Dry skin : symptoms, causes and skin care

Understanding Dry Skin

Dry skin presents with inadequate water or oil in the skin leading to symptoms like tightness, pain, flaking, itching, and a dull look to the skin. Most dry skin results from lesser production of sebum, causing reduction in essential lipids that prevent the loss of moisture and protect the skin from external irritants. Due to impaired barrier functioning, people with dry skin are generally more sensitive, prone to dehydration, resentment followed by fine lines, and, finally, risks of premature wrinkles.

Such factors include genetic factors, environmental factors, and lifestyle habits such as using harsh skincare products or taking hot showers. The treatment for dry skin must, however, involve the selection of gentle, hydrating skincare products that support the skin’s moisture barrier while avoiding triggers that provoke dryness. 

FEATURES:

• Has visibly small pores 

• Often looks flaky 

• Itchiness & redness

• Shows fine lines or cracks

• Skin feels roughness or tightness

• Scaling or peeling

CAUSES OF DRY SKIN

• Excessive bathing/showering: Long, hot showers and baths can dry the skin. Even repeated daily showers can rob your skin of its natural oils. Hot water may be tempting, but it really dries out the skin. Use lukewarm water, and limit the time spent in the shower.

• Weather: Dryness in the skin may also be affected by the humidity and temperature. Cold and windy conditions are best avoided, as are dry and desert-likes climates with strong, cold winds: low humidity usually means dry skin.

• Aging: With advancing age, the oil glands that provide moisture to the skin begin to dry up. This, in turn, causes the underlying fat and collagen to dry up, making the skin thin. This is a natural part of the body's aging process.

• Harsh soaps and detergents: While soaps, shampoos, and detergents do an excellent job of removing oil from the skin, they may also remove the moisture. Therefore, when using soaps and detergents, it is advisable to choose mild, fragrance-free products. 

PREVENTION:

• Moisturize: Moisturizer seals in water to help maintain a healthy skin barrier. Apply it during the day, especially on the hands. Before going outdoors, use a moisturizer that contains sunblock or broad-spectrum sunscreen, with a minimum SPF of 30, cloudy days included. Generously apply, and this is a point often neglected, sunscreen and reapply it every other hour or every hour should you go swimming or sweat heavily.

• Limit exposure to water: This means the bath or shower cannot last longer than 10 minutes. Use warm, not hot, water. Rinse, then pat dry. Be sure to limit your baths to once a day at most.

• Use a super gentle soap or allergen-free soap for your skin: Use no-soap cleansing cream or shower gel instead. Fragrance-free moisturizing soap with no alcohol or allergy-causing substances (hypoallergenic soap) can also be used, especially if you wash your hands a lot. You should rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Apply a moisturizing cream while your skin is still damp.

• Shave with care: Shaving can be drying. If you do shave, use a lubricating agent before you start. Always shave with the grain, unless it irritates the skin. Use only sharp blades rinsed with warm water before every stroke. After you finish shaving, moisturize.

• Cover exposed skin in cold or windy weather: Amazingly dry-out behavior occurs from harsh weather. Protect your outdoors-exposed skin with scarves, hats, and gloves or mittens.

• Wear gloves: Protect your hands with proper gloves when gardening, using harsh cleaners, and performing any other skin-drying activities.

• After swimming, rinse and moisturize: This becomes particularly important if you swim in heavily chlorinated pools.

NOTE: Choosing the correct type of moisturizer for your skin type is equally important.

During summertime, you could consider switching to a lighter, water-based lotion. Lotions that contain grapeseed oil and antioxidants may also help trap water in your skin. 

Dry Skin Texture

Dry skin tends to feel rough, tight, or flaky due to an impaired moisture-retaining capacity and inadequate amounts of oil produced. It may also appear scaly or cracked. Texture may vary with underlying health conditions, environmental factors, and the topical skincare products used: for example, dead skin cells piling up on the skin's surface producing a rough texture and inhibiting moisture penetration. If you feel insecure about how your skin feels or uncomfortable, you should consult a skincare professional for the proper recommendations and treatment options. 

Strategies for Management of Dry Skin

Dry skin requires a multifaceted approach, beginning with lifestyle modifying practices and skincare products as well as treatments recommended by the dermatologists. Avoid long baths and/or showers or exposure to hot water if possible, as this will exacerbate the symptoms of dry skin. Increase and start using super-gentle skincare products, depending on how irritable your skin is. Use a mild fragrance-free cleanser and follow it up with a fragrance-free moisturizer right after showering or bathing while the skin is still damp, locking in moisture and keeping transepidermal water loss at bay. Search for moisturizers containing ceramides, fatty acids, or glycerin. Whereas extreme persistent dryness may need a visit to a professional, dry skin symptoms can generally be prevented today through the right lifestyle characteristics and topical agents. 

Can dry skin cause acne?

It is mistakenly believed that acne only occurs on oily skin. However, the opposite may happen: it appears on dry skin as well. Blemishes often arise when there is generalized skin damage.

Make sure you stick with your normal skincare routine and apply a moisturizer targeting acne-prone skin, twice a day. Try to avoid any harsh chemicals, such as rubbing alcohol, which may dry your skin out even further.