How To Deal With Dry Itchy Scratching Skin in the Winter

Do you hate humidity? If you said yes, you're probably thinking about the unrelenting humidity we suffer in the summer in many places in the U.S. Humidity in the winter is a good thing. And when we have low humidity during this season, we have to deal with the scourge of cracking, itching, flaking skin that the dry winter air brings to those of us living in cold, dry climates.

There is something you can do about it, although many people suffer with these conditions the whole season long. Maybe you're one of them.

Dry Skin Dilemma
Even if you don't have skin problems in general or you have never had them before in the winter, you can develop what dermatologists call xerosis or asteatosis: dry skin. "The normally fine lines in the skin become more visible and the skin feels rough and appears dull and flaky, according to the Department of Dermatology of the School of Medicine at The University of Iowa. You can get a serious case of dry skin on your face and hands, trunk, arms and legs. If your hands are extremely dry, you may experience burning and itching and cracks (fissures) which bleed.

Dry skin often leads to itching, sometimes severe enough, to interfere with everyday activities and even sleep. And dry skin is also unattractive, often resulting in thickened rough skin, dermatitis (red, inflamed skin) and round, scaly, itchy red patches scattered over the vulnerable parts of the body. Repeated scratching and rubbing of these areas can even cause yellow crusts or pus, indicating a bacterial infection is on its way.

It's important to see your doctor about persistent or very uncomfortable dry skin conditions because these can be caused by other things than the winter. Some genetic diseases, such as atopicdermatitis and ichthyyosis (fish scale-like skin) may produce itching and redness. People who suffer from an under-active thyroid may have very dry skin. Various skin rashes from ringworm, allergies and contact dermatitis may have similar symptoms but need to be treated differently than dry skin caused by cold and dry climates.