Although you may be able to readily spot dry skin once it has appeared, you may not know what the causes are, and when you know what causes dry skin to appear, you can be a more proactive participant in your skin care.

Dry skin can be caused by a variety of reasons. One reason that people seem to suffer from dry skin is when they bathe excessively. There are many parts of the world that have hard water pumping through the pipes and the skin will dry out in response to this harsher water.

The temperature of your water may be causing your skin to dry out as well. Try taking a warm shower instead of a hot one the next time you go to wash. If you are a swimmer, remember that you are exposing your skin to extensive lengths of chlorinated water, and your skin will require extra moisture.

There are natural causes of dry skin that cannot be helped and the best thing that you can do is to stay on top of your condition.

Genetics are a huge factor in what type of skin you have. If you have a family history of dry skin, you will need to lotion your body more than normal. Another obvious source of dry skin is weather. If you live in an area where freezing weather is prevalent, you will be more susceptible to dry skin than a person who lives in a more tropical area. Although the reverse situation can produce dry skin like living in a overtly hot area where the humidity levels are lower like desert regions.

There are also common sense factors that will help your dry skin stay around longer than you want. Your body needs water, and if you are not hydrated, then your skin is not going to be hydrated. If you have a central heating and air system that is blowing throughout the day, your skin is going to dry out faster. If you are sleeping through the night with your face close to a vent, and a fan blowing on your face, you are going to have a better chance of having dry skin.

There could also be medical reasons that are involved with your dry skin. There are a number of conditions where dry skin is considered to be a symptom such as psoriasis, thyroid disorders, and eczema. Psoriasis is told in dry skin that has a heavy buildup and dead skin appears in bulk. A thyroid disorder will be seen in dry skin that appears rough because your thyroid is producing too little and the result is a decrease in production of your sweat and oil glands. Eczema is a condition that is marked by dry, hive-like patches that are susceptible to cracking.

If you are just experiencing disturbed comfort levels that are associated with dry skin a moisturizer is all you really need. There are plenty of lotions that all claim to do wonders, but whether you apply a lotion that is $1 or $100 it is the routine that is going to count more so than the product. Although there is something to be said about the luxury body butters that can be found in the stores today.

Many of the body butters that are sold in luxury chains are great for moisturizing, but they can tend to be greasy or overtly fragrant. Make sure that you try a sample of one of these butters before you buy one because they can get costly even though they work well.