I have very dry skin and I've had luck with Eucerin Roughness Relief cream. It's thicker than the CeraVe

Perhaps it's time to see a dermatologist. This sounds like more than just a lotion can handle.

The dermatologist recommended Aveeno Healing Ointment (not the cream/lotion) when I was having problems with dry, cracked fingertips. I’ve also used it for dry skin. It is an ointment and on the greasy side but really helped in my case.

ETA - The doc gave me some sample tubes of it. I couldn’t find the ointment in stores and ordered it from Amazon.

I think you need to find out why your skin has suddenly become so dry. It's not normal, and there has to be some underlying cause for it. Have you lost a lot of weight recently? Maybe you should take showers more frequently and use an exfoliating glove or loofa, and see if that helps.

I have very dry skin. For my feet, I use a prescription strength Ammonium lactate.

While on vacation I didn’t bring it and I could not believe how itchy and flakey my feet became.

For foot care,you need to be diligent. I only do it once a day, but you should do twice.Ii also use a pumice stone daily.

For the rest of me, I use Vasaline Intensive Care body lotion. For my face, Eucerin q10.

ETA I don't care for CeraVe.

I now prefer Aquaphor over Vasaline. Yes to rubbing a lot on your feet, put clean socks and leave on until it is absorbed. If you are okay with sleeping with socks, the longer the better.

Can you get pedicures? Or see a podistrist to scrape off the dead skin. I usually go once or twice a year.

I agree with Annie but I was told that there was nothing stronger than the Ammonium. But, I could be wrong.

You might need to see a doc- it might be more than just dry skin. Some skin issues need medical attention, and some can be attached to other issues. Like psoriasis is related to autoimmune issues.

Vasiline can be messy. In the past I've done it (and other thick goos) by applying and then wrapping the arm or leg with medical gauze before wearing long legs or sleeves over it. Use a natural boar bristle hairbrush to brush yourself regularly. It sounds kind of weird, but it is a very gentle form of exfoliating that is done dry. Dry exfoliating can be kinder to your skin since skin is a wee bit more fragile when wet, like our hair can be. Use natural boar because it is softer and more gentle than synthethic boar.

What kind of water do you have? If you have hard water, that can have an impact. If you have to heavily salt your water, that can have an impact. If your municipal water is heavily treated, that can sometimes have an impact, but usually less common than with hard water.

I agree about asking your Dr. about this, and would like to add, are you getting enough good fats in your diet? Water alone isn't enough, I think.

It could be several reason. Best to talk to your doctor.

Who develops excessively dry skin?

Certain people have a higher risk of developing excessively dry skin. If any of the following apply to you, you may. How many of the following apply?

• Middle age or older: With age, our skin produces less sebum, an oil that keeps skin soft and youthful. By your 40s, the amount of sebum your body makes drops dramatically. After 40, the amount of sebum your skin contains continues to drop.
• Black, brown, or fair skin: Research shows that people who have brown, black, or fair skin are more likely to develop very dry skin than people who have a medium complexion, such as people who have Mediterranean ancestry.
• Certain medications: Extremely dry skin is a possible side effect of several medications, including statins and diuretics.
• Wet work: A job that requires you to frequently put your hands in water throughout the day or use harsh chemicals can strip your skin of its protective layer. Hairdressers, nurses, housekeepers, construction workers, cooks, florists, and metal workers often develop excessively dry skin.
• Low outdoor temperature: When outdoor temperatures fall, the air holds less moisture. Research shows that this can lead to excessively dry skin.
• Vitamin or mineral deficiency: Skin requires nutrients to keep it healthy. If you’re not getting enough vitamin D, vitamin A, niacin, zinc, or iron, you can develop excessively dry skin.
• Smoking: Cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that speed up how quickly your skin ages, so skin becomes drier.
• Condition that affects the skin: Some conditions that affect the skin, including atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis, perioral dermatitis, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis, can cause excessively dry skin.
• Itchy skin condition: If you’ve had a skin condition that caused itchiness at some time in your life, you have a greater risk of developing excessively dry skin. Many adults who had atopic dermatitis as a child live with extremely dry skin.
• Diabetes, thyroid disease, or kidney disease: These conditions are known to cause excessively dry skin.
• Dialysis: Kidney disease increases your risk of developing extremely dry skin. When you receive dialysis, you have an even greater risk because dialysis removes water from your body. People receiving dialysis treatments also need to limit how much fluid they drink, consuming only 32 ounces a day. This can further dry your skin.
• Cancer treatment (current and past): If you’ve ever had chemotherapy, are receiving a cancer treatment called targeted therapy, or getting radiation treatments, you can develop extremely dry skin.
• Anorexia: If you’re not eating enough, you’re not getting the nutrients your skin needs to stay hydrated.
• HIV positive: Excessively dry skin is common in people who are HIV positive, even those on antiretroviral treatment (ART).

