here's how to make sure your epidermis is glowing.

- BY LISA BAIN

Dry skin isn’t just dull-looking and annoying—it can also be uncomfortable. And while skin can grow parched at any time of year, winter's arid chill and indoor heat only exacerbate the issues, from a flaky face to ashy or scaly legs and arms to painful cracks on your fingertips and heels—or (ouch!) all three.

“Overly dry skin usually means that the skin barrier— which is responsible for keeping irritants out and moisture in—is compromised,” says Mona Gohara, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and a clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine.

“That can stem from using harsh products or not moisturizing enough or be due to outside elements like cold or dry weather.”

Think of the skin barrier as a brick-and-mortar system. “The bricks are the skin cells, and the mortar is all the things that hold the water in—mainly ceramides and other fatty acids,” she says. “If those are compromised, it becomes sort of a Swiss cheese situation, and the water evaporates.”

Dry skin is also a hallmark of common skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, which often require intensive or prescription treatments. But if you don’t have either, your desert skinscape could be arising from the way you're washing up.

“Soap cleansers dry skin out,” says Dr. Gohara. Look for terms like “non-soap” and “gentle,” she advises.