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Even in Tucson, dry winter skin is a common aggravation. The skin itches, cracks and flakes. Nails split. It may worsen as we age. By 60, dry skin may be inevitable, doctors say.

What can you do? If you are troubled by dryness, you have numerous options. It's not always a clear-cut prescription, however. Disagreement on treatment can be confusing.

Doctors say skin cells actually transform when deprived of hydration. The top-layer cells become less adherent. Cells flatten and separate. Marcy Street, a dermatologist with a skin-care line (www.doctorsapproach.com) compares the result to the bark on a tree.

Audrey Kunin, a skin specialist who also has a treatment line, says the top layer, or epidermis, becomes like "scales on a fish." Cold, wind and dry heat can make skin look like a "matching accessory for an alligator purse," she writes in her how-to book, "The DERMAdoctor Skinstruction Manual: The Smart Guide to Healthy, Beautiful Skin and Looking Good at Any Age."

When the skin cells are no longer intact, they cannot hold moisture. The skin's own natural emollient system can no longer protect it.

● When you're chilly, nothing sounds as good as a long stint under hot water. But it is a culprit. Try instead for warm, quick showers or baths.

● Use a humidifier in your home. They are relatively inexpensive and keep moisture in the air.

● Drink lots of water.

● Wear sunscreen. Without blazing heat, your skin can still be damaged by the elements.

● Tub time: Most of the bath oil goes down the drain, says Paula Begoun, a cosmetics advocate and author of "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me." And it tends to keep cleanser in contact with the skin, which is also drying.

On the other hand, oils with aromatherapy can be relaxing, says Kunin. And even if you shower, you can put oil on your skin. Hairstylist LoShanna Simmons says she still acts on old advice from her grandmother and uses petroleum jelly as a body moisturizer.

Avoid most bubble-bath liquids unless they contain hydrating oils. They can be little more than detergents.

Bar and deodorant soaps can be drying. So can over-scrubbing. Use a moisturizing, preferably liquid, cleanser, says Begoun. She recommends Dove or Neutrogena.

After your shower or bath, dry off thoroughly but don't rub the skin. Quickly apply a hydrating body cream while your skin is still moist. The oil in the cream helps to hold in the moisture. Try to reapply as frequently as possible.

Holly Post-Holmes, an aesthetician, advises clients to skim over their backs with a dry brush, such as a vegetable brush, before a shower. It stimulates the circulation, including the oil glands, she says.

● Adding a perfumed scent should be a separate step unconnected with hydrating the skin.

● For your hands, use only a mild moisturizing soap. And apply hydrating cream frequently. Manicurist Shelby Beck says she tells clients to soak their hands in warm olive oil. When hands get dry, the nails tend to split. Extra virgin olive oil is also recommended for the face and body. It not only adds moisture, but it also has antioxidants that help to protect the skin against the environment and stress, Begoun says.

● Switch to oil-based facial creams and makeup foundations for winter unless you have especially oily skin. If your skin is dry, you may use an oil-serum treatment. Mikki Taylor, the beauty director of Essence magazine, recommends facial moisturizers with hyaluronic acid, a natural ingredient in many anti-aging products that binds water to the skin. She also favors ingredients such as shea, glycerin and urea, which is known for holding water in the skin. Street, the dermatologist, says a winter moisturizer should be 80 percent oil and 20 percent water.

● Meanwhile, skip moisturizers with alcohol, lanolin, dyes or parabens (a preservative), says Debbie MacRae, a registered nurse and member of the Kansas City Ski Club who knows firsthand about cold weather and skin. They can be drying, block pores and increase irritation, she says.

● Add vitamin E oil or creams to your beauty routine. A and C also are recommended.

● Exfoliate your body and skin more often with products containing AHA or BHA, Begoun says. It accelerates the natural evolution of sloughing off the dead skin cells. It makes the skin smoother and better able to protect.

● Moisturize your lips. They are the most vulnerable part of the body, Begoun says, because they do not have the cells and lipids to hydrate the skin. Use an emollient gloss or balm day and night, but avoid irritating ingredients such as peppermint and menthol. Petroleum jelly is better than naked lips.

● Skip the perfumed body lotions. "Don't confuse fragrance with moisturizer," says Begoun.