Medical Questions » Skin Questions » Question No. 879
| Question: | My skin is terribly dry and cracked. When I play with my grandchildren they complain that my hands are like sandpaper, and this upsets me. What is the best treatment for dry skin? |
| Answer: | Many different types of moisturising creams and oils are available for the treatment of dry skin. As a first step, baby oil is cheap and often effective. If this does not control the problem, or proves too messy, your chemist will be able to recommend a suitable cream. Many of these contain urea as an active ingredient. Any cream used should be non-perfumed to avoid any sensitivity or allergy problems.
The excessive use of soap is often a cause of dry skin, and the use of soap substitutes (again your chemist can advise you) is one way of preventing dry skin. If none of the simple remedies help, see your general practitioner, as there are many skin diseases that may be responsible for skin dryness.
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