It may help to change your bathing habits:

• Keep baths or showers short.
• Use warm (not hot) water.
• Use as little soap as possible. Limit its use to face, armpits, and genitals if you can. Try mild cleansers like Aveeno or Cetaphil or mild soaps like Neutrogena or Dove.
• Dry your skin thoroughly but gently -- pat, DON'T rub.
• Take baths or showers less often.

Also, increase skin and body moisture:

• Use bath oils and moisturizers at least daily. Thick, greasy moisturizers work best. Avoid products with alcohol. Apply just after a bath or shower, when your skin is still damp.
• Use a humidifier if the air is dry.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Apply cool compresses to itchy areas, and try over-the-counter cortisone creams or lotions if your skin is inflamed. If this is not enough, talk to your doctor about possible prescription lotions.

Call your doctor if:

• You feel itchy without a visible rash.
• Dryness and itching are preventing you from sleeping.
• You have any open cuts or sores from scratching.
• Home care measures do not relieve your dryness and itching.

Your doctor will perform a physical examination with careful attention to all parts of your skin.

To better understand the cause of the dry skin, your doctor may ask:

• When did your dry skin develop or has it always been dry?
• Are all parts of your body affected? If not, what are the specific locations involved?
• What seems to make the dryness worse?
• Does anything make it feel better?
• What are your bathing habits?
• Do you have any other symptoms?