Hi,
here are some suggestions to tackle this problem:
1) try taking 1 or 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil a day (available at healthfood stores). Flaxseed oil is high in essential fatty acids, which is good for smoothing (and softening) your skin.
Alternatively, fish oil (if you can stand the taste of fish in your burps, heh heh) is also a good source of efa's, to help your skin look (and feel its best).
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2) drink 8 glasses of bottled (or filtered)
water a day (minimum). Drink more
water than that, if you can.
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3) eat foods high in essential fatty acids, like sardines, halibut, trout, mackerel, tuna, eel, salmon, and herring.
Start including (or include more) vegetable oils (soy, safflower or canola for instance), nuts (like brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts) and seeds (sunflower and sesame) into your diet.
Eggs (if you eat them) are also a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, as is spinach.
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4) don't spend too long in the shower, as the chlorine in water is drying. Don't use deodorant soaps, liquid soaps, shower gels, or glycerin based soaps. Instead use a cleanser, formulated for sensitive skin.
Make sure the water isn't too hot. Hot water just makes it easier to wash off the skin's oils.
When you finish your shower, use a towel to pat the skin dry, instead of rubbing it dry. Rubbing the skin dry robs the skin of its precious oils.
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5) use an oil-based moisturizer, instead of a water-based moisturizer. A water-based moisturizer will likely (and paradoxically) contain alcohol in it, which is drying to the skin.
Try to find an oil-based lotion containing
urea in it.
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hope this helps.