HOW TO CARE FOR DRY SKIN

Learning how to care for dry skin starts by understanding the most common causes of the medical condition. Medications, medical treatments, and metabolic disorders all play a role in causing dry skin. As we grow older, our skin tends to tighten, and as a result, areas once exposed to moisture no longer receive the same exposure. Certain soaps and detergents also contribute to causing dry skin, especially if you come in frequent contact with them. For residents of retirement communities in Denver, the dry climate is another factor that develops dry skin for seniors.

At our senior living facility in Denver, Colorado, our team of healthcare professionals follow a proactive strategy in helping residents learn how to care for dry skin. Let’s review a few tips to help you care for dry skin at our assisted living facility.

Use a Moisturizer

Applying a high-quality moisturizer several times a day represents one of the most effective ways to treat dry skin. You should follow this tip when your skin feels dry, as well as after bathing and washing your hands. Make sure to use a moisturizer that contains sunblock or a broad-spectrum sunscreen that is rated with an SPF of at least 30. You should apply generous amounts of moisturizer to ensure full coverage of the exposed areas of your body.

Use Allergen-Free Moisturizer Soap

Advances in research for moisturizer soap have allowed users to follow a one-stop approach for applying moisturizer. The most effective moisturizer soaps do not spread allergens over the exposed portions of the body. After bathing with an allergen-free moisturizer soap, you then apply moisturizer cream to double the protection.

Warm Water Baths

Long showers that cover your body with hot water typically remove the natural oils that keep the body moist throughout the day. Because of this, applying moisturizer and using a moisturizer soap loses effectiveness when treating dry skin. Instead, take baths in warm water, as well as limit your bath time to no more than 10 minutes one time a day. The best time to take a warm bath at our assisted living facility in Denver is after spending a long time outdoors in the dry Colorado air.

Run a Humidifier

Dry outdoor air can lower the indoor humidity of a senior living center in Denver. A proven way to increase indoor humidity involves running a humidifier in high-traffic areas. Dry indoor air can dry up sensitive skin, as well as make itching and flaking skin a huge problem. Running a portable humidifier increases the moisture level in any space at retirement communities in Denver.

Wear the Right Fabrics

Sometimes, the best way to take care of dry skin is to prevent it from developing in the first place. One of the most common proactive strategies to treat dry skin involves choosing clothes that contain natural fibers such as cotton. Natural fibers allow the skin to breathe, which circulates moisture across the body. Although wool is a natural fiber, it is capable of causing skin to start itching.

Take Action Against Dry Skin

One of the many benefits of calling an assisted living facility in Denver, CO home is quick access to healthcare services. MorningStar at Observatory Park is recognized as one of the best retirement communities in Denver because of our commitment to delivering the finest healthcare services. Learn more by scheduling a tour at a time of your convenience.