Dry Skin - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Dry skin is also known as xerosis, which is a common problem. Your skin needs moisture to stay smooth and supple, and retaining moisture is especially difficult in winter. your skin moisture may get remove by simple daily routines, such as bathing and towel drying. Iit removes the skin's oily lipid layer and in the long run causes more moisture loss than gain.

Dry skin is most common in your lower legs, arms, flanks (sides of the abdomen), and thighs. The wrong moisturizing lotion can have the same effect. Generally, water-based lotions are best cosmetically but oil-based creams are more effective in trapping moisture.

The symptoms that are associated with dry skin include:

• Scaling
• Itching
• Cracks in the skin

Causes:

The main causes of dry skin are as:-

• Dry skin is very common and it happens more often in the winter when cold air outside and heated air inside may cause low humidity.

• The skin loses moisture and may crack and peel, or become irritated and inflamed.

• Bathing too frequently, especially with harsh soaps, may contribute to dry skin.

• Eczema may cause dry skin.

Dry Skin Care Tips:

These includes:-

• To minimize the irritating effects of shaving on already dry skin, make sure to use a lubricating agent like shaving cream before starting and shave in the direction that hair grows.

• Prolonged showers or baths hydrate the skin, but the evaporation process and towel drying the skin. Therefore, bathing and showering should be kept brief, between 5 and 10 minutes.  

• Avoid hot water, because it removes natural skin oils more quickly.

• Use a mild soap because soaps can dry the skin. Try to use a mild, superfatted soap or non-soap cleanser.  

• Moisturize immediately after bathing are most effective for trapping water in the skin.

Signs and symptoms of dry skin:

The main symptoms of dry skin are as:-

• You may have the feeling of tightness or tautness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming.
• Skin that feels and looks rough rather than smooth.
• Slight to severe flaking or scaling
• Severe redness

Treatments:

• Reduce how often you bath or shower, and use lukewarm water. Showers may be better than baths.

• Replace standard soap with a substitute such as a synthetic detergent cleanser, water-miscible emollient, bath oil, anti-pruritic tar oil, etc.

• Apply an emollient liberally and often, particularly after bathing, and when itchy. The drier the skin, the thicker this should be, especially on the hands.