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Do You Know Where (or what) your Emollient is?

You get in bed and you hear a scratchy-scratchy sound. Is there a mouse in the house? You listen more closely and you notice it only seems to occur when you move. Suddenly it occurs to you that the sound you are hearing is your dry skin rubbing on the sheets.

Dryness of the skin can occur for many reasons but in the winter, it is often due to the elements of the weather and the heating systems in our homes. Our skin does not hold water very well and it evaporates from our skin. The cold weather and dryness of our heated home causes this process to happen to a much greater degree than in the more humid weather months. This results in dry skin.

For most persons, dry skin is just mildly irritating (and sometimes embarrassing.) But for some people, it can be quite serious, leading to splitting skin, pain and infections. This is especially true for diabetics.

How do you combat dry skin? The solution is to trap the water (moisture) in the skin. Many persons rely on daily moisturizers. But what kind is best? Should you buy the $10.00 version or will the bargain bottle provide the same relief? As with any other product, a lot of marketing goes into making a product look “special” enough for you to purchase it over another brand. For the most part, there isn't a whole lot of difference between the action of the products, although some very “greasy” products, like Vaseline, can better hold in moisture, but are messy.

So here's some information on moisturizers that may help you to choose the right product for the best price: (Information taken from the Harvard Health Letter, February, 2008.)

• Most moisturizers are composed of water and a product to trap the water and hold it in. They work together to relieve the dryness. Water alone does not stay trapped in the skin cells, so some kind of “grease” is necessary for the process to work.
   
• Occlusives are the “grease” in the moisturizer. Most common is still the base ingredient of vasoline; petrolatum. Occlusives basically block the evaporation of water from the skin. Other fatty or waxy substances used in moisturizers are cetyl alcohol, lanolin, lecithin, mineral oil, paraffin and stearic acid. Some silicones are also used (most commonly dimethicone and cyclomethicone.) Occlusives vary in their ability to hold water in the skin.
   
• A humectant helps draw water up to the top layer of skin from the lower layers (and sometimes from humid air.) Common humectants used in moisturizers are glycerin, honey, panthenol, sorbitol and urea.
• An emollient is an ingredient that is added to a moisturizer to make the skin feel smoother. Some forms of alcohols are common emollients. Some occlusives and humectants also provide this function.

In addition to using a moisturizer, there are other actions you can take to protect your skin during the winter season. Consumer Reports on Health, December 2007, suggests:

• Add humidity to your environment through a humidifier or by placing containers of water near heating sources.
   

• Limit exposure to hot water as it washes away the skin's natural oils. Keep baths and showers short and do not make your water too hot.
   

• Antibacterial, deodorant and perfumed soaps tend to be more drying than mild, moisturizing scent-free soaps.
   

• If dry skin is really uncomfortable and painful, wear clothing made from softer fabrics to avoid scratching or roughness on your skin.
   

• Be aware that electric blankets draw water out of your skin and contribute to dryness.

For written information on dry skin, District residents can call QVHD, 248-4528 or request on line, www.qvhd.org. 

Quinnipiack Valley Health District
1151 Hartford Turnpike
North Haven, CT 06473

Phone. (203) 248-4528
Fax. (203) 248-6671
E-Mail. info@qvhd.org