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Avatar universal

Flaky skin over entire body

I'm a 25 year old male. For the last 15 years, I've had very dry skin. My skin is not just dry, but very flaky as well.

It's a slightly different kind of flaky, depending on the location.

On my scalp, it's just basic dandruff.

On my face, it's an oily/flaky combination with the flakes being small in size (scratching my face with my finger nails results in immense build up of skin under my nails).

On my arms, the flakes are more sparse, not wanting to peel away as easily as other locations. Several times, I have scratched on my arms or scrubbed during showering, resulting in a portion of the outer skin being torn away left to bleed.

On my stomach, hips, buttocks, the flakes are very similar to my arms.

On my legs, the dryness and amount of flakes is much more immense and noticeable. My ankles regularly peel and bleed, just from wearing socks.

I've been told by my doctor that this is just very dry skin. That I need to make sure to drink lots of fluids, not to scrub very hard in the shower, to pat dry after a shower, to lotion thoroughly after a shower, to not use very hot water to clean myself, etc etc. These things seem to do little to no good.

Lotion of several kinds never seem to actually penetrate the outer layer of my skin, which seems completely dead and peel-able anyhow. Most exfoliates for my skin seem to be like using a spoon to do a shovel's job, but if I use anything too harsh, I end up destroying the living skin just the same (resulting in scaring in some cases).

I can shower once a day, every other couple days, or several times a day. Nothing along those lines ever seems to make much difference. Soaking in a hot tub seems to do the most good, but that's not something I can afford to do regularly (financially or just for the amount of time required).


Does this sound like something specific, or is my doctor right in just calling it dry skin? I wouldn't be worried if it were in a small spot, intermittent, or went away with lotion..
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Avatar universal
It has to do with nutrition. You no longer produce enough sebum. I developed perfect skin with proper nutrition until I switched recenly to bad dietary choices, which is immediately altering my skin back to what it one was. Horribly prematurely aging skin, and now I'm flaking all over it hurts.
-Stay away from all trans fats, including roasted nuts!! Ditch the junk and processed foods.
-Get your vitamins and minerals from different sources. Best foods are the simple organic ones: Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
-For now try to get pure aloe vera extract and apply it all over the areas. Research more about that. Aloe right now is reducing the flakes.
-Check out the benefits of coconut oil on dandruff and treating fungus. Coconut oil now has helped with dandruff and decreased hair fall.
-Check out the benefits of vitamin C in oranges and lemons on skin.
-Check out vitamin E and skin. Found highly in sunflower seeds.
-Check out omega 3 and skin (The most essential since the right fats build the right sebum) Try organic hemp seeds as sort of a quick fix as they have omega 3,6,9 in perfecf proportion, and have helped me recover from dry skin within 2 days during my past experiences.
-Stop it with the creams and how did you even dare to exfoliate! Ouch.
Email me on blueberry_hill***@**** if you want specifics.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was born with or at least for as long as i cna remember dry, large pores on my legs, and i can feel it more at the back of legs n thighs. its itchy and gets dry though I moisturize often. I know sodium laury sulfate- dries our the skin n doesnt help.. but w.o products that contain it, its still there. how can i treat this?? my dad n younger bro has it too.. so its def genetics too. i hate it, makes me sef conscious too.

heelp summer is coming- i want beautiful skin.. im gonna t black soap.
any ideas of what it is or remediess? ta!x
Helpful - 0
563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
One possibility that is coming to my mind is of seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin condition that causes flaky,dry, white to yellowish scales to form on oily areas of the body. It is usually caused by overgrowth of Malassezia furfur. This skin disease is aggravated by sweating and humidity.

Oral antifungal drugs and immunomodulators such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are used in very severe cases. The other possibilities are of eczema, lupus erythematosus or dermatitis. Best would be to consult a dermatologist and get biopsy skin done to confirm the diagnosis.
The eczema and psoriasis have to be ruled out.

I hope it helps. Take care and regards.


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