FIL has very, very sensitive skin. Seems prone to rashes. How can he prevent this?

I was born with very thin, dry, fragile skin. Very sensitive and prone to eczema. It runs in the family. Now in my 60s, it's even worse. Here's what helps me: Cerave and/or Eucerin cream in a jar, the ones for severely dry, sensitive skin, which I apply immediately after a quick shower. No baths. No excessively hot water. Pat dry. I shampoo my hair in the laundry sink out in the garage because the shampoo and conditioner irritate my skin when I rinse in the shower. I only use gentle, unscented skin cleansers on face and critical areas. Plain lukewarm water every where else. I shower 2-3 times a week in cold weather, daily Cerave or Eucerin in-between. I shower daily in warm weather.

I use only half the recommended laundry detergent, unscented. My clothes still get clean and I'm less likely to be irritated by detergent residues. Saves $ too.

Heated air really dries me out. We bundle up in the house more than we use our heater. Saves $ too. I also use a humidifier. l still have dry skin but not as bad if I use these strategies.

Change his shoes. Make sure he wears socks always. Get him a wider shoe or a larger size, or another pair he owns. Find out what part of the shoe is rubbing. A corn is due to rubbing & friction. How old are the shoes? They could be too old. The shoe could be breaking down starting to fall apart/loose its shape.
I had a new pair of shoes and got a corn on my arch. Who knew you could get one there? I threw the shoes out, and never had another corn.
Is he using a corn remover from the pharmacy? They come with protective pads. I'd get rid of those shoes.
As for skin looser clothing.

Imho, elders' skin, which is the largest organ, becomes so thin. Suggest using Cetaphil body wash and plain white Dial soap (this was recommended to me by my podiatrist). He could also visit his podiatrist.

a podiatrist can help with the feet, but depending on what kind of rash, the dermatologist should be able to tell you what causes it and how to prevent.  wishing you luck.

CeraVe anti itch lotion and cetaphil soap helped my mom, recommended by her dermatologist. Washed clothes in Arm and Hammer, sensitive skin, no fragrance -made sure she had adequate lotion after her showers. Everyone is different so hopefully some of the replies may help you .

Look at his medications. Many seniors process medications slower than younger people and the levels can build up to levels that are not helpful.

Bruising can be the result of blood thinning tendencies in medications - especially NSAIDs and food supplements.

Thinner skin is part of the aging process. Find ways to keep the skin from "rubbing" - thin, long-sleeved shirts and longer pants will reduce friction. Most senior skin doesn't make a lot of oils so go easy on soaps or switch to moisturizing bath washes followed up with heavy emollient creams. Consider using baby products since they have less allergens or irritating ingredients.

I have a client that is topically hyper sensitive to most anything. She likes the more expensive CBD, Hempvana products and Eucerin. Severe contact dermatitis. Personally I like pure coconut or olive oil, test on an arm or leg for any possible reaction. Another very elderly client has cankers all over her back. Daubed warm olive and coconut with cotton ball and applied a warm wet towel, she felt it was very pleasant.

I am over 60 with super dry and super super thin skin - i just have to look at it to get a bruise - and i ended up with extreme excema last year that was quite severe. I have tried every therapy and great doctors in CA Skin Center and what cured it was seeing a homeopathic/holistic dr. that prescribed some drops to take 1x a day in water and it ALL went away. It was over the top game changer. I couldn't afford the shots et al, and the creams, lotions, oils, supplements, changed diet - nothing worked. #options.

My 96 yr old Dad has very thin dry skin and he went thru months of skin rashes that wouls itch a lot and could never be diagnosed of the reason other than it could be allergic to something.

I changed his washing detergent to sensitive, I had him wear White A CottonT Shirts, used only Sensitive Lotions, Sensitive Soap
Several Rx Meds and Prayed A Lot.

What ended up working besides everything I did above was to Apply
Oganic Coconut Oil on him once every day.

He hasn't had a rash now in months.

I highly recommend Eucerin calming cream. It is thick but very absorbent. My elders have skin as thin as paper. A post below speaks to using adult baby wipes to wash with. They are great for the thin skin. Amazon sells these in larger sizes and thicker more like a washcloth. Always gently pat wet skin dry with a soft towel. Maybe a baby bath towel? Use a gentle laundry detergent. Dry spray shampoo is great for in between wet shampoos.

Both my parents, (mom passed a few months ago) stopped taking baths a few years ago. We wash hair at the kitchen sink. Then use Sam’s club body wiped to wash down their body. A dermatologist told me years ago. You do not need soap just water is fine. For feet, this helps soften corns which will eventually scape off easily. A vinegar/water soak. Then wipe feet and ankles off with a wash cloth. This sloths off the corn. Just be gentle if the skin is sensitive.
For washing clothes I use scent free detergent, dryer balls for the dryer.

