Home Remedies

10 Home Remedies for Dry Skin on Face Hands and body

Looking home remedies for dry skin on face hands and body? Dry skin is a common scenario. It is quite an uncomfortable condition. Some people may have naturally, but some people develop dry skin often for various reasons.

People with oily skin are also prone to develop dry skin at some point or another. And it can affect any part of your body. It is not a disorder but a discomfort. It makes the skin look dull, itchy, cracky, or scaly.

Many people believe, ‘My skin is dry! Let me get some moisturizer.’ Moisturizer is not a solid solution to get rid of dry skin. There are plenty of effective home remedies to get rid of dry skin.

Before we look into the Dry Skin Treatment: 10 Home Remedies for Dry Skin, let’s peek into the causes and symptoms.

Causes of Dry Skin

Dry skin is not a disease. There is a common misbelief that it is an indication of an underlying skin disease or disorder. Many skin conditions cause dry skin.

However, it is not the same in all cases. Dry skin is a primary indication that you lack hydration. The skincare products you use and your food habits also make your skin dry.

Here is the List of Possible Causes that Lead to Dry Skin

  • Not drinking enough water to keep the body and skin hydrated
  • Using harsh skincare products – soaps, cosmetics, etc
  • Food habits – too much caffeine, carbonated beverages, high salt diet, etc
  • Long exposure to shower
  • Allergy (Food or chemical allergy)
  • Climate change or exposure to extreme temperature
  • As a reaction to fragrance / scents / perfumes
  • Side effects of certain medications

Chronic skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, etc., also make the skin dry. Apart from these the conditions like hypothyroidism, diabetes, and malnutrition also lead to dry skin.

Symptoms of Dry Skin

There are a few apparent symptoms to notice the changes in your skin. People with dry skin often find it itchy. Following are the common symptoms of dry skin.

  • Itchy skin
  • Tiny cracks in the skin
  • Small patches in the skin
  • Skin appearing rough
  • Red plaques
  • Dark and hard cracks

While you can develop skin dryness in any part, arms, hands, and lower legs are the most common dry areas. Constant scratching makes the skin thick and hard.

Home Remedies for Dry Skin on face hands and Body

If you suffer from dry skin, you are not alone. Millions of people develop dry skin at some point in time and very often. Usually, during winters, the skin lacks moisture. Here is the list of home remedies for dry skin on face hands and body-

1. Drink Sufficient Water/ Liquids

Drink Sufficient Water

The simple, powerful, and most effective home remedy for dry skin is poor hydration. Retaining the adequate quantity of water content in the body from dawn to dusk keeps the skin healthy.

An average individual should drink about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. Staying hydrated flushes out the toxins in the body and keeps the skin healthy and glowing.

How to Drink Water?

  • Start and end your day with a glass of warm water
  • Sip water whenever you feel thirsty
  • Drink half or one glass of water before every major meal
  • Do not replace water with hot/cold beverages and soups

2. Apply Aloe vera gel

 Apply Aloe vera gel

Aloe vera gel is the most effective home remedy for dry skin. Aloe vera is a miraculous healing plant.

The gel has fantastic cooling and moisturizing properties. It quickly absorbs into your skin. It makes the skin soft, elastic, and retains moisture.

How to Use Aloe vera for Dry Skin

  • Take the fresh leaves of aloe vera
  • Extract the gel from the leaves
  • Apply it on your skin in the dry areas
  • Let the gel stay in your skin for 30 to 45 minutes, or you can leave it overnight
  • You can also rub the inner rind of the aloe leaves on the skin

Also, Read Multani Mitti Benefits and Side effects

3. Olive Oil

Olive Oil

Olive oil is light, airy, and antioxidant-rich oil. It is rich in fatty acids and makes an ideal supplement for your skin. 

Olive oil soothes your skin and removes the dryness. You can use olive oil as a replacement for your regular moisturizer.

How to Apply Olive Oil for Dry Skin

  • You can use plain olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • Lather a layer of olive oil on the dry skinned areas
  • Gently massage the skin and stay put for 30 minutes
  • Take a shower in lukewarm water
  • You can do it every day

4. Milk Cream

milk cream

Milk cream is a fantastic home remedy for dry skin. It has lactic acid and helps in the exfoliation of dry skin. It soothes your skin.

Also, it helps in retaining the pH level, which makes the skin remain healthy. Nevertheless, it acts as a powerful moisturizer.

