I saw this small wire story on the cover of the Erie Times-News' Health section last Monday (below) and I've been applying lotion (I use Lubriderm or Nivea) to my entire body just after my shower ever since and, well, ... let's just say that my body is now as smooth as a baby's butt.

In all seriousness, I've noticed a REAL difference in my skin since taking this advice to heart. I share with you so that you, too, might have baby-butt-worthy skin on your chest. :-)

From the Erie Times-News, Feb. 19, 2007:

"When you take a long bath, your palms become soggy and rippled. That’s because your waterproof protective layer of oil got washed away, and water was absorbed into the outer layer of your skin.

"When this happens, your skin has increased its surface area to accommodate all the water it absorbed during that time. If you watch your hand for 5 minutes or so, you’ll see that the wrinkled look disappears.

"Now, if you apply a moisturizer before the water evaporates, you can 'lock in' the water that was absorbed while you were bathing or showering. That’s because moisturizers don’t add water to the skin; instead, they reduce water loss by slowing its evaporation."