Dr. Deb

Winter has finally arrived in the Tristate and so has Winter Itch. My son couldn’t sleep the other night because his skin was so itchy. He loves a hot shower for his 5:45am wake up but mixed with colder temperatures and low humidity his skin was quite dry. Constant central heating also removes water from the skin that leads to severe itchy skin. There is usually not much of a rash but scratching can lead to redness and painful cracks or fissures in the skin. Here are my tips to help you stop the scratch.

Dr. Deb’s Ditch the Winter Itch Tips

1. Keep it Cool.

Long hot showers remove the protective oils that keep water in our skin so you should takes short baths (<10 minutes) using warm, not hot water.  Colder showers not only save your skin but will also save your hair, protecting the cuticle as well as prolonging color treated hair.

2. Wash the Essentials

Harsh antibacterial soaps are not needed and contribute to the problem. Stick to mild soaps such as Dove, Oil of Olay or Neutrogena and don’t shower everyday. The essential bath (pits and privates) should get you through most off days. I love my hand sanitizer but nothing dries the skin out like the alcohols in them so use soap or a cleansing solution as often as possible.

3. Lube While Wet

When you get out of the shower, pat skin dry instead of rubbing and apply moisturizer to wet skin to seal in water. Might feel a little slippery for a few minutes but this will really help dry itchy skin. The thicker the moisturizer the better. I like Curel or Eucerin. You can mix a pea size drop of nonprescription OTC hydrocortisone cream with the lotion and apply to the itchy areas. If your skin in thick and hard, like on the bottom of your heals, then exfoliate first, so the lotion will absorb into the skin better.

4. Cycle the Heat

This tip will not only save your skin but will save you some money. Invest in a thermostat with a timer to keep your house cool and turn on the heat only when you need it. We set ours to turn on right before we wake up and turn off 45 minutes later. It will help the air from drying out but allow you to take a cooler shower as your body will be warm instead of freezing when you get out of bed. Adding a humidifier will provide even more relief.

 5. Use a Barrier

Sunscreen should not be forgotten in winter and use gloves to protect your skin not just from cold, but also from drying out.  My mom’s old fashion cure, Vaseline, makes a great barrier as well as moisturizer if you will be outside for an extended period of time. Drink plenty of water and eats lots of omega 3 fatty acids found in salmon or walnuts to keep the water and oil in your skin.

If no improvement in a few weeks then see your doctor and be sure to have your thyroid checked. Low thyroid, diabetes and high blood pressure medication may contribute to dry skin. They may also decide to prescribe a newly approved nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory cream such as MimyX and Atopiclair or even a stronger cream with steroids for severe cases.

Winter has arrived even if we have not have had enough snow to sled. Cool down and lube up to stop that Winter Itch.

Dr. Deb

Millions suffer from allergies, yet most have not figured out how to properly treat them. We wait until our head feels like it will explode and dredge up every kind of medication searching for a fix, while cursing the doctor for not giving us an antibiotic. Even if we get an antibiotic, it still takes at least 3 weeks before we feel better. I made many allergy mistakes but have not taken an antibiotic for years because I finally figured out how to treat the main cause instead of a Band-Aid that never seems to stick.

Take this test if you are not sure if you have allergies or a cold that comes up every spring.

My twins in allergy season

Dr. Deb’s Top Allergy Mistakes

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Just as the flowers have started to bloom, so have our allergies. The sun beckons us after being cooped up all winter but lurking outdoors are millions of allergens awaiting to attack our nasal passages. Certainly this won’t keep my kids indoors but what can we do?

There are so many medications and many side effects; it is hard figure out how to treat allergies. Let me arm you with my simple  4 step plan that has really helped my family and will hopefully help you too.

Dr. Deb’s Allergy Relief Plan (more…)

Last week a study reported that Probiotics Cut Belly Fat After Pregnancy. Is this a dream come true or wishful thinking?  Well, the evidence is not overwhelming ..but there is little downside to possbily less of the  fat-side.

What is a probiotic?
Probiotics are often referred to  “good bacteria” that are tiny living organisms that reside in many places in the body but most often we think of in the gut or vaginal flora. This good bacteria protects or benefits our body.

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Some PIG and Some Virus. We have a level 4 epidemic but DO NOT PANIC! Here is some information from the CDC website. Click here for the latest information on travel. This is a developing story but there is no need to panic. Just do what I teach the kindergartners. Wash your hands and cover your mouth! To follow CDC on twitter click here.

What is swine flu?
It is a respiratory illness, not a food borne illness. So it is OK to eat cooked pork.
Swine flu is a strain of Influenza that is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

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