Dry skin making me crazy

I've ALWAYS had dry skin. I use a special lotion, body wash, shampoo, conditioner etc. for that problem. Along with my "smell good" bath & body works stuff. When I first started getting Crohn's flares the issue got worse & I found out I had some vitamin deficincies and a thyroid problem.


Not to worry you because you don't sound like you have ANY of the other symptoms, but when I got drug induced Lupus from Remicade, I had so many freaking dry skin blotches along with the butterfly rash from sun exposure, muscle spasms, face paralysis etc. It was a nasty time for me.

Coacoa butter,Palmers stretch mark cream(it sounds weird but it has a lot of extra oils and vitamins in it), Aveeno's Active Naturals Skin Relief Calming Lotion with Cooling Action & Aveeno Active natural Oat shampoo have been the best things as far as relief from the chapped, dry feeling.

I'm making an appointment tomorrow to see my primary care doctor-- who will hopefully give me a referral to a dermatologist.

My hair and nails are dry too. Maybe its a vitamin issue. I just feel so defeated. The remicade seemed to give me my life back. At first the dry patches and sun issues only occurred for the first week or so after the infusion. Now its relentless. I sleep with cucumbers on my face to stop the burning. The other day I missed a spot under my arm when I put sunscreen on and ended up with a nasty three-inch sunburn-- under my arm of all places. It wasn't like I was out with my arms in the air sunbathing. I was just out for a walk and bam I'm blistered. I didn't even feel it "burning". I just though my bra was digging into my arm.

I'm starting to wonder what is worse not being able to go outside and looking like a mummified chicken or feeling like a creaky arthritic lady twice my age who is doubled over with crohn's issues. I know the answer. I don't want to return to those days where I couldn't even get out of bed. Now that that I'm on my feet again, I just want more. I feel like a voodoo doll some sadistic person is shoving pins into. When will enough be enough? I just want to stop hurting. I don't want to twitch from steroids or try to plough through the fogginess that has become my brain. I don't want to look in the mirror and see a red-faced, blotchy shell of the person I used to be. I just want my life back.

I have really dry skin also.  I can take off a dark shirt and see it covered with white dead skin.

I am getting a lot of relief from  the Vasaline spray and go oil.   Its keeping my skin nice and soft. 

Use Ponds for my face and that seems to work well also.

Hope something or someone can help you soon!!