I use a loofah to exfoliate. If you take a hot bath, a few drops of baby oil in the water is awesome!

Do check with a dermatologist to ensure you din’t have an underlying issue. That is a good list that is posted above.

If my skin gets really dry in winter I use a body cream with goats milk or shea butter rather than a lotion. I do not like CeraVe and Eucerin gave me prickly heat once when I took some on a hiking trip. I do like Aveeno products in general. Pay attention to ingredients.

If you do use something to exfoliate, be gentle. A boar bristle brush sounds rather harsh so maybe try something grainy instead.

I've had flaky dry skin on my lower legs - and only there - all my life. Vaseline works very well for me - I put it on at bedtime. It doesn't have to be so much that I stick to the sheets! Just a thin coat, rubbed in, does the trick.

Once I started my career as a nurse, all the hand washing tore up my cuticles and nails with dryness, so vaseline on my hands at night (with cotton gloves) also. I found that Neutrogena Norwegian Formula hand cream is about the same. I liked the avocado hand cream from The Body Shop for daytime, but since the stores here closed, I haven't looked for it .

Now I'm wondering about nutrition as well...

If drinking more than four cups of water a day gives you low sodium levels, have you discussed taking salt tablets and drinking more? Not drinking enough water is not good for your kidneys.

We use Gold Bond Ultimate Healing, works for us.

If you have low sodium levels in your blood, you need to limit your fluid intake. Drinking more or consuming more salt is not helpful. DH has that issue and that's the medical advice he's been given from his kidney dr.

A natural boar bristle hair brush isn't harsh. It can go over a psoriasis spot without harm, and dry skin without being harsh. Natural boar bristle is also commonly found in bath brushes and people use bath brushes on the regular. I find using a hair brush with it's shorter/handier handle to be easier for dry brushing myself. A natural boar shower brush often has a longer handle that is great for scrubbing in the bath/shower, but a bit less handy for dry brushing. Some places sell the bath brush that has natural boar bristle on one side, and a loofa or pumice on the other so folks can have different grades of rough.

Similar situation with a shower of what looked like dead skin flakes. What I finally realized is that it was the moisturizer that was flaking. Dug out an old container of Mennen Baby Magic lotion from under the vanity and started using it instead. Solved my problem. So it might be worth a try. FWIW, I also use a liquid body wash; I quit using bar soaps years ago because of the residue that bar soap leaves on the shower walls and skin.

I highly recommend AmLactin, an OTC lotion with 12% lactic acid. Shake the bottle before using as the active ingredient settles. It does have a pecular odor at first but I promise that it dissipates shortly after applying.

It works.

I strongly recommend the use of some sort of exfoliating cloth or glove, as well. At the very least, a rough wash cloth to use while bathing. Are you using a moisterizing soap?

Wonderful help! Thank you all. I'll let you know what I hear from the MD and nurses at the cancer center on Friday. This could be related to the monthly infusions and the Revlimid 5MG daily oral treatment against the blood cancer -- or the MM itself.

So...there's no "Guide for Old Ladies -- What to Expect as Your Body Falls Apart"?

You should write that guide. My friend and I used to commiserate that we should write ”What to Expect, the sandwich-generation years”.

This product has done wonders for our skin: Hand's Best Friend.

https://www.parsonagesoap.com/

We discovered their products at a local fair. It's amazing how well it works.

https://www.parsonagesoap.com/shop/balms-lotions/5

I am of the same opinion as most others. Ask your doctors. With your health issues it makes sense. Maybe it is just excess skin products along with your normal skin cells. They can look into that. That it is new? Well...It is not necessarily an area they deal with but they ought to be able to advise. I wish you could drink more water since we hydrate from inside and of course the outside of your skin is already thoroughly dead but hanging in there. It cant be revitalized any more than your hair can. Skin creams help hold in the moisture that is already there. It is certainly hard getting old and getting old with major health issues that require medications with side effects is harder. I sympathize. I have a sister with MM and an old friend who is going on ten years or more with it.