Health is the greatest gift to mankind. Our body is such a completed algorithm that it is designed to recover itself from damages on its own without any outside help. However, this is said only to the extent that the disease or the damage is small enough for the body to fight back. When you undergo permanent physiological changes and/or severe medical conditions, like cancer and similar other diseases, then your body becomes fragile and falls victim to the damages.
In this article, we walk you through what dry skin is, the causes of it, how to treat them, and much more.
What is Dry Skin?
In order to stay replenished and healthy, your body needs a ton of nutrients, minerals, and water. Other than food and water your skin will secrete natural oil to keep your skin soft, supple, and stretchy. Our skin is the largest organ of our body and it plays a vital role in stopping harmful diseases and environmental pollution like hazardous smoke from entering into the anatomy. Without enough moisture and oils, skin can easily dry out.
Dry skin is an uncomfortable skin condition that is identified by scaling, itching, and cracking. Dry skin is typically experienced by most people and can occur for a variety of reasons. Some people might have naturally dry skin. Some people have oily skin where dryness is less often seen, yet chances of developing dry skin from time to time can still occur.
Dry skin can occur in any part of your body. It is generally seen in hands, arms, and legs. Following are the symptoms that indicate you have dry skin. The following can also range from mild to severe –
- Peeling skin
- Cracks in the skin
- Patches of itchy or scaly skin
- Flaky skin with a rough texture
- Skin that stings or burns
- Loose, wrinkled skin
In most cases, these symptoms will show up as mild cases – these are very common. All you need is certain lifestyle changes and/or over-the-counter moisturizers to treat your dry skin. In some cases, more serious symptoms of dry skin might need medical treatment and you should contact your doctor.
What Causes Dry Skin?
Dry skin can appear to anyone. Particularly if you live in extreme weather conditions like severe cold-like countries such as Canada or dry heat like the middle east and African countries, then there are high chances of getting dry skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), described some people are more at risk of dry skin. They include:
- Exposure to dry weather conditions: It is also referred to as seasonal dry skin. Dry skin is more common during the fall and winter months when temperature levels are relatively low. In the summer, higher levels of humidity help stop your skin from drying out, however, extreme heat exposure is also not healthy.
- Bathing habits: Taking frequent baths with soaps or washing with very hot water raises your risk of dry skin. Some may experience allergic reactions to certain soaps as the chemical used is not skin-friendly.
- Age: This is a highly common cause. The Elderly are more likely to develop dry skin. As you age, your pores naturally produce less oil, hormonal changes, thus raising your risk of dry skin.
- Infections: Infections like STDs can cause dry skin and itchy symptoms on your skin. There are certain types of STDs that cause dry skin in both men and women. In the case of STIs, the sooner you get diagnosed and tested for STDs, the better you can recover quickly.
- Medical history: You’re more likely to experience eczema or allergic contact dermatitis if you have a family history of these allergic conditions.
Most of the time the aging symptoms appear early than expected age or actual elderly age say 60+ because of the lifestyle habits one adopts. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and not taking care of your diet are also the common reasons for seeing dry skin
Other Symptoms of Skin Wear and Tear
Dry skin is a sign of skin wear and tear. There are also other skin symptoms that indicate your skin is aging like wrinkles. Wrinkles are mostly seen in men and women who are aged more than 50. These days, due to lack of healthy diet and fast-food adoption, the aging symptoms have started appearing in the mid-late 40s’ in some individuals.
How to Treat Dry Skin?
- Avoid using hot water to bathe or shower
- Shower every other day instead of every day
- Keep your shower time to less than 10 minutes
- Use a moisturizing soap when you bathe or shower
- Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing or showering
- Pat, rather than rub, wet skin dry with a soft towel
- Avoid itching or scrubbing dry skin patches
- Use a humidifier in your home
- Drink plenty of water
As there are a variety of beauty products, it’s also important to choose the right kind of moisturizer for your skin type. Also, factor in the weather conditions, you might consider switching to a lighter, water-based lotion during the summer months if your skin becomes less dry then.
Conclusion
Dry skin is a very common health condition that looks red, scaly, itchy, or even painful. With the right moisture or oils, the dry skin can be rectified. In the case of dry skin not getting rid of despite making healthy lifestyle choices and better moisturizer then you should contact a doctor.