Dry Skin

Dry skin 

 

Dry skin is a common condition in which skin cracks and peels off due to loss of moisture (liquids in skin).

Dry skin is also called:

  • Xeroderma
  • Xerodermia
  • Xerosis cutis

It affects scalp, arms, legs, flanks, thighs and knuckles commonly. Luckily, most cases can be managed easily by moisturizers and emollients. However some may need expert advice, especially extremely dry skin that can be a warning sign of an underlying disease condition.


Difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin

Before getting into the detailed causes and treatment of dry skin, it’s important to understand the difference between dry and dehydrated skin.

Dry skin is the condition in which the sufficient amount of oil is lacking from the skin.

Dehydrated skin is the one that lacks sufficient water in it.

Also, skin can be both dry and dehydrated at the same time, while an oily skin can only be dehydrated. Dry skin is lacking oil in the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin, and would lose water too as that barrier would be missing.

Common symptoms of both dry and dehydrated skin include:

  • A feeling of tautness or tightness of skin
  • Inflammation, irritation, itching and sensitivity of the skin
  • Rough feel and look
  • Flaking and scaling that can be mild to severe
  • Severe redness, fine lines or cracks that bleed too sometimes

Therefore it’s sometimes confusing for the patient to understand if the condition is dry skin or dehydrated skin since the cause is not obvious to them to infer the outcome of it.


Causes of dry skin

Most cases of xerosis are due to environmental factors, however there can be an underlying disease condition causing it too.

Common causes of dry skin include:

  • Extreme weather – resulting in low humidity
    • Winters - a combination of dry air and blasting the heat can cause dry skin
    • Summers – in desert regions there is a lot of heat but very low humidity and can result in xeroderma
  • Heat – direct heat from burning stoves, central heating, space heaters, fire, etc. reduces the humidity too and dries your skin
  • Sun burn
  • Long, hot baths and showers – taking long and hot baths or showers can result in dry skin
  • Swimming in chlorinated water – frequent and lengthy swimming in chlorinated swimming pools can result in xerodermia
  • Direct sun exposure – can damage and dry your skin. The ultraviolet waves coming along sun light penetrates to the deeper layers of the skin and results in loose and sagging skin with wrinkles
  • Strong and harsh soaps and detergents – most popular and commonly available detergent and antibacterial soaps damage our skin a lot. They not only kill helpful bacteria on the skin, giving space to the dangerous ones to breed as well as making place for fungal infections, but also end up damaging the skin and resulting in dry skin condition
  • Several shampoos – can also cause dry scalp skin
  • Itchy and abrasive clothing
  • Body changes and diseases – several body changes and various diseases can result in skin being prone of xerosis, like:
    • Old age – almost 75% of the people of age 65+ suffer from dry skin
    • Genetics – family history is important in dry skin condition
    • Hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid gland
    • Diabetes
    • Hormonal changes
    • Malnutrition – due to any cause including some eating disorders
    • Skin diseases and conditions – several skin conditions cause or aggravate dry skin, including:
      • Psoriasis – a skin condition marked by buildup of dry, rough dead skin cells rapidly, forming thick scales, can lead to xeroderma
      • Eczema – atopic dermatitis patients are also prone to dry skin condition
    • Vitamin deficiencies – Vitamin A and vitamin D usually
    • Several medicines

There are various other causes leading to dry skin too. Dry skin treatment depends upon the underlying cause.

Remember that while a lot of diseases cause dry skin, not all people with dry skin have any serious underlying cause. Therefore, don’t use drugs and medicines for the treatment without consulting a doctor to discuss the best treatment specific to your condition.


Dry skin treatment and drugs

Most important part of the treatment of dry skin to identify the factor causing the condition. Mostly the issues are related to water (hot water baths, swimming, etc.) and chemicals as discussed above, that result in the removal of protective outer oily layer, resulting in dry skin.


Tips to prevent and treat dry skin

Home remedies and tips to prevent and treat dry skin include:

  • Don’t take long hot baths, keep them less than 10 minutes in 24 hours
  • Use mild soaps and shampoos instead of strong and potent ones, preferably unscented and the ones produced for sensitive skin are usually safer
  • Use soap minimally
  • Wear gloves when washing dishes or clothes to avoid aggressive chemicals and detergents
  • Apply bath oil after shower, but don’t add it to the bath water though as oil and water don’t mix
  • Apply moisturizer after taking hot shower
  • Apply moisturizer throughout the day whenever you’re suspecting dry skin, before it sets in

If you’re having any underlying disorder that’s related to dry skin, get that diagnosed and managed accordingly by the doctor.


Dry skin drugs and medication

Remember not to self medicate. Always consult an expert before using any drug for dry skin or any other condition.

Medicines are mainly used to manage the conditions associated with dry skin, that may be causing or aggravating this condition.

Various medications used for dry skin related diseases include:

  • Topic steroids (cortisone) – used to treat various eczematous (red) dermatitis
    • Over the counter ones are helpful too, but prescription formulations are sometimes required to treat severe conditions
    • Get an opinion from dermatologist even before using over the counter steroids too
    • Understand and discuss carefully when, where and for how long the steroid has to be applied
    • Understand and discuss with your doctor about when NOT to apply the steroid, as even the mild formulations have their own side effects
  • Anti inflammatory and anti-itching lotions or creams, e.g.:
    • Pramoxine
    • Menthol
    • Camphor

Remember not to use drugs and medicines on your own without consulting with your doctor.


When to seek medical advice for dry skin treatment?

If you’re experiencing dry skin that’s not too extreme, try humidifiers and moisturizers and see if they help. Also try changing the soap and/or shampoo, not using extremely hot water for bathing, and try using remedies for dry skin condition for around 2 weeks.

If the condition don’t settle down in 2 weeks or gets worse even before 2 weeks, consult a dermatologist immