ask: Dry Skin after a Complete Hysterectomy?

Thanks for your question Michelle. You don't mention specific areas where your skin is dry, but I had some luck with an old-school product called Bag Balm after I had a cast removed from my leg about two years ago.

Also, here are a few tips from the American College of Dermatology on how to prevent dryness.

Each day when you take your bath or shower, try to use lukewarm water. Hot water dries out the skin. Try to limit your time to fifteen minutes or less in the bath or shower. Bathing should be done no more than once a day. If you bathe too frequently you will remove the natural oils from the skin causing dryness.

Avoid using harsh soaps that dry the skin. Recommended soaps are Dove, Olay and Basis. Even better than soap are skin cleansers such as Cetaphil Lotion, Oilatum-AD and Aquanil.

Deodorant soaps are often very harsh and drying. If you need them, limit their use to areas that develop an odor such as the armpits, genital area, and feet.

Avoid vigorous use of a washcloth in cleansing. When toweling dry, do not rub the skin. Blot or pat dry so there is still some moisture left on the skin.

Next apply a moisturizer to the skin. The best time to do this is immediately after a bath or shower so that the moisturizer holds in the moisture from the shower. Choose either Cetaphil Cream, Moisturel Cream, or Eucerin Cream. If you have severely dry skin, apply an oil to the still moist skin such as Neutrogena Light Sesame Oil, Hermal Body Oil, Alpha-Keri Oil or Robathol, then apply a moisturizing cream and also apply the moisturizer at bedtime.

All areas that are exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, hands, and back of the neck should have a moisturizer containing sun block or a sunscreen of SPF 15 or greater applied daily.

For laundry, use "All-free", "Tide-free" or "Cheer-free" detergents. Avoid using fabric softeners, especially in the dryer. Keep irritating fabrics away from your skin. Don't wear clothing made of wool or other "scratchy" fabrics. Use cotton percale sheets on your bed.

Use a humidifier in your home during the central heating season. If sweating causes itching, modify your activity and surroundings to minimize sweating. Work and sleep in a fairly constant temperature (68-75o F) and humidity (45-55%). Remember to keep drinking plenty of water and other liquids to keep your skin moist from the inside, too.

What products have you tried so far Michelle? Have you found that some work better than others? If so, which ones?

Hi Michelle! When it comes to dry skin, I have found that the best route to go is to find a way to moisturize from the inside out. We can slather lotions on our bodies all day long, and they can offer some short-term relief, but they are not really getting at the root of the problem. What I have found works really really well is to take a flaxseed oil supplement everyday. Flaxseed oil contains a huge amount of an essential fatty acid called Omega 3, which has been shown to help with skin conditions, as well as a host of other things. I order my flaxseed oil from a great company in Fountain Hills, Arizona called BioNatures: www.bionatures.com You can get either liquid oil or capsules. I take about 5 caps a day and have really noticed a difference. It might take a couple weeks to build up in your system, but I've found that I'm using way less lotion since adding flaxseed oil to my list of supplements. Good luck to you!

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Once when I got a facial at a local spa, it was during the winter and I was suffering from dry skin at the time. The woman who did my facial put carrot seed serum on my skin, under a lavender cream, and my face felt so great afterwards. The brand of these products was Naturopathica (www.naturopathica.com). I ended up purchasing the carrot seed serum, but I have to be careful because if I use it too often, I'll break out because it's so rich. I imagine it would be great for someone with chronic dry skin.

Kristin Park
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com

You doctor probably didn't thought that this detail is important for you, that's irresponsible of him. You could try some moisturizing products, thank God you have plenty options. I would recommend sea mud soap for you, it's a natural product and apparently that's what you need right now.

I purchased the Made from Earth "Vitamin Enhanced Moisturizer" from their website two weeks ago and it is fantastic!! With daily use over the last 2 weeks, it has completely cleared up the dry, red, crusty, itchy spots between my eyebrows, the sides of my nose and the corners of my mouth. It has also greatly diminished the discoloration on my cheekbones and above my upper lip (this one looked much like a thin mustache, I hated it).

I have tried creams, scrubs, etc., to no avail, but this product actually does all that the manfacturer says it will do. It seems to break down the discoloration and start to remove it first in the area which is not the thickest and goes on to the most prominent parts. The moisturizer goes on smoothly, is not greasy, absorbs quickly, leaving my skin feeling soft and revitalized. It only takes a small amount to cover the face and neck area. I am noticing a difference in the reduction of the crow's feet in the corners of my eyes and in the smoothness of the neck area. It worked fast and great for me. I hope that others will be as satisfied as I am with it. I'm going to invest in other Made from Earth products in their line, such as their face scrub, and the olive night time moisturizer. Even though it cost more than I usually pay for skin care products, it is more than well worth it. I can see now that it will last longer than most and I can't say this enough "IT WORKS"!!

i also had a complete hysterectomy and have a problem with dryness. i however have noticed dryness with my skin, hair, eyes, and vaginal dryness as well. although some of these problems are just an annoying side effect, others are causing many comfort issues. my eyes are so dry i am having problems keeping my corneas moisturized. what can I do??

My 2yr old son has a very dry skin and none of the other creams work well including Vaseline, Aquaphor etc. We used to apply moisturizer on his body 4-5 times a day, but the problem continued until we found out about the Made from Earth Pure Aloe Treatment. This cream is a real savior in healing his dry skin problem. I would definitely recommend this cream to anyone who has dry skin or is dealing with a dry skin related problem.