Oily skin and dry skin are common to almost all people at one time or another and can be managed, if properly recognized.
Oily skin has been associated with many neurological diseases – poliomyelitis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, etc. Gentle washing with soap and water is the best recommendation. Flaking does not always mean dry skin, but can represent a condition called seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis, an oily condition, and a daily washing of the head with a dandruff shampoo is advised. When facial redness and scaling persist, a daily brief cleansing of the face with this shampoo is recommended.
Dry skin of the face is a far less common problem than oiliness. However, dry and flaking skin on the arms and legs is more common in the winter when air humidity is low. Raised and itchy red areas, called nummular eczema, can develop with extreme skin dryness. Dry skin does not need oil but water. The simple solution is to decrease bathing, to decrease the temperature of the bath water, to use soap only where it is needed, or to use non-soap cleansing substitutes. Washing with hydrating soaps or soaking in water, followed by application of moisturizing cream, can trap and retain water in the skin.
Skin can break down when the skin on certain parts of the body does not get adequate breaks in the time that weight is applied to that part of the body, especially if the area is also moist/wet and not allowed time to air dry. This can result in “bed sores” which if not recognized and treated can lead to skin and underlying tissue breakdown sometimes eroding down to bone. It is less common in polio survivors than others with disabilities because pain sensation is nearly always preserved in polio survivors. Thus, when they have lain in one position too long or sat in one position too long, they feel discomfort and, if physically possible, they shift positions. The biggest risk comes if they require assistance for shifting positions or when mental capacity is compromised.