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HUMIDIFIER

libby7827 profile image
21 Replies

Can anyone give me any first hand advice regarding a humidifier? I'm thinking of buying one as I've read somewhere that too dry an atmosphere in the home can adversely affect chest conditions and also because I've developed very dry skin and this can also be a symptom of not enough moisture in the air. Has it worked for anyone else and which type would you recommend as there seem to be lots of different models with other functions.

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libby7827
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21 Replies

A bowl of water by a heater,changed dailly works just as well,,also very cheap...just costs a wee bit of time xx

libby7827 profile image
libby7827 in reply to

Thanks id, might give this a go for a week and see if it helps my dry throat and crusty nose, never mind my dry skin! Libby

Try this one Libby

johnlewis.com/madebyzen-iri...

I like it.

libby7827 profile image
libby7827 in reply to

Hi auntymary, have had a quick look and this looks much more handy and easy to maintain (without the perfume). Thanks for the suggestion. Have put it on my list! Libby

If you have congested lungs I would be very careful about using a humidifier as, unless you keep them scrupulously clean, they can encourage the growth of mould and bacteria, which can inflame the lungs and lead to chest infection. A simple container of water next to the radiator, as suggested by id2409, is safer.

ff x

libby7827 profile image
libby7827 in reply to

Hi, thanks for your reply, yes, I'd noticed that some of them have an antibac filter. Not something I'd thought about, mould, just goes to show yet again how useful this forum is! Libby

libby7827 profile image
libby7827

Best cream by far that I've tried (and I've tried a lot!) is E45 intensive recovery for very dry skin. It has a red top and is fairly new, I think. It's brilliant. I've tried other E45 ones in the past without much improvement but this really works. My problem is that I get so breathless applying it. Well worth a try. Libby

in reply tolibby7827

I am a recent convert to Doublebase gel, it was mentioned by someone else on the site and I've found it's helped the extreme dryness and resultant itching a lot, and I haven't had any damage to my skin. I get it on prescription.

ff x

in reply to

Dove Intensive body lotion works for me.

libby7827 profile image
libby7827

Hi, thanks for your reply. My house is ridiculously sealed now with double glazing and insulation, not to mention the heating. Roll on summer when we can open the windows a bit more and get some circulation going. Libby

MrsValentine profile image
MrsValentine

an old fashioned tip i have is to put a wet face cloth (or sox just been washed) on ur radiator.

i got 2 cats for £10 from Betterware, they hang on radiator and u have water inside them a novel way to keep air moist.

I have lloyds chemist purifer at side of my bed.!£15 approx had for 3yrs.

In kitchen air purifer from argos which cost £30approx.

Hope u get sorted out soon. x

Flatman5 profile image
Flatman5

First hand advice. I purchased an ST 707 room humidifier on Amazon. Curefactor sells it at £109. Heavensent sells the same model at £129 so you can guess which one I got. It's well designed, well engineered, and quiet. you can run it either on automatic, maintaining a pre-set humidity, or continuous. Choice of either cold or hot vapour. I have it running at my bedside on auto at 45% cold vapour.

At 45% it's not going to cause you any of the problems associated with too high humidity, but it certainly helps relieve dry skin and nose problems. For a good skin moisturiser try Eucerin Intensive Lotion with 10% Urea. Have used it for years. Not cheap, but excellent.

Oh yes, the minute you buy a humidifier our weather will probably warm up an you won't need it until next winter.

libby7827 profile image
libby7827 in reply toFlatman5

Thank you, will have a look at both humidifier and cream., Was thinking the same thing, if I get one I'll take ages deciding and then won't need it but still, I'll be ready for next year.

peege profile image
peege

The place I work at intermittantly is very hot and very dry. They have a white egg shaped humidifier. It's brillant when I'm choking & coughing non stop from the awful atmosphere.

There are several settings. You have to take out the reservoir to refill so perfect to check it & give a good wash if needs be.

It gives out gentle steam and I give it a blast when I'm desperate 1st thing in the morning when hellishly hot (underfloor heating comes on in the night).

Invaluble in such an atmosphere but then I get relief from the shower steam too.

Hope this helps. P

libby7827 profile image
libby7827 in reply topeege

Thanks for this, will try and find an egg shaped one to have a look at!

peege profile image
peege in reply tolibby7827

Haha - if I can I'll try to find out the brand. Egg shaped sounds a bit daft but it really is apart from the flat bottom.

Think it was around £100. P

mskpjb profile image
mskpjb

Interested in your message Libby. I suffer from very dry, itchy skin even in Summer when there`s not the same heating on. I was given Cetraben emollient cream and of all the others (loads) that I`ve bought this is the best tho not a total cure for this blooming itching everwhere! But - since it seems alot of us suffer from dry skin, is there something else causing it ? Inhalers ? Tablets ? Any ideas anyone ? Sheila x

libby7827 profile image
libby7827 in reply tomskpjb

Hi, well mine doesn't itch it's just very dry, you can actually pull the skin away (only small bits) - a bit like when you've had sunburn. I mentioned to someone above that the best I've found is E45 intenstive recovery for very dry skin, perfume free. It actually worked in 2 days. But it gets me so out of breath putting it on. Fairyfootsteps has mentioned doublebase gel, my son used to have that when he had eczema as a child so I can understand why it's so good for dry skin. Quite expensive though. Another tip may be to drink more water - I only drink about 4 cups of tea a day, just not a drinker, and find it difficult to drink more!

jeanghost profile image
jeanghost

My husband has COPD and is on oxygen 24/7. He found that his mouth and his nose got very dry. Our oxygen povider has supplied with us with humidifiers which run on the air from the concentrator. It does help him but they are quite noisy.

Humidifiers should not be filled with tap water whether boiled or not as it makes the humidifier get very scaled up. We bought 'distilled water' from Halfords but we are going to start getting it on prescription for which we are grateful.

Hope this helps.

Jean

libby7827 profile image
libby7827 in reply tojeanghost

Hi Jean, I'm not on oxygen but my throat gets very dry when I'm asleep, probably because it's wide open and I'm snoring like a pig! My nose gets very dry too. Libby

maruth profile image
maruth in reply tojeanghost

hi,i was advised to use KY jelly, just smear a little on the nostrils, when using 02,it works well.

ps,i often wonder what my carers think when they see it in my bathroom.....me being 74 yrs young.

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