According to a dermatologist quoted in a recent article, if you have really dry skin you have to use a really thick moisturizer. It was suggested that nothing you could buy in a bottle, rather than a jar, was thick enough. The author went on to recommend several products -- all of which were heavily laden with various combinations of petroleum, mineral oil, paraffin and other waxes, propylene glycol, and lactic acid that has been neutralized with ammonium hydroxide. In fact, the presence of these ingredients in dry skin care products is among the major reasons why the incidence of eczema and dry skin continues to grow and why thousands of doctors now recommend a shielding lotion for dry skin care instead of traditional creams and moisturizers.

Let's briefly review these ingredients:

Petroleum: a toxic chemical containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The National Toxicology Programs suspects that some PAHs are carcinogenic, the State of California's Proposition 65 lists several PAHs as carcinogens, and the European Union lists petroleum jelly as a probable human carcinogen and actually banned its use in cosmetics in 2004. Many studies have verified the dangers.

Mineral Oil: a by-product of the distillation process that turns petroleum into gasoline, its dangers are similar to those of petroleum. Adele Davis, renowned researcher and author, warned us of the dangers over 50 years ago and subsequent research has confirmed it many times over. Still, this ingredient remains common in dry skin care products.

Paraffin and other waxes: although the toxicity levels are lower than the other products mentioned, liquid paraffin has been known to cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, muscle weakness, paralysis, dizziness, convulsions, euphoria, anemia and cardiac dysrhythmias.

Propylene glycol: the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) warns those who work with propylene glycol to avoid skin contact because it can cause liver and kidney damage. A review of government and industry research conducted by Scorecard concluded that propylene glycol is suspected of causing respiratory toxicity, skin or sense organ toxicity, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity.

Lactic Acid: while in itself not particularly dangerous, it can be very acidic, which is why it is neutralized. The pH is well below that required by the skin. What is the neutralizer used? Ammonium hydroxide -- the same ammonia used in the harsh household cleansers that cause a rush on rubber gloves sales.

In addition to being toxic, these ingredients have one more thing in common -- each of them causes dry skin: some are abrasive and damage the surface layer of the skin and, with the exception of lactic acid and ammonia, they block the pores so the skin cannot breathe. Waste products are trapped in the skin and the body instead of being eliminated through the skin -- which is one of its major functions. These waste products then cause further irritation and dry skin.

So, why are drug store shelves still loaded with products that contain ingredients that actually cause dry skin, and what can we do about it? Frankly, if we could find the answer to that question, along with its solution, we would probably be close to resolving many of the world's health and environmental problems. In the meantime, protect yourself. Take the advice of thousands of doctors, and use dry skin care products that don't contain these ingredients, and really relieve dry skin instead of exacerbating the problem.