Super-dry, flaky patches?
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free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:25 pm

(Total newbie here, in case you haven't noticed already. Thanks in advance for reading and/or advice):

I have recently begun getting little patches of extremely dry, flaky skin on various body parts (so far: neck and back). They're usually not much more than 2-3 inches across, but they're very stubborn, sticking around for weeks at a time, despite constant application of exfoliators (chemical and manual), moisturizers and valiant attempts to drink plenty of water/day. They're kinda raw, though, as if something has been chafing the skin there, though I'm certain that's not the problem. This has never happened before and my skin (on my body, at least) is not prone to severe dryness.

First, does anyone else have this problem? Or am I just a freak? Second, does anyone have an idea of what to do about it? Thanks!

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:37 pm

You are not alone, from time to time I also get these little dry patches, it is almost like eczema, I have noticed they will stick around for a few months then just disappear.
I wouldn't exfoliate them though, it will irritate, I normally just apply some cream.

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:41 pm

Sounds like it could be avitaminosis. It's common in spring after a winter without live food (you eat less fruits and veggies). Start taking a good multi vitamin and eat more greens (preferrably organic salads etc).

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:44 pm

I forgot to add: I do have them sometimes, and mainly in spring on my upper arms.

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:57 pm

I do take a multi-vitamin everyday but I am shamefully remiss in getting enough veggies in my diet. I'll try that. Thanks for the suggestion Very Happy

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:59 pm

Are the areas painful at times, or sometimes itch? Your symptoms do appear similar to eczema. I experienced this on a large area of my left hand....it came from nowhere and nothing I did seemed to help. I tried everything.....including homemade remedies I found on the net but they only seemed to make it worse. Finally, I went to a dermatologist who prescribed a steroid cream. I know there's a lot of controversy regarding steroid creams and ointments on this forum, but that was the only thing that worked for me. I applied a small amount daily. It was totally gone within three weeks, and has not returned. (knock on wood) Before I went to the derm, I used vaseline and that provided some relief. Take care....I hope you find a solution that works for you.

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:05 pm

Holy moly--I really hope it's not eczema. My sis had that when she was younger and hers was like a red, itchy, hot rash. My patches are not bumpy and don't feel hot; they're just super dry-textured and peeling. They get a little red/pink if I pick at them, but that's more because the dead skin (ew) bothers me; they're not itchy.

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:17 pm

Nijey,
would you describe the dry patches almost like "granular"? Like lots of tiny bumps together as one big patch, but once you start picking it's all dry skin and nothing comes out?

That's what avitaminosis looks and behaves like. It's granular whitish kind of dry patch that doesn't itch or hurt.

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:18 pm

And as far as taking a multivitamin supplement, it may still not be enough vitamins if you're not absorbing it well because the rest of your diet is messed up Smile

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:23 pm

You're probably right in regards to the vitamin + diet (it's not horrible, just kinda lacking in variety).

As for the patches, they're sore-feeling but only if I touch them, and they're not bumpy at all. Imagine if someone took an evil skin-cell-killing laser gun and just zapped one spot on your skin over and over--you end up with layers of rough, dried-up, dead skin and slightly pinkish, sore-feeling new skin beneath. But all the skin surrounding it is healthy and normal. That's what I have--weird, isn't it?

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:32 pm

Hmmmm, maybe it's worth to check with a doctor? I've learned that most things go away on their own, eventually Smile

but it's a dangerous attitude.

If dry patches really bother you and keep re-appearing, you should check with someone who can at least look at your skin (I mean we can only give opinions based on descriptions - and online half of everything gets "lost in translation". For example, I'm clearly biased towards avitaminosis cause I'm familiar with it Smile

But you could be having anything at all and I think only a derm or an aesthetician can tell for sure).

free skin care · Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:47 pm

I'll wait it out. It might just be the weird weather lately (upper 70s one day, low 40s the next) and my skin no longer able to handle it as easily as it once did. Besides, I like to live dangerously Cool

Thanks for the advice!

free skin care · Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:17 am

This sounds like the stuff I get on my lower legs. It is EXCESSIVELY DRY SKIN that actually looks like a cross between psorasis and ringworm (!). Believe me, it ain’t pretty! The only thing that gets rid of them is to frequently and religiously slather them with a thick, nutrient-filled moisturizer – and when I say “frequently,” I mean 10-20 times per day! Here’s a link where I first posted my complaint about these hideous patches and all of the advice that I’ve received: http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=4411&highlight=scaly+patches If my description matches what you are experiencing, then now you know what it is!

Good luck,
Carrie

free skin care · Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:17 pm

Thanks for the link to the old topic--it's hard for me to look at my patches because they've been on odd areas (on my back, below my armpit area; side of the neck) but I'll check and see if they're ringworm-ish. I am inclined to agree with you and think it's some sort of severe dryness (possibly an allergy) rather than eczema or something fungal. I'll try the mango butter and lavender oil, etc. and see if it improves. Thanks all!

Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:33 pm

In response to Nijey...i have the exact same thing to me that started two months ago....I'm quite sure it's not vitaminosis for me...I eat tons of veggies, fruits, fish & poultry, and many natural 'bran' foods, soy milk along with Omega 3's, Folic acid, and Calcium!!! I went to my dermatologist who gave me a steroid emmolient creme..which seems to soothe this for a few hours and then its dry all over again with a stinging or burning sensation! Not itchy at all. I am not a sun worshiper and have med. skin tone with brown eyes and dark hair. I can't believe it...this patch looks like crepe paper as if it is going to peel right off...when I touch it, it feels like something scorched the area for awhile. It is not red, but very light (almost the color of my skin) and very krinkly. Please help out there!

free skin care · Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:30 pm

One of the easiest things to try is Nizoral shampoo...it is a dandruff shampoo, but contains an antifungal agent that works on a variety of skin conditions. You can usually get it at any drugstore.

My dermatologist recommended it to me for a rash and some dry areas...I was very skeptical, but it worked wonders.

It also recently worked on another forum member who had issues with dry, scaly patches showing up on her face.

free skin care · Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:27 am

I get these sometimes too...but I get them on my face! So it's a major stress factor for me. I'm using......(sigh...sorta embarrassing) Burt's Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment!

Ingredients: zinc oxide, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, beeswax, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, lavandula hybrida (lavandin) oil, retinyl palmitate, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower extract, rosa damascena (rose) flower extract, symphytum officinale (comfrey) root extract

Basically a lot of moisturizing elements like vit e, jojoba and calming ingredients like lavender, chamomile, etc. It does have a white tint because of the zinc but I only use it at night as a treatment.

free skin care · Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:58 pm

bethany wrote:

It also recently worked on another forum member who had issues with dry, scaly patches showing up on her face.

That would be me! Embarassed

After reading Bethany's post about Nizoral on another forum, I tried it on my face, and have been very pleased with the results! I have been to four different derms, and have tried metrogel, steroid cream, antifungal cream, and oral antibiotics. With the exception of the metrogel (which only dried my skin out even more), everything worked for a little while, but cannot be taken/applied indefinitely.

I use the Nizoral as needed, maybe twice a week now. I occasionally wash my scalp with it as well. On my face, I try to apply lather only after sudsing it up in my palms, let it sit for about two mins, then rinse. My skin does not get dried out from this, the redness gets calmed down, and the flakiness smooths out.

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