By Steve Horowitz, Special to Lifescript Dry skin can make you crazy – the redness, flaking and itchiness. Lathering on moisturizer can help, but it’s not enough. These 10 tips will soothe. Plus, test your skin smarts with our quiz… Dry skin isn’t usually serious, but it looks ugly and is infuriating. But before you go running to the dermatologist, here are 10 tips to try at home: 1. Put Down the Soap Do you wash your dry skin with soap and water? You’re stripping away the skin’s protective natural oils along with dirt and grime. Switch to cleansing creams, gentle skin cleansers or bath or shower gels with moisturizers, not harsh soap. Your skin should feel soft and smooth after washing, never tight or dry. “Use fragrance-free, non-detergent, neutral-pH products to cleanse your skin,” says Monica K. Bedi, M.D., a Florida-based dermatologist. Try mild soaps such as Cetaphil, Aveeno, Neutrogena, Basis or Dove. Experiment with several brands until you find the right one.3. Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Don’t Soak in the Tub The longer you’re in water, the more skin oils you lose. So limit baths and showers to five minutes or less and use tepid, not hot, water, O’Donoghue says. If your skin is so dry that it itches, apply cool compresses to the irritated area. To reduce inflammation, use a nonprescription cream or ointment containing at least 1% hydrocortisone.[...]

Click below to read the full story from the source…
Top 10 Tips for Dry, Itchy Skin