Q: My skin gets so dry that it actually burns and cracks. I use lotion, but that only works until I wash it off, and not very well at that! Do you have any recommendations?

Dr. Wright: The solution for painfully dry skin is as simple as adding more essential fatty acids to your diet and supplement programs.

Essential-fatty-acid supplementation for adult skin health starts with a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The best single oil for this purpose presently available is flaxseed oil; however, there are many balanced blends of omega-3/omega-6 EFAs also available. How much should you use? Quantities can vary from 1 to 2 tablespoons (in a very few cases, 3 tablespoons) daily. To figure out whether your dry skin is due to a higher requirement for EFAs, it's wisest to start by taking 2 tablespoons daily and observing any changes over six to eight weeks. After that time, if your skin is less dry, the quantity can be adjusted accordingly.

Essential-fatty-acid supplements should always be accompanied by vitamin E in the form of mixed tocopherols, 400 to 800 IU daily. In a very few cases, EFAs aren't nearly as effective without a small quantity (2-5 milligrams daily) of biotin. What is...biotin?

Biotin is a member of the B-complex family of vitamins. It is essential to the breakdown of carbohydrates and fat. Foods high in biotin include nuts and green leafy vegetables.

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