A good trick is to provide the skin with a protective barrier, like Vaseline® Jelly, to reduce friction and chafing between the legs when walking or exercising. This protective layer prevents sweat from seeping into the chafed skin and irritating it further.
Vaseline can be used as an everyday moisturizer for very dry skin.
In addition to exfoliating the surface of the skin, you need to tackle the problem by moisturizing and helping to renew dry skin. Moisturizers and lotions containing Vaseline® Jelly are great at rejuvenating and replacing lost moisture at the source.
Apply a Lightweight Moisturizer Every Day
The most effective way to alleviate dryness is to restore your skin's natural moisture. Thankfully, you don't need a specific product—any body lotion or cream will work well as a leg moisturizer.
But unlike other forms of petroleum, Vaseline is safe to use on your skin and hands. It's even a favorite for some as a moisturizer.
Petroleum jelly may also clog pores. While some forms promise not to clog the pores, it forms a barrier that may cause skin breakouts, especially with frequent use. People with acne or sensitive skin should avoid using petroleum jelly on acne-prone areas, such as the face.
Q: Vaseline is commonly used for a dry nose. But please never, never use petroleum jelly (petrolatum) or anything oily inside your nose. Putting Vaseline in the nose could be life-threatening, as the oil can get into your lungs, and you can't remove it.
As mentioned before, it can actually cause breakouts because it is greasy and could be trapping acne-causing agents on the skin. If a breakout occurs after trying Vaseline on the face, wash it off and stop using it for this reason.
Vaseline is safe and even recommended for use on dry skin. Because of its occlusive properties, Vaseline can help soothe skin that's chafed and dry. It's especially handy for the thin skin on your eyelids. Unlike most products, Vaseline is safe to use in the area around your eyes.
Living in cold, windy conditions or low-humidity climates. Too much bathing or scrubbing. Taking long, hot showers or baths or scrubbing your skin too much can dry your skin. Bathing more than once a day can remove the natural oils from your skin too.
Dry skin on legs can be caused by many factors including hot baths or showers, weather conditions, and shaving - anything that strips the skin of its natural moisturizers and oils. So having dry legs isn't always something we can prevent, but it is treatable with the right methods and products.
"You'll notice your skin feeling dry, tight, and ashy, because you're rapidly losing water," says Gohara. "Moisturizer doesn't just add water back into your skin, it also traps in the water you already have to plump it up and protect it."
Before going to bed at night, massage olive oil into your legs, wait for the skin to absorb it, then rinse in the shower. This will leave your legs feeling silky soft! Alternatively, try shea butter, coconut oil, or a petroleum jelly to create a moisture barrier.
When properly refined, petrolatum is said to have no known health concerns. However, according some sources, petrolatum is often not fully refined in the US, which means it can be contaminated with toxic chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
And petroleum jelly, that all-purpose moisturizer, can be kept on hand a particularly long time because it contains no water and does not support bacterial growth. "Vaseline has amazing shelf life if it isn't put in an area where there's a lot of light," Mr. Schmitt said.
Arms and legs are not prone to getting wet or suffer from harsh environments like winds or dust that much. So, they don't lose as much moisture as the hands. That means that you only need to moisturize them once a day (at night or after your daily shower) to keep them hydrated.
To save on skin care, dermatologists recommend using petroleum jelly to: Relieve dry skin, including your lips and eyelids. Dry skin can flake, itch, crack and even bleed. Since ointments are more effective and less irritating than lotions, consider applying petroleum jelly to dry skin, including your lips and eyelids.