Q.Every year for maybe the last 15 years (I am now 31)...I get a real bad itch... around the winter months.... it  gets really bad when ever I'm in heat, or feel like I got to sweat....its almost like if I have to sweat...Instead I ITCH!!!... and if its a really bad itch... I break out with these little bumps everywhere I was ITCHING. I Itch so bad in my sleep that I spend half the night awake trying to stop from itching.... I got the soaps and soothing oils for dry itchy skin... but nothing seems to help..... Have you ever heard of such a thing...I feel like I'm the other person in the world with this (I hope I'm not)....... When ever my body heats up... I itch like a dog with fleas...... WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE IT GO AWAY????... PLEASE HELP!!!!

A.Itching skin is a problem dermatologists see on a daily basis.  The most common cause is dry skin.  I explain to patients that they have a skin sensitivity that is exacerbated by dry skin.  The most common irritants to sensitive skin are water exposure, certain clothing such as wool, heat, friction and sweat.  The majority of the time the itching can be controlled with moisturizing creams and avoidance of the irritating cause.  Your dermatologist can help you if conservative measures don't work



Q.I have been staying over my boyfriend's house on the weekends recently and I notice when I take showers by his house I come out of the shower uncontrollably itchy. The moisturizer dries up on my legs super fast and I can't seem to stop scratching. Although, when I go back home my skin is fine. Is there something wrong with my skin reacting to the different type of water? Is my skin too sensitive? Could his water be contaminated?

A.Variations in water can definitely affect the skin. "Hard" water has a higher mineral content and can dry out the skin.  I doubt the water is contaminated as municipal water supplies are highly regulated. Many times a local swimming pool company will test your water if you have questions regarding mineral content. Moisturizer use twice a day versus once a day is more effective for dry skin.  Make sure the moisturizer is a cream and not a lotion.



Q.I have very dry skin. I guess I had this since birth, and I've been trying to find out what type of problem I have but I can't seem to find out. my skin has a alligator type texture to it. It does not itch or turn red or nothing like that, it just stays scaly. Can you tell me a few things that it may be or if so can you send me or tell me where to look for images that may help me better find out what type of skin rash I have?

A.Chronic dry "fish-scale" like skin may be a condition called ichthyosis. This is a group of conditions in which the skin grows with a dry scale like appearance instead of a moisturized smooth appearance. There are geneticforms and acquired forms. Acquired forms may be associated with hypothyroidism, kidney disease, or internal disease. It is also seen with certain medications such as cholesterol lowering agents.

Treatment is first finding the cause with a careful history and medical examination. Moisturizers with acids are very helpful in controlling the dry scaling. There is an ichthyosis society. Do a search on the Internet for their site.



Q.Does having a bath every day make my skin drier?

A.This is a great question. Contrary to what we would think, daily water exposure can dry the skin. The outer layer of the skin has a lipid (fat) property to it. Excessive washing or water exposure disrupts the integrity of this layer. The result is internal water loss - essentially a drying of the skin. What helps prevent this is the following: minimizing water contact, water temperature being luke-warm and daily use of moisturizers