Dry skin can be irritating on the legs, especially if it’s itchy. Anyone can experience it, and it may come and go. There are lots of reasons the skin on your legs gets dry, like weather changes, reactions to something the skin comes in contact with, or an illness.
But there are also lots of ways to soothe dry skin through lifestyle changes, moisturizers, and medical treatments.
Symptoms of dry skin on your legs can depend on the root cause. In general, dry skin on your legs can cause the following symptoms:
Skin becomes dry when it’s not able to keep enough water in the top layer by using the body’s natural oils. Your legs can become dry for a variety of reasons, ranging from environmental factors to medical conditions.
Here are some of the most common causes of dry skin on legs:
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1. Merry and moist, not cold and dry
Do you dream of sitting by the fire and walking in a winter wonderland, but are held back by the blistering cold that cracks your heels or the heat of the fire that dries out your skin? A lot of people feel pulled in two directions when it comes to these conditions and wintertime woes. The important thing to remember is that there are ways to trick old Jack Frost. You just need to stay one step ahead.
One option is to get yourself a humidifier. Humidifiers can help temper the effects of an arid environment, whether it’s the dead of winter or a desert destination in the summertime. Research suggests that dryness and itching of skin significantly decreases with the use of a humidifier. If there is more humidity in the air, moisture is much less likely to evaporate from your skin. This will help the overall tone and texture of your skin, and also deal with those rough patches on elbows and heels.
2. Don’t wait, exfoliate
It seems to be something we say we should do, and then don’t. Exfoliation is an important part of a thorough skin care routine, especially if you’re dealing with dry skin. Whether it’s dry elbows, specifically, or just dryness, dryness everywhere, don’t skip ahead to the next step of moisturizing without stopping off at exfoliation station. And if you’ve been putting it off, just remember, there’s no time like the present for sloughing off some of those dead skin cells that weren’t doing you any good anyway.
When we don’t exfoliate, dead skin cells, dirt, and other debris can collect on the skin and potentially clog pores, or create a flaky, rough layer. And if you don’t like the sound of that then you’ll love the Botanical Complexion Scrub by Viviane Woodard. It aids in that skin cell regeneration process, by sweeping away the top layer of dead skin, and clearing the way for fresh new skin cells to emerge. With natural fibers, Aloe Vera, and other rich emollients, it cleans and softens the skin as well. This scrub is great for the hands, elbows, arms, legs, and feet, but is still sensitive enough for your face. It really buffs up those rough and flaky areas and makes your skin feel smooth all over.
Why do we get dry elbows and knees?
The skin in these areas are different from the skin on the rest of our arms and legs. It has less sebaceous glands (which secrete oil) and produce less lipids that help moisturize the top skin layer.
Hormonal changes, hereditary conditions like eczema, and health conditions like diabetes or thyroid problems can also dry out the skin.
But in most cases, dry knees and elbows are caused by our own unconscious habits. Skin gets thicker from friction. Watch out for these habits: resting elbows on the table, sitting cross-legged on the floor, or tight-fitting jeans that rub against the knees.
Here’s how to soften and smoothen dry knees, elbows and ankles.
Use petroleum jelly at night
Petroleum jelly works miracles on very dry, scaly skin. Just apply a thick layer on your elbows, knees and ankles right after taking your evening shower. It locks in the moisture from your bath, and since you’re asleep you won’t mind the greasy feeling.
Get Under Cracked Skin With Japanese Green Tea Leaf
When your elbows are so dry that skin is literally cracking, this powerful tropical butter cream uses grape seed oil, cocoa seed, shea butter, and Vitamin E to the rejuvenate them. It penetrates deep beneath your layers of dried-out, scaly skin for hydrating moisture where your body craves it most. Moisture is best absorbed by dried-out skin when youre fresh from the shower, so time it perfectly to make the most of this intense moisturizer.
Allergic dermatitis
Allergic dermatitis happens when skin comes into contact with a substance that triggers the immune system to overreact. On the legs, this could be a body wash, something from the outdoors, pets, or anything that causes an allergic reaction.
For some, the reaction can mean dry, cracked, or scaly skin.
Eczema is a skin condition that’s thought to be linked to genetics and triggered by the immune system. It can cause skin to be red, dry, itchy, or to develop a rash.
While it can appear anywhere on the body, eczema is commonly seen on the legs. For example, patches might develop behind the knees.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that causes the skin to produce too many skin cells at once. The buildup creates itchy, scaly patches that can also crack and bleed.
It’s common to find psoriasis patches on the knees.