Dry Skin & Your Health

[Brigand]

Can being unhealthy have the effect of giving you dry skin?

I've moisturised my face once or twice a day for around fifteen years now; I have to as after washing it my skin feels tight.

Anyway, I changed jobs around a year and a half ago, and I now have an office based job, where I'm getting pretty much zilch exercise. I've put on a bit of weight as well. Can this lack of exercise cause me to have dry skin that wont shift with various creams?

I've noticed that the tip of my nose has gone red, with dry, flaky skin on it at times. Its not sore, but just won't go away, despite using E45 and a few other creams on it. (And no, I'm not snorting anything either!)

Worse still is I've got a couple of patches of dry skin 'down there' now too, which is a bit concerning as I'm courting a bird at the moment and don't really want to reveal that to her. Various creams don't seem to have much of an effect there either.

Now I know the obvious choice is to go and see the doctor, who'll probably refer me to a dermatologist, but I thought I'd ask here first, as I'm about to move towns, and have not yet registered at a doctors where I am now.

Anyone suffered anything similar?

[Jimbo.]

Brigand said:

Can being unhealthy have the effect of giving you dry skin?

I've moisturised my face once or twice a day for around fifteen years now; I have to as after washing it my skin feels tight.

Anyway, I changed jobs around a year and a half ago, and I now have an office based job, where I'm getting pretty much zilch exercise. I've put on a bit of weight as well. Can this lack of exercise cause me to have dry skin that wont shift with various creams?

I've noticed that the tip of my nose has gone red, with dry, flaky skin on it at times. Its not sore, but just won't go away, despite using E45 and a few other creams on it. (And no, I'm not snorting anything either!)

Worse still is I've got a couple of patches of dry skin 'down there' now too, which is a bit concerning as I'm courting a bird at the moment and don't really want to reveal that to her. Various creams don't seem to have much of an effect there either.

Now I know the obvious choice is to go and see the doctor, who'll probably refer me to a dermatologist, but I thought I'd ask here first, as I'm about to move towns, and have not yet registered at a doctors where I am now.

Anyone suffered anything similar?

Yup. Offices really don't help. Dry, cold, (air)-conditioned air, little in the way of sunlight, potentially not drinking enough...all conspires to give the symptoms you describe.

[Hoofy]

I'd suffered from dry skin for years. Tried every cream available including steroids. Then someone said: moisturise from within. In other words, drink more water. Not touched moisturisers in about 8 years. Always need to pee, mind...

[Brigand]

The drinking water sounds about right too, although I'll drink water and tea/coffee during the day, I used to drink a lot more water in my previous job before I had this issue.

I'll keep up with the creams, drink a lot more water, and get off my lazy backside, that's bound to help.

[Hoofy]

Tea and coffee - caffeine is a diuretic so you are not retaining the water. Try one cup of either a day for a couple of weeks and you'll be binning the lotions. I would also avoid exercise as it will make you sweat...

[Engineer1]

Tea or Coffee is still hydrating as although Caffeine is a diuretic it still contains more water than it "draws" out.

[Hoofy]

Engineer1 said:

Tea or Coffee is still hydrating as although Caffeine is a diuretic it still contains more water than it "draws" out.

I'm sure you're right; depends on the strength but I suspect he could benefit from going easy on it for a while.

[Brigand]

Agreed, I'll just stick with a morning coffee to start the day, and bin the rest, it won't hurt to try at least.

Cheers for the pointers gents.

[Hoofy]

Let us know how you get on. Remember, none of us are medically qualified, so if your head falls off, blame Engineer1.