Trade Secrets for Soft Winter Skin

I am not a dermatologist. BUT…I did spend a lot of time doing dermatology electives in medical school & residency. In the daily presence of dermatologists, I gleaned a couple of tips that I frequently recommend (and use myself) to this day. And I’m always surprised that many people don’t know about these products, given how often I heard dermatologists recommend them. And they’re not prescription! You just find them at the drugstore. A caveat: they’re nothing flashy. They’re not exotic. But they just. Flat. Work.

First: Prevex cream. In my job, I wash my hands a lot. I basically have the occupational equivalent of OCD. And regular hand cream is useless–it just comes off each time I wash my hands! The answer: Prevex. It forms a barrier and protects your skin. It’s thick and a little sticky when it first goes in, but it absorbs quickly and keeps your hands moisturized all day, no matter how many times you lather up. If you’ve got dry hands, this will save your life.

Next up: LacHydrin lotion. In the winter, many of us are familiar with that dull, dry layer of dead skin. And don’t even get me started about cracked, dry heels. Enter Lachydrin. Especially if we’re talking knees and heels and elbows, regular moisturizer doesn’t even touch those thickened strata. It just can’t penetrate. Lachydrin contains lactic acid which breaks down and sloughs off those dead skin cells. It’s a miracle. Again, the package is boring and there’s no lovely smell (some people even find the smell unpleasant). But it does the job.

So…now my turn: do you have any secret skin remedies?