13 WTHR IndianapolisRelief from dry winter skin

A lot of people are looking for relief from dry, itchy, unbearable winter skin right now.

Cracked, painful skin on knuckles and backs that no amount of scratching soothes are both sure signs of winter.

"Cold air cannot hold moisture, so the moisture leaves our bodies into the air and goes bye-bye," said Dr. Eric Bernstein, dermatologist.

But it's not just the Arctic blast that's to blame. Bernstein says many of us make a big mistake when the thermometer heads south.

"We stand under the hot shower trying to warm up in the morning, and it leaches the oil out of our skin," he said.

Dr. Bernstein says the first skin fix is learning to love a warm - not overly hot - shower.

"The second thing is you moisturize while you're wet, and most of us guys we can't reach back there so well, so we need help," he said.

"Later in the day, when you're out of the shower, and your skin's not all hot, we use something called AmLactin. It's great for that crocodile skin in the winter. It's an alpha hydroxide. It's a cousin of glycolic acid. AmLactin is over the counter in almost every drugstore," he added.

Don't use AmLactin right out of the shower, or it may sting.

For cracked skin, try Aquaphor. It works to seal up cracked skin.

Dr. Bernstein says it also heals chapped lips, which the doctor says happens from the cold, not from kissing.

"Kissing is great for you. It does not make chapped lips. That's a misconception. And if you do it right, put some Aquaphor on and kiss the other person. You are actually improving their lips. I'm in favor of kissing. It's good for you," Bernstein said.