Extremely Dry Skin: When is it Time to Seek Medical

Extremely Dry Skin: When is it Time to Seek Medical 

If you suffer from extremely dry skin, you've known that maddening itch. You've probably tried every lotion and potion you can find at the drug store.

Unfortunately, relief just doesn't come. Sometimes itching is a symptom of a more serious problem. This is particularly likely for older people, or if there doesn't seem to be any reason for the itching. Sometimes dry skin becomes infected, getting red and oozing.

Should You See a Doctor?

If your dry skin gets infected, you may need to see a doctor for a prescription for antibiotics as part of the best treatment for dry skin. There are also prescription medicines for dry itchy skin your doctor can prescribe.

Doctors sometimes prescribe steroid cream as a treatment for extremely dry skin. If you are using one of these, you should not use it for longer than a week or two at a time.

It can make your skin thinner and cause other problems when used for a long time. Pramoxine is the name of an ingredient in anti-itch medicines that are often prescribed or recommended by doctors.

Occasionally this medicine causes side effects, and some of them are pretty serious. You should call your doctor immediately if you have swelling of the throat or other areas, hoarseness, or if it makes the itching worse.

You may have an allergy or a sensitivity to pramoxine. It's sometimes added to over the counter preparations for poison ivy and hemorrhoids as well as in lotions for itchy dry skin.

Safe Use

If you do go to a doctor and get a prescription for hydorcortisone cream, you don't actually need to use a whole lot.

Use a small amount and smooth it gently on the skin. If you have a chronic dry skin condition that is not likely to get better, you might want to leave the medicine off on days when you aren't itching as badly.

This will help your body avoid side effects. Your body can also develop a resistance to this medicine so that it stops being effective. By skipping days, you decrease the likelihood of this happening.

Consider using an OTC cream or ointment on less itchy days. Hopefully, your extremely dry skin problem will clear up after a few uses of the prescribed medicines.

Unless you have a chronic condition, such as an allergy or psoriasis, you may be able to keep the itching under control in the future with natural products, home remedies, or lotions from the store.