Dry Skin

Question 1

Where are some common spots for dry skin?

Answer 1

hands, legs, forearms, face, shoulders/back

Question 2

What is dry skin commonly associated with?

Answer 2

itch

Question 3

What are the factors that contribute to dry skin?

Answer 3

excessive bathing/showering
low humidity
aging
sun damage
soaps
mechanical rubbing
medical conditions (diabetics, hypothyroid, others)

Question 4

Would dry skin reliefs that market themselves as being specific for diabetics have any ingredients that are diabetic specific?

Answer 4

no
just marketing to take advantage of the fact that diabetics get drier skin as time goes on

Question 5

How do eczema and dry skin go hand in hand?

Answer 5

dry skin causes itching which leads to stratching–>scratching damages the skin–>eczema worsens–>more itching

Question 6

What are the characteristics of eczema grade products?

Answer 6

unscented
non-allergenic
gentle/soapless
no colors added

Question 7

What are the characteristics of eczema grade products?

Answer 7

unscented
non-allergenic
gentle/soapless
no colors added

Question 8

True or false: eczema grade products for dry skin are only for eczema patients

Answer 8

false
we want eczema grade products for the vast majority of people who are thinking about a dry skin lotion

Question 9

What is the non-drug approach to dry skin?

Answer 9

showering/bathing less
-try sponge bathing
-less hot water
-pat dry rather than rub dry
-apply cream/lotion while skin is still damp

Question 10

What is the bath oil approach to dry skin? What is the product called?

Answer 10

few tablespoons of the mineral oil+surfactant in the bath
Alpha Keri

Question 11

What is premise of the colloidal oatmeal approach to dry skin?

Answer 11

oatmeal has components that are protective/water holding, slightly anti-inflammatory and anti-itch

Question 12

What do emollients/moisturizers often contain?

Answer 12

petrolatum (Vaseline)
dimethicone
fatty acids

Question 13

What does it mean when a moisturizer is oil-free?

Answer 13

petrolatum and fatty acid derivatives have been removed and replaced with dimethicone
this can be cosmetically appealing for some people

Question 14

What is the general rule for the strength of moisturizers?

Answer 14

as occlusion rises, effect rises (less water the better)
petrolatum>ointments(w/o)>creams>lotions(o/w)>bath oils
user acceptance worsens as occlusion rises

Question 15

Which holds water in the skin better: lotions or creams?

Answer 15

creams

Question 16

What is ceramide? Why is it so widely advertised on skin products?

Answer 16

ceramide is a type of fat in the skin which holds skin cells together and prevents water loss
advertised to try sell skin products because it claims to mimic natural ceramides and eczematous skin is low in ceramide

Question 17

Are ceramide products better than simple products?

Answer 17

no
when its in lotion/cream form it is just another lipid, its not going to hit the spots that it needs to in order to be efficient

Question 18

What are some good standard level treatments?

Answer 18

glaxal base
hydrous emulsifying

Question 19

What is the “ceramide of the past”?

Answer 19

AHA (alpha hydroxy acid)

Question 20

What are humectants?

Answer 20

hygroscopic compounds that are supposed to draw in moisture from the atmosphere
glycerin, propylene glycol, phospholipids, urea

Question 21

What are keratin softening agents?

Answer 21

not for typical dry skin, little bit more clinical
sluffs off keratin
more areas like back of the elbows
urea, AHA, lactic acid

Question 22

What can we do for dry, cracked heels?

Answer 22

keep clean
sand down the keratin
use any lotion/cream/ointment

Question 23

Which vitamin has some evidence for value in dry skin?

Answer 23

niacinamide

Question 24

True or false: biotin is great for cracked nails

Answer 24

false
avoid biotin for cracked nails

Question 25

What are age spots?

Answer 25

hyper-pigmentation
also called liver spots

Question 26

What is used for age spots?

Answer 26

tretinoin
hydroquinone (5% Rx, 2% cosmetic)
monobenzone (Rx only, more potent than hydroquinone)

Question 27

What is used to treat wrinkles?

Answer 27

AHAs or tretinoin

Question 28

How does tretinoin work to anti-wrinkle?

Answer 28

somehow it plumps moisture underneath the skin
must be used regularly