Why do so many women suffer from extra dry skin? The skin is our body's largest organ and keeping it in good condition is essential for our everyday health.
So if hormone levels are abnormal, our general well-being can be acutely affected.
According to recent studies, about one in 50 women, and one in 1000 men, experience thyroid problems at some stage in their life.
In approximately 80% of these cases the disorder is an under-active thyroid.
This has the effect of reducing the metabolism, which can often result in dry and irritated skin.
Extra dry skin is prone to conditions such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.
The hair and scalp can also be affected, with symptoms such as dry and brittle hair, dry and itchy scalp, and even hair loss.
Under-active thyroid treatment is usually straightforward, although these extra dry skin conditions can often remain.
The sufferer's common response is to reach for those creams and lotions that promise to 'moisturise', 'hydrate' and 'soften' the skin.
But how can you identify the products that really work (and those that don't), from the vast array of lotions and potions available to us, without it costing a small fortune? Whilst most products give some immediate relief, the underlying symptoms often remain, meaning that the product has to be re-applied - usually several times a day.
Some conventional skin care products can be drying and irritating to the skin, causing a vicious circle to occur.
If our skin feels extra dry and inflamed, we slather on the cream in blissful ignorance that the cream itself may be contributing to the condition.
Skin care products, like the food we eat, should provide nourishment and repair.
The body is built to respond to nutrients found in our natural environment, so why should the skin be any different? If we believe nature knows best, we should be looking for products that contain natural botanicals to nourish the skin and promote the growth of new skin cells.
Tips on choosing natural remedies for extra dry skin

1. Like food, choose only products that have not been over processed, ensuring that the active botanicals have not been destroyed during production.
   
2. Check how the ingredients are listed.
   The therapeutic active botanical ingredients should always be at the top of the label.
   (Ingredients are listed by descending order according to the amount used.
   ) So if a product promotes shea butter as its active ingredient, shea butter should be one of the first ingredients to be listed.
   
3. When buying skin care products it is safer to adopt a 'less is best' approach - particularly where ingredients with chemical sounding names are concerned - and certainly always avoid names like; parfum, sulphates, parabens, PEGs, propylene glycol, which are known skin irritants.
   
4. Finally, if a product carries a well respected symbol like the Soil Association, you can be fairly sure that it will do what it says on the tin.