Anchorage Daily News

At the peak of this year's winter weather, I heard someone say she was afraid she'd spark a fire if her dry legs rubbed together one more time.

Of course, she was joking. But any person living in a dry winter climate like Alaska's knows what a chore it is to keep hands moist enough that they won't crack and a face looking fresh, not flaky. To fight the battle, we stash tubes of lotion in our desk drawers and hang lip balm from ropes around our necks. We bum moisturizer off a buddy like a barhopper bums a smoke.

Local dermatologists sympathize with us. When called to talk about remedies for dry skin, Dr. Thomas Senter started by admitting even his skin was itching.

"When I follow my own recommendations, I do a lot better," the Anchorage dermatologist said.

His recommendations include gentle cleansers, humidifiers and the biggest savior of them all, moisturizer. But what is it about us -- or the winter weather -- that makes these remedies necessary? Part of it has to do with characteristics like race and age. The older you are, Senter said, the drier you'll be.

The rest of the answer lies in the conditions outside and inside. We go outside to ski, skate or simply walk from our cars to our office buildings. Along the way, we're surrounded by cold, dry air. Then we come indoors and blast ourselves with hot, dry air.

"When we're indoors, the heat that we use is so dry that it just strips your skin of oil," Senter said.

One way to fight back is to focus on the inside air that surrounds us. Senter recommended adding moisture to the air with a humidifier, especially in the bedroom, where you spend many hours every night. He also suggests putting one in your office.

Senter took this recommendation to his own home. His son's nose had become so dry that he was having nosebleeds. Senter and his wife bought a humidifier for his room.

"He told my wife that it was the best present that he'd ever got," Senter said.

To avoid problems with the humidifier, make sure you put fresh water in daily and clean its filter, he said. A 2002 issue of Consumer Reports on Health suggests lowering the humidifier's humidity gauge if you find condensation on windows or other surfaces; that moisture can encourage germs to grow.

When it comes to moistening the skin, the water you put inside your body has much less of an effect than the water you put on the outside, dermatologists agreed. Drink water to keep your kidneys healthy, Senter said, but don't expect it to do much for your skin.

Here's more troubling news: The saunas, hot tubs and steam baths Alaskans use to warm up their cold winters aren't helping their dry skin. For those who insist on using them, Senter recommends slathering on moisturizer afterward.

Hot showers also are problematic. It feels great to stand in a stream of hot water each morning, but Senter said that's not a good idea. Instead, Senter suggests limiting showers to five to seven minutes.

"Get in and out of your shower," he said. "It's cold, and the warm feels good. ... But you really rob your skin of oil."

Dr. Margretta O'Reilly, another Anchorage dermatologist, said the temperature of that shower water should be turned down. People also should wash only what needs cleaning, specifically hands, feet, face, armpits and groin. Let the water run over the arms, legs and the rest of the body, she said.

How often a person needs to shower depends on lifestyle. Some people feel they need to bathe only once or twice a week, she said, but others who are more active might shower once or twice daily.

Dr. Jayne Fortson of Anchorage cautions people about frequent hand-washing, which can dry hands in the winter. Minimize the hands' contact with water, chemicals, detergents and solvents by wearing gloves when you wash dishes or do housework, she said. If you need to, she said, bring your own mild soap to work.

Senter recommends using a gentle soap that's not anti-bacterial. O'Reilly suggested gentle or nonsoap cleansers. Some of her recommendations include products by Cetaphil, Dove, Aveeno, Purpose or Eucerin. Consumers Reports said Jergens Naturals With Aloe and Lanolin and Neutrogena Dry Skin Formula contain moisturizers or extra oil.

Some people put on bath oil or cream after they shower to seal in moisture.

"The best time to do it is when your skin is slightly damp because it increases the absorption," Senter said.

Moisturizers are a mainstay in the winter, O'Reilly said. She said some of the brand names she recommended for gentle cleansers also come in moisturizers.

People should use them as often as you need to, O'Reilly said. That means moisturizing every time you wash your hands. If you're really dry, massage Vaseline onto your hands and wear gloves overnight, she said.

Moisturizers come in several variations, including ointments, creams and lotions. Ointments are heavier and more lubricating than creams, which are heavier and seal in moisture better than lotions, dermatologists said.

Ointments may lubricate better than creams, but creams typically feel better because they're not as greasy, Senter said. Examples of ointments are Vaseline and petrolatum, an ingredient listed on some skin products.

Finding a good moisturizer doesn't have to mean spending a lot of money. Senter recommends Eucerin for people who have very dry skin. Eucerin can be found on the shelves at local warehouse and grocery stores.

But if the dry skin is on your face, Senter recommends Moisturel, a cream or lotion sold at some pharmacies in the Anchorage area. Senter said his patients rarely have problems with Eucerin or Moisturel, but people should use what works best for them.

"If it doesn't agree with you, don't use it," he said.

A dermatologist speaking for the American Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing a moisturizer that contains petrolatum, mineral oil, linoleic acid, ceramides, dimethicone or glycerin. Consumer Reports listed inexpensive products that moisturized well during its tests: L'Oreal Plenitude Active Daily Moisture and Ponds Nourishing Moisturizer for the face; Curel Soothing Hands; and Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Healing With Skin Protection Complex or Curel Therapeutic Moisturizing Original Formula for the body.

Fortson said her office sells other types of moisturizers. She didn't name them but said people can visit her office without an appointment to try them.

People with acne-prone or sensitive skin should look for creams that are fragrance free and non-comedogenic, which means they won't clog pores, O'Reilly said. She also recommended products with sunscreen for the face and lips. The American Academy of Dermatology said sunscreen is essential in the winter because snow can reflect much of the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays.

The lips need extra care because they lack sweat or oil glands to moisten them. People also should avoid licking their lips, Consumer Reports said. The added moisture quickly evaporates, the report said, leaving the lips drier than they were.

If these solutions don't work and skin problems continue, dermatologists recommend visiting a doctor. The problem might be a skin disorder that requires prescription medications, not just moisturizers.

Daily News reporter Ann Potempa can be reached at 257-4581 or apotempa@adn.com.