Winter weather is one of the main causes of dry, itchy skin. The low humidity caused by indoor heating can make dry skin even worse.

The outer layer of your skin is made up of natural oils, fats (lipids) and dead skin cells. This outer layer is designed to protect the deeper layers from environmental irritations and toxins.

Itchy, dry, skin is a clue that this protective outer layer has been stripped away. Dry skin can be aggravated by cleansers, soaps, and skin washes which have colorants, antibacterial properties, and fragrances.

Traditionally, dry skin has been treated by continuous use of moisturizers, in an attempt to replace the oils and moisture to the skin.

New research suggests that this might be all wrong.

Daily use of moisturizers can cause your skin to produce less natural moisture- a sort of negative feedback loop. The skin produces less moisture, so you put on more lotion, which tells the skin to produce less moisture, so you need more lotion, and so on. Over-moisturization may, in fact, make dry skin even worse.

So what’s the solution?

A new type of lotion- shielding lotion. Shielding lotions bond to the outer layer of the skin and replace the protective barrier. They don’t wash off.

They contain a mixture of thickeners, humectants, and other ingredients to help your skin rebuild its protective layer.

If you experience dry, itchy, winter skin, be sure to ask your doctor if a shielding lotion might be right for you.