Dry skin can be a blessing but more often it is troublesome. Those with dry skin generally need not worry about blemishes except for the occasional stray that appears from hormonal changes or stress. But dry skin looks dull and flaky. And worse, it can emphasize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Age and the environment are two factors that contribute to this skin type. Over time, the sebaceous glands within the dermis layer slow their production of sebum, the body's natural moisturizer. The skin's ability to retain moisture also lessens as we grow older. This is caused by the breakdown of the intracellular matrix, the collagen and elastin layer that helps hold skin tissue together. When this layer begins to break apart, it becomes more difficult for skin to hold in moisture. As moisture escapes, skin becomes drier.
Other causes of dry skin include climates that are arid, windy and dry. Use of harsh soaps and detergents and too much unprotected exposure to the sun's damaging rays can also negatively influence skin. Genetics plays a role as well.
How do I know I have dry skin?
First consider where you live. Windy areas and areas with low humidity cause dryness by stripping skin of its natural oils. Living in areas where winters are cold causes skin trouble as well. Even if you don't spend much time outdoors, interior heaters as well as air conditioning units in hot, dry climates can sap the air of moisture and cause dry skin.
Visible indicators of dry skin include skin that flakes easily. Plus, dry skin often looks tight and taut because pore openings are very tiny. If you don't yet see these tell-tale signs of dry skin but you're at or approaching mid-life, it's time to start looking.
Caring for dry skin
If you have dry skin, proper care involves retaining as much moisture as possible. One way is to avoid using products containing alcohol because alcohol dries. Recommended ingredients for dry skin include alpha hydroxy, lactic acids, petroleum, lanolin and glycerin so take time to read product labels.
Dry skin won't always feel like it needs to be cleansed, but it does, twice daily, morning and night. Using a gentle cleanser made especially for skin that's dry, cleanse using warm, not hot water. Finish off with a cool rinse. It's never a good idea to use hot water to clean any type of skin or to soak in a tub because doing so will only strip skin of its natural oils.
After washing your skin, pat it dry using a soft towel. Then apply a light moisturizer. Those containing Vitamin E are excellent choices. If you wear make-up choose foundations that contain the moisturizing ingredients mentioned above.
Help keep skin hydrated by drinking water and increasing your consumption of high water content foods such as cucumbers and watermelon. Most fruits and vegetables are excellent hydrating foods plus they're excellent sources of important vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Antioxidants are crucial in helping maintain the skin's intracellular matrix.
Some people can have dry skin and never be bothered by any itching their dry skin might bring up. However, there are other people who might scratch, scratch, scratch away and still not feel relief from their dry skin. Having annoyingly itchy skin may occur at any time if you naturally tend to have dry skin. There are other people who experience the worst itch during dry winter months and even moisturizers and creams do not seem to help.
You can experience itchy dry skin just about anywhere on your body. Legs can become annoying when you are at work or school, the top of you head can be embarrassing because dry skin and constant itching can lead to dandruff like flakes, and itchiness on the face can lead to a less than pleasant look.
Yes, it is hard to stop scratching, but the important thing is that you need to learn how to do so. Even if scratching at a patch of dry skin seems to yield results in the form of dead skin cells flaking off, scratching is doing you no good.
Constantly scraping away at your skin with your fingernails will only serve to aggravate your skin further and worsen your condition. For some people with dry skin that happens to be the result of a skin condition such as eczema, scratching can have some very nasty results.
Scratching your dry skin can lead to skin cracking or splitting, which can be very painful and lead to potential infections, giving you yet one more problem to deal with when it comes to your skin.
So if you cannot scratch, what do you do to relieve the itch? First off, if your skin is so dry that it is creating an unbearable itchiness, you need to look into a better moisturizer. If you do not currently use a moisturizer, you need to get one, pronto.
It would be a very good idea to get a moisturizer that is an extra emollient in order to enhance the strength of the moisturizing power, as your skin needs it badly. Avoid moisturizers with fragrance; you want a moisturizer with performance, not one that smells nice (not to say that you should get one that smells disgusting; most moisturizers smell fine even without any extra scents).
There are also products out there meant to help exceptionally dry skin in terms of both moisturizing as well as stopping the itch. You might want to try one of these products if your itchy skin is driving you crazy.
If one moisturizer works during several months of the year and suddenly you find it is inadequate during winter months, try switching it up with something more powerful during those times. You may also want to buy a humidifier to help keep the air in your home a little less dry.
Even if you have dry skin, you do not have to be at the mercy of its itch. Make a note of any products that may worsen your condition instead of making it better and get rid of them right away. By taking a few steps, such as avoiding long, hot showers, and using moisturizers, you can stop the itch and be free from the concern of harming your skin by forever scratching away.
Both Adi Miscall & Louise Forrest are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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