Quick and Simple Tips for Preventing Dry Skin

Severe dry skin in the winter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Slightly dry skin is easily remedied by moisturizers and frequent drinking of water. However, seriously dehydrated skin can lead to unsightly blemishes, such as white streaks and scaly appearance. In extreme cases, the person loses skin elasticity and ends up developing a skin disease. Rather than wait for it to worsen, take steps to prevent dry skin and remedy the situation as soon as signs of dehydration appear.

Moisturize with essential oils. Prepare your bath soak in the tub the usual way, making sure the water is hot enough to open your skin pores, but not so scalding hot that it burns you. instead of adding bath salts, add a tablespoon or two of any kind of natural oil, such as olive, almond, jojoba, hazelnut, or Moroccan Argan oil. Stir the oil into the water until it's blended thoroughly.

Submerge your whole body in the tub and soak your skin in the oil-treated water for approximately five minutes. This is enough time to let your skin cells absorb the oil's moisturizing and nourishing properties. After the bath, you'll feel your skin has become softer and smoother when touched. If the bath wasn't enough to rehydrate your skin, then apply a few drops of oil onto your whole body and rub it into your skin until it's been absorbed.

Avoid food and beverages that cause your body to lose water. Examples of these are liquor and caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, tea, and soda. They're considered diuretics, which stimulate your body to urinate more frequently than usual. However, many people love to drink these beverages and if you're one of them, then increase your intake of water. Drink eight glasses or more each day to keep your body and skin well hydrated. Drink more water when you exercise or do rigorous activities, such as dancing or hiking.

Protect your skin from harsh elements. Be careful of the sun's UV rays, which can harm your skin. Aside from causing mild sunburn, the UV light also increases your risk in developing cancer. Wear the right thickness of clothing during autumn and winter when the wind and cold can chaff your skin. Let your skin breathe during summer and spring by wearing light-to-medium thick clothes.

Humidify your skin. Use a hydrosol spray that spritzes water onto your skin when it's very hot and the air is too dry. Add a few drops of lavender, German chamomile, and rose essences to invigorate your skin cells. Use humidifiers when you're staying in an air-conditioned room for long periods.

Skin Care Benefits of Using Sulfur Soap

A sample of sulfur (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Despite its acrid smell, a bar of sulfur soap brings many health benefits to your skin through its antiseptic, anti-fungal and antibacterial qualities. In olden times, individuals had to take a dip in sulfur-rich hot springs located at a distance from an active volcano. Spas often appeared around these areas to provide patrons privacy and comfort while they visited the pools of heated water and sulfur. Many people frequented these places because the hot water therapy soothed their aching muscles and the sulfur healed their skin problems, such as acne vulgaris, whiteheads, blackheads, eczema, rosacea, scabies, and seborrheic dermatitis. Now, sulfur's cleansing properties are packaged neatly in soap bars. The ten percent sulfur content in the soap has enough potency to effectively produce the same effective results as dipping your whole body in a pool of sulfur-rich hot water. Like in the ancient times, use sulfur soaps to reme...

How Do You Treat Scalp Acne and Scalp Dermatitis?

A case of Seborrhoeic Dermatitis on the back of the head (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) If you suffer from pimples on the scalp, then it's important to find a good scalp acne treatment. They're ugly, painful, and irritating. We can't see them ourselves so we pick them often by scratching our scalp before knowing they're there. Scalp wounds tend to bleed and this can make the spots visible, especially if your hair is thinning, fine or very short. Most acne on the scalp has the same cause as acne on the face, that is, overproduction of sebum leading to blockages of hair follicles, which often become infected. Inflammation can be caused by a condition called seborrheic dermatitis , and this, together with oily skin, is what you have to go along with scalp acne. What happens is the scalp will be red and itchy and the skin will flake off as dandruff. Associated with the condition of seborrheic dermatitis and more serious cases is yeast and it's someti...

A brief vacation

I have just got back from UP Diliman for a week of respite. I had training for trainers at UP SoLaIR (School of Labor and Industrial Relations). It was a working vacation. At least I had time to slow down and not think of work for a few days. It was good! Really felt good to be taken cared of by the University Hotel staff.