How is ichthyosis vulgaris treated?
There is no cure for ichthyosis vulgaris, but patients can find relief from the dry, scaly skin. A doctor may suggest you do the following: Take baths more than once a day. Hydrating the skin softens the scales. Before bathing, apply petroleum jelly or other thick, bland emollients to open sores or deep cracks. Such ointments can ease the burning or stinging that the water might cause and can rid the skin of deep cracks. Adding sea salt to bath water may also reduce burning, stinging and itching. Immediately after bathing, apply a liberal amount of moisturizer. Moisturizer can lock in moisture from the bath into the skin. Certain heavy duty moisturizers that include the chemicals lactic acid, salicylic acid and urea can also help the skin shed properly. Take oral and/or skin medications the doctor prescribes, including antibiotics to treat skin infections. Add a small amount of bleach to bath water if skin infections are frequent. Bleach reduces the number of bacteria on the skin. (Take this step only if directed by a doctor.) Rub scales gently with an abrasive sponge while bathing, after the bathwater has softened the scales. This will remove dead skin. Treat the disease, or reduce the dose of medication, that caused acquired ichthyosis vulgaris.
