Dry skin while dieting

[1000kw]

Whenever I start to lose weight and I’m doing a great job, keeping up my efforts and exercising regularly, I start getting very dry skin. It isn’t just a little bit dry, but is extremely flaky and rough, and it feels terrible.

Does anyone know why this is? I try to eat healthy when I diet. Am I missing some sort of nutritional component? Does anyone know how to beat this, or do I just have to keep slathering on the moisturizer?

[silvertoes]

yeah i think it has something to do with your diet and one thing, now that you're sweating a lot because your body is very active, you are most likely dehydrated. drink at least 6-8 glasses of water especially before and after working out.

And for your skin, try an oatmeal bath to moisturize and softened your skin. it has a natural oil that can relieve a delicate, rough, flaky skin.

[bruceH]

I agree. Make sure that you're getting enough omega 3 and vitamin E in your diet. Drink tons of water to make sure that you're keeping yourself hydrated - especially if you're working out and sweating a lot - and make sure to bathe and moisturize regularly.

At the same time, don't shower multiple times per day, use gentle, un-fragranced products, and don't use hot water when you shower. Hot water strips the moisture out of your skin so if you already have dry skin, it will only make it worse. Fragrances in soaps and body washes - as well as ingredients like sodium laureth - will irritate skin that is already on the dry or sensitive skin.

Take only warm (not hot) showers, make sure your nutrition is great and supplement if it's not, use sensitive skin products, and moisturize right after showering. It will make a big difference.

[Beth]

One of the best ways to help combat dry skin is to change the products that you’re using to make sure that they’re all natural and very basic.

Get rid of everything that has a fragrance or harsh chemicals in the ingredients.

Take baths in colloidal oatmeal. This doesn’t mean that you should just get a bag of oatmeal and dump it in your bath. For one thing that’d feel horrible and also you’ll gum up your drain. You need to either get the bath mixes that you can find in the pharmacy (sometimes in the baby section, but I think aveeno has a product for adults), or you can get regular plain instant oats and run them through the blender until they’re extremely fine, then sprinkle half a cup into the bath. They need to be fine enough that they’ll stay suspended in the water and not just float or sink.

Next, never use hot water, only warm. The hotter the water, the dryer your skin. Rinse off after your bath and then pat dry quickly before applying baby oil to your skin.

Your skin will be soothed and you’ll find you’re softening up in no time.

[bigbobby]

are you making sure you're getting enough good fats? That can dry out your skin. It coudl also just be that you started your diet at a time of year that your skin would usually dry out a bit.

[bonniekins]

Eating avocado gives you a lot of good fats and is amazingly helpful for your skin. Eating olive oil is the same way. If you eat those a little bit several times per week.

This is especially important in colder months when skin is naturally dryer because the air has so little moisture.

Don't forget that changes you make have a slow impact on skin, so the diffrence won't be seen overnight. Take good care of yourself and you should see things getting better after a couple of months or so. Until then, keep moisturizing!

[Penny]

Dry skin might not be because you're dieting. It might be a coincidence. As the weather gets colder, the air gets dryer, so your skin does, too. If you live in a colder area, then you could just be experiencing that at the same time that you're starting to diet. I also find that it's the "transition" times, like fall and spring, that are hardest on my skin - not the actual dead of winter.

Try putting baby oil on your skin (small amounts) as soon as you get out of the shower and keep moisturizing lotion next to your sinks so that you can re-apply when you wash your hands. That's what works for me. Good luck!

[jan]

exfoliate and then moisturize. That works for me

[brightstar]

Stimulate your thyroid gland with iodine, or foods high in iodine such as spinach and kelp.

I didn't know this. Thanks for sharing that. I'll give this a try, myself. How fast does it work?

[Penny]

My Opinion is, dry skin's reason is not of you dieting but when you not take proper food and especially water level is low then your skin dry. You should take proper food like milk, fruits, and vegetables and do you like to eat.

You make a really good point. if it isn't external influences - like cold weather or bathing in hot water - then it is what you are putting into your body. SOme of us are genetically programmed for more or less oil in your skin, but what you eat goes a long way!