My godfather has very thin very dry skin. When he scratches, most notably around his wrist the area will bruise very bad and any pressure thats scuffs skin will tear away and bleed... it reminds me of onion paper we used to trace with in grade school.. The dr decided on Phototherapy...short answer A TANNING BED. Yes he actually "tans" and it subsequently thickens the skin just as ours does during summer. This may be an option. He's 92, Japanese and naturally very pale for reference. I would add mimicking sun/vitamin D does assist with mood as well. Just one more thought to consider asking Dr about?

A 90 yr olds skin is super paper thin, and very fragile. Oil glands have dried up. Less showers, Maybe 1x a week. They only bathe residents 2x a week in nursing homes. Half the time the residents refuse. Not problem if they get one 1x a week. If he needs more, then concentrate on that area, not his whole body. If he needs more showers due to wearing briefs. Showers should be very quick. 5 mins, not a 20 mins. Luke warm water(still comfortable tho) 102-105 deg and perhaps a shower filter. I had to get one bc our hard water was so bad, Id itch for hrs after. Id have to slather on cream right away, while still damp. That helps lock in moisture.

You could just use water on arms/legs, and soap on face/private area, and shampoo on the head. The arms & legs have less natural oil in he skin. You dont want to strip that. Using body washes, soaps on the arms/legs tend to strip away any natural oil there.

You could also try to get him to eat some olive oil per day, or some omega pills if he can swallow them. Or even a teaspoon of coconut oil. I put coconut oil in my coffee. Start out with a 1/2 teaspoon and work up to 1 if he can tolerate it. It can cause diarrhea so thats why starting out slow. Trying to moisturize from the inside out. In Greece they actually take a shot glass of olive oil a day. I couldnt do that much. But they are used to it.
Some of us also use way to much laundry soap. Id check that you are using the correct amount. It is usually half a capful full for a full load. I found that out by having a hot tub turn into a bubble bath. The manual said thats the culprit. I was using 2/3 cupful, when I only need a half a capful for a full load. Stop using dryer sheets if you use them. See if that helps, then try dryer sheets to see which one his skin reacts to.
An oatmeal bath may calm his skin too. He might not lay down in the bath, but sit in a bath chair. Just putting the oatmeal water on the skin. They have them at the pharmacy for dry itchy skin. They are great.

Is it dry and itchy, or is it a reaction to something? Note when it flares up. Is it after a shower, or fresh clothes from the laundry, or after a certain meal. Or wearing pj's and heavy blankets? Note tim/day nd what happened right before.
My hard water was a horrible culprit. A shower filter is such a help. Maybe 30 bucks. Easy to install. Good luck.



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It would be interesting to know what the dermatologist said the rashes were and what cream they gave. Also where the rashes are and are they sore or itchy etc. Elderly people tend to have quite dry skin and often need to have regular emollients. They also may need to use emollients as a soap substitute. But there are a multitude of rashes that the elderly can get so it would be helpful to have more information.

Try EXEDERM an over the counter cream that works for me. If I feel a little rash starting, this seems to stop the progression. Also try AQUAPOR to relieve itch from dried up scabs. Dermatologist told me skin cannot heal when it is dry, so over the counter AQUAPOR worked great because it does not soak into skin but rather stays on top and keeps skin moist. You should also ask the Pharmacist for recommendations. Good Luck :-)

like other posts state: try hypo-allergenic laundry soap. Dove foaming soap might help as well as products for babies, like no-tears formula. The products for babies are free from dyes and harsh irritants. Another idea for soap is to use the no-rinse as they are free from exfoliants and they work really well. A lot of the no-rinse formulas have aloe and other natural ingredients to gently clean and nourish the skin. Hope you can help him find relief soon💕

My dermatologist recommends Cerave for Sensitive skin. It has worked great for me.

FF has some really good suggestions. I know with my parents Ivory soap made things worse. As did deoderant soaps, they tend to dry the skin. My MIL always put her clothes thru a double rinse. But I go with unscented.

Sally, I have sensitive skin so my laundry detergent is always "unscented, no dyes" and the same with the dryer sheets both usually come in white jugs and white boxes. I don't use anything else in the washer/dryer.

Do you use any lotion on Dad-in-laws skin? If not, try some that are hypo-allergenic, as his skin maybe too dry thus itches and he scratches.

Check his clothing for those tags that are at the top back inside his shirt. Those drive me crazy and if I don't cut the tags out, then I scratch, scratch, and scratch some more. Same with tags that are sewn on the left side of the shirt. Some pants have sewn in tags.

Food can also cause rashes but that can be tough to sort out. Quickest way is for Dad-in-law to go to an allergist and have a blood test done.