Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Keri Peterson discusses how using fabric softener can help those with dry skin. Watch Dr. Peterson's video for information on health and wellness.
Fabric softener can help alleviate dry skin because when your clothing is not treated with fabric softener and it has static cling when you wear it, it can cause friction on the skin. Now that friction can irritate the skin, chafe the skin and that leads to itching, dryness and sometimes eczema.
So, if you treat your underwear with fabric softener this softens the material and eliminates such friction, and in addition the fabric softener allows the skin to retain its ability to hold on to water, which keeps the skin more moist and prevents dryness.
Keri Peterson, MD holds appointments at Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center. She is a member of the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association and is a medical contributor for Women’s Health magazine.
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