We suggest using:

  • Silkcoat Balm

  • Protecting Hydrator Broad Spectrum SPF 30

  • Facial Wash

  • Dual Action Redness Relief

  • Chemotherapy kit

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Treatment

Degree

Grade 1 (Mild)

Dryness covering less than 10 percent of the surface of the
body, with no redness, irritation, or itching

Grade 2 (Moderate)

 

Dryness covering between 10 percent and 30 percent of the surface of the body, with redness, irritation, or itching, which affects the ability to do daily activities such as preparing meals, shopping, using the telephone, handling money, etc.

Grade 3 (Severe)

 

Dryness covering more than 30 percent of the surface of the body, with redness, irritation, or itching, which can affect the ability to do activities such as bathing, dressing and undressing, eating, using the toilet, or taking medications.

Tips for Taking Care of Dry Skin

  • Keep baths or showers short. If you prefer bathing, take an oatmeal bath with Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, Skin Relief Shower and Bath Oil, Foaming Bath, or Vanicream's RoBathol Bath Oil. Be careful when using bath oils, since they will make your tub very slippery.

  • Use cool or lukewarm water, not hot water.

  • Avoid scrubbing skin with loofahs or sponges during showers or baths, as they irritate the skin and are loaded with germs.

  • After showering or bathing, apply a fragrance-free hypoallergenic body moisturizer while your skin is still damp (usually within 15 minutes). Be sure to apply the moisturizer all over: arms, elbows, hands, legs, feet, abdomen, and back. Moisturizers should be applied twice a day, especially after baths or showers and on your hands every time you wash them or do any cleaning.

  • Avoid colognes, gels, aftershaves, and after-bath splashes that contain alcohal

  • Use fragrance-free detergents such as Dreft, All Free Clear, Cheer Free & Gentle, Arm & Hammer Liquid Detergent HE Compatible, Seventh Generation Free Clear, or Tide Free & Gentle.

  • Drink plenty of liquids each day (check with your doctor or nurse first about the ideal amount for you). Protect your skin from cold, wind, and sun; avoid heat, especially dry heat.

  • Wear soft fabrics, such as cotton, and avoid tight clothes or underwear.

  • Using camisoles (instead of bras) and boyshorts (instead of panties) helps minimize irritation in dry areas under and on the sides of the chest and in the groin.

 

Dry skin is caused or made more severe by many factors:

  • Age (about 75 percent of people over age 75 have dry skin)

  • Genetics (some people are predisposed to dry skin)

  • Medical issues (eczema, diabetes, thyroid deficiency; kidney or liver diseases; autoimmmune diseases such as lupus; HIV and HTLV-2 infection; allergies; or nutritional deficiencies)

  • Perfume and scented products, such as soaps, detergents, gels, and lotions

  • Frequent washing with soap or hot water

  • Environmental conditions (cold temperatures, sun exposure, air conditioners, and heaters)

  • Smoking

  • How much time a person spends outdoors(especially in sunny or cold conditions) and whether he or she lives at a high altitude or away from a lake or ocean; places with drier climate

  • Medications and treatments such as anti-estrogen and lipid-lowering medicines, chemotherapies, targeted therapies, radiation therapy, and stem cell or bone marrow transplants

  • Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma

 

Dehydration and Your Dry Skin

Everything in your body contains fluid (water). The human body must have between 55 percent and 75 percent water. Reduced fluid in the body can change how a person feels. Fluid balance means that the body's fluids are properly regulated and in the right places: too much water in the body, and swelling occurs; not enough water in the body and dehydration sets in. We lose about 12 cups of water a day, including one cup from the soles of our feet. The signs and symptoms of dehydration include:

  • Dry mouth and/or excessive thirst

  • Dizziness, weakness, and constipation

  • Difficulty swallowing dry food

  • Dry or sticky mouth which make it difficult to talk

  • Dry skin that "tents" (stays up when lightly pinched

  • A swollen, cracked, or dry tongue or fingertips

  • Little or no urine


Be sure to tell your doctor or nurse if you believe you are dehydrated. Your health care team may give you fluids intravenously.