Dry skin is often temporary (depend on the weather) but it may be a lifelong condition. The severity of dry skin depend on your age, your health, where you live, time spent outdoors and the cause of the problem. If you have dry skin, you may feel one or more of the following condition :
- A feeling of skin tightness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming
- Skin that feels and looks rough
- Itching
- Slight to severe flaking, scaling or peeling
- Fine lines or cracks
- Gray, ashy skin
- Redness
- Deep cracks that may bleed
Risk Factor for Dry Skin
Everyone can have dry skin. You might have naturally dry skin. Even if your skin tends to be oily, you can develop dry skin from time to time. But there are some factors that might increase your chance to develop dry skin, such as :
- Age. Older adults are more likely to develop dry skin. As you age, your pores naturally produce less oil, raising your risk of dry skin.
- Medical history. You’re more likely to experience eczema or allergic contact dermatitis if you have a history of these conditions or other allergic diseases in your family.
- Season. Dry skin is more common during the fall and winter months, when humidity levels are relatively low. In the summer, higher levels of humidity help stop your skin from drying out.
- Bathing habits. Taking frequent baths or washing with very hot water raises your risk of dry skin.
Can dry skin lead to serious skin problem ?
Dry skin is usually harmless. But when it's not cared for, dry skin may lead to:
- Atopic dermatitis (eczema). If you're prone to develop this condition, excessive dryness can lead to activation of the disease, causing redness, cracking and inflammation.
- Infections. Dry skin may crack, allowing bacteria to enter, causing infections.
These complications are most likely to occur when your skin's normal protective mechanisms are severely compromised. For example, severely dry skin can cause deep cracks or fissures, which can open and bleed, providing an avenue for invading bacteria.
So, what should I do to deal with dry skin?
- Prevent baths and showers from making dry skin worse. When your skin is dry, be sure to:
- Limit your time in the shower or bath to 5 or 10 minutes
- Use warm rather than hot water
- Wash with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser
- Apply enough cleanser to remove dirt and oil, but avoid using so much that you see a thick lather
- Blot your skin gently dry with a towel
- Slather on the moisturizer immediately after drying your skin
Apply moisturizer immediately after washing. Ointments, creams, and lotions (moisturizers) work by trapping existing moisture in your skin. To trap this much-needed moisture, you need to apply a moisturizer within few minutes of:
- Drying off after a shower or bath
- Use an ointment or cream rather than a lotion. Ointments and creams are more effective and less irritating than lotions. Look for a cream or ointment that contains an oil such as olive oil or jojoba oil. Shea butter also works well. Other ingredients that help to soothe dry skin include lactic acid, urea, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, glycerin, lanolin, mineral oil, and petrolatum.
- Wear lip balm. Choose a lip balm that feels good on your lips
Use only gentle, unscented skin care products. Some skin care products are too harsh for dry, sensitive skin. When your skin is dry, stop using:
- Deodorant soaps
- Wear gloves.
- Use non-irritating laundry detergent.
- Stay warm without cozying up to a fireplace or other heat source. Sitting in front of an open flame or other heat source can dry your skin.
- Add moisture to the air. Plug in a humidifier.
- Drink plenty of water
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