How to Use Milk Cream for Dry Skin

  • Take two or three spoons of milk cream
  • Add a few drops of lemon juice (optional)
  • Apply the milk cream to the dry skin area
  • Stay put for 10 to 15 minutes and take a shower
  • Do this once a day

Also Read: 10 Best Home Remedies for Stretch Marks

5. Coconut Oil

 Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an ancient remedy for many skin conditions. It is a potent home remedy to treat dry skin.

Many chronic skin conditions find good relief by applying coconut oil. It is rich in lauric acid and is a fantastic moisturizer.

How to Use Coconut Oil for Dry Skin

  • Slightly warm the coconut oil
  • Apply the warm oil all over the body (not just on the dry skin parts)
  • Take a shower after 15 to 20 minutes
  • Coconut oil quickly absorbs into the skin and is non-greasy
  • It makes the best night-time moisturizer

6. Oatmeal Bath

Oatmeal water

You may wonder about oatmeal as a remedy for dry skin. Oatmeal addresses skin dryness and moisturizes the skin.

It is an exfoliating agent and gently removes the dead skin cells from the dry skin.

It creates a protective layer on your skin, which prevents loss of water.

How to Use Oatmeal for Dry Skin

  • Take two or three cups of plain oatmeal
  • Add the oatmeal to a bathtub
  • Optional – Add a few drops of any essential oil
  • Soak yourself for 10 to 15 minutes
  • It makes your skin soft, soothing, and supple

Also Read: How To Get Rid Of Dark Neck with baking soda

7. Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly is also referred to as mineral oil. It has been used as a powerful moisturizer for several decades.

Petroleum jelly has been proven to reduce the impact of dryness in aged people too.

How to Use Petroleum Jelly for Dry Skin on face

  • Take a small amount of jelly and apply on the required areas
  • Leave it overnight

8. Increase Vitamin C Foods in your Diet

Increase Vitamin C Foods in your Diet

Lack of vitamin C in your diet also leads to dry skin. It is a skin-friendly nutrient and helps to maintain good skin health.

Increase the intake of vitamin C is the best solution for healthy and moistened skin.

How to Increase Vitamin C Foods

  • Vitamin C foods are rich in Citrus fruits.
  • Eat one or two whole citrus fruits a day.
  • Drink a glass or two of fresh lemon juice – You get dual benefits. It hydrates you and also gets the daily dose of vitamin C
  • Add green leafy vegetables.

9. Hydrating Foods for Dry skin

Hydrating Foods for Dry skin

It is essential to have a healthy diet. Generally, fresh fruits and water vegetables provide sufficient hydration and help retain the moisture in the skin. Poor diet also aggravates skin dryness.

List of Hydrating Foods to Get rid of Dry Skin

  • All water vegetables – Cucumber, ash gourd, squash, green pepper, celery, etc
  • Watermelon and cantaloupe – 90% water content
  • Berries, apricots, peaches, grapes, pineapples, etc. – 80% water content
  • Include at least one fruit and one vegetable in your diet

10. Salt Bath for Dry Skin

Salt Bath for Dry Skin

Salt is not used for adding flavor to foods but also as a medicine for skin conditions.

Rubbing salt on skin has been a popular way to exfoliate your skin. To get rid of dry skin, you can take a salt bath with black salt or pink salt.

These two salt varieties retain most of the nutrients that help your skin.

How to Take Salt Bath for Dry Skin

  • Add a handful of pink salt or black salt to a bathtub
  • Soak yourself for 15 to 20 minutes
  • Wash with normal water

Related: 7 Top Reasons Why you should Limit your Salt Intake

Simple Tips to Get Rid of Dry Skin

  • Identify the significant reason that triggers dry skin – climate or food or products you use or cosmetics
  • Always go for organic and preferably herbal skincare products
  • Restrict the use of chemical-laden cosmetics on your skin
  • Be watchful on your diet – Make sure to include the food mentioned above
  • Apply oil and take an oil bath once a week
  • Wear the climate/season friendly fabric that is always breathable

In a majority of cases, dry skin improves when you try any of the abovementioned home remedies. If the condition persists or if you develop flakes or severe itchiness, visit a dermatologist. Rarely, people may need dermatology treatment to get rid of dry skin.

We hope that after going through the above home remedies for dry skin on face hands and body will surely help you.

Dr Maria

MD. Board Certified physician. Fellowship In Family Medicine UK. 8 years of medical experience in Lifestyle-related health disorders. Graduated from AIIMS – All India Institute Of Medical Science, INDIA

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