Question:
Dry skin but not really peeling

Im 4 weeks post-op. Ive noticed that my skin is a little drier and when I get out of the shower, Im noticing more skin cells shuffling off than usual. This morning, I put on lotion all over my body and now Im getting gooey blobs of lotioned skin cells when I touch my chest and neck. I used a 'scrubbing shower gel' to exfolliate... but I guess it didnt work enough. Did anyone else get this?    — Valerie H. (posted on August 3, 2002)

August 3, 2002
After I got home from the hospital I noticed my skin, all over, was extremely dry. I think it is from the anesthesia. I used a good moisturizing shower gel, which helped some. A good moisturizing lotion should be helpful after your shower also. After a couple of months when you start getting more fluids in your body, you will get back to normal.
   — Kim B.

August 3, 2002
I had extremely dry skin for about 3 months post-op along with very brittle, splitting nails and more hair shedding then normal routine. It all started to improve as I was able to have a little more variety in my foods and was able to actually consume those 60 ounces of protein and drink the 64 ounces of water we are supposed to get in daily. Early post-op our new pouches are swollen and very small and it is hard to get in everything we are supposed to. Once I was physically able to sit down in the bath tub (and get back up again), I took some nice soaking baths and finished them off with a good body moisturizer. It really helped with the dry skin. Make sure you are taking your vitamins too. It will get better. Good luck.
   — Susan M.

August 3, 2002
Valerie, I agree with Kim, but I want to add something. My PCP told me to get a water based lotion instead of oil and apply it before I dried off from a shower. You can then pat dry or air dry. I also use a cool mist humidifier in my bedroom. If I didn't have it in the winter, I would look like a shedding snake. If water intake is a problem, you may want to up that a bit too. Good Luck.
   — Tina B.

August 3, 2002
Are you taking dry form vite E? Drinking all that water? And are you avoiding fats & oils? Since we malabsorb some fats & oils, avoiding them isn't helping your tissues. I'm not saying float everything on a sea of butter, just normal use of normal products. The downside is that we malabsorb the fat soluble vites, too, A, D & E, so they need to be replaced in a dry form capsule.
   — vitalady

August 4, 2002
Ok - I went out to one of those Bath n Beauty stores and bought a scrub that was made of oils and sugar...yes, sugar. I sat my butt down in the shower and sugar scrubbed myself from toes to neck. After washing off and remaining sugar... you're left pretty greasy - so I soaped up and jumped out of the shower. When I dried off, I had ZERO dead skin cells come off with the rubbing of the towel!! Cool!
   — Valerie H.