Effective Treatments for Dry Skin: Medications & Remedies

Generally, dry skin can be treated easily enough with long, hot showers and regular application of moisturizers. However, if your skin has started resembling a reptile’s scales, you need to consult a doctor. Over-the-counter drugs are usually prescribed by doctors for treating dry skin, unless the problem is compounded by a skin problem like psoriasis in which case, more specialized treatment is required. Some of the common medicines for dry skin which are used in treatment are mentioned below.

Best Medicine For Dry Skin

Get these over the counter:

• Generally skin creams used as dry skin medication contain a base of lactic acid and urea are prescribed by doctors. You can get these off the counter as well, since they are easily available and have no side effects to restrict their access to people.

• There are many drugs associated with treating dry skin (which is formally known as xerosis). For example, AmLactin, which too contains lactic acid and urea, belongs to a class of medicines known as topical emollients. Ammonium lactate is the compound which forms the central part of this medicine and it has been considered effective in treating dry skin.

• Aveeno and Aquaphor are also used in treating xerosis or dry skin. These too belong to the class of topical emollients.

• Topical emollients are usually used to treat dry skin. There are many types of topical emollients, of which some are soap substitutes. Creams, shampoos and oils that we commonly use in our skin care regimen can often remove the layers of natural oils from your skin, leaving it scaly and dry. Aqueous cream and emulsifying ointments are the first class of medicines which are prescribed by doctors in order to treat xerosis.

• Emollient bath additives are also useful medicines to heal dry skin. You can follow the directions written on the back of these products and ensure that dry skin is a thing of the past. The only thing you need to be careful about is that these emollients make any surface quite slippery. So, be wary of hasty movements while applying them or moving out of the bath.

[Read:Winter Care Tips For Dry Skin]

Some more medicines for treating dry skin:

• Emollient creams are a good alternative if you are iffy about using greasy emollient ointments. These can only be used on very hard and dry skin, and definitely should not to be used in case of other skin problems like weeping eczema.

• Calamine-based lotions can also be used for treating dry skin. However, these are usually not prescribed because their time of action is comparatively longer than that of emollients. However, calamine lotions have the added benefits of soothing the skin, and making it softer and silkier.

• Using a cleanser while bathing is also a good way of treating dry skin. For example, Cetaphil is a good way to gently cleanse your skin while bathing. After the bath, application of viscous moisturizers is highly recommended by skin care specialists.

• Ammounium Lactate, Lac Hydrin, Lactic Acid E-based creams are also used to treat dry skin. As can be gauged, lactic acid is a very important component for treating dry skin. Therefore, most creams and medicated ointments use this product.

• Lastly, the best way to cure dry skin is by preventing it. Once you have faced the problem of scarring that can accompany dry skin, you will automatically want to eliminate your chances of dry skin. Therefore, moisturizing, bathing with gentle soaps or body washes, avoiding harsh chemicals and lotions, avoiding hard water if possible are some of the easy ways in which you will not be forced to resort to medication in the first place.

[Read:Best Soaps for Dry Skin]

Hope this article helps! Do leave us a comment!