Earlier this week, the Transportation Security Administration announced that passengers may now bring liquids and gels in carry-on bags on U.S. flights. Trial-sized containers holding up to 3 ounces will be permitted as long as they are in a quart-sized clear plastic bag and available for inspection at security checkpoints. This is good news for dry skin sufferers, who usually carry moisturizers to soothe their sensitive skin in the particularly irritating stale, low humidity air on planes. However, what many passengers do not know is that those moisturizers actually exacerbate the problem – which is why thousands of doctors now recommend a shielding lotion as the preferred dry skin treatment .



Whether you have dry skin or are trying to prevent it, keeping the skin moist is a must. However, most moisturizers do not do what their name implies. Rather than supplying moisture, they simply layer the skin with a coating that makes the skin feel soft and moist, but, in fact, all you’re really feeling is the product. Underneath that layer, the skin is still dry. To make matters worse, most moisturizers also contain harsh chemicals that irritate the skin and dry it. All in all, that’s about the worst dry skin care treatment available.

In addition to the low humidity, the air on planes is heavily laden with residues from pesticides or cleaning products and the cabins are full of fumes from hydraulic fluid spills. This toxic environment has made many people ill, as is witnessed by the thousands of complaints and even legal suits from flight attendants and passengers, and is very irritating to the skin. Passengers slather on moisturizers thinking this will relieve the problem but the more it is applied, the worse the problem gets.

A shielding lotion, on the other hand, actually remedies the problem by bonding with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective barrier that locks in the skin’s natural moisture and prevents contact with and absorption through the skin of the harmful air-borne chemicals on planes, and those that may be in the fabric of the seats.

It’s great news for travelers that they can have dry skin care available to them while in flight. However, instead of taking along the usual moisturizers, try a good shielding lotion. It will relieve your dry skin, keep out the toxins, and you’ll have a much more comfortable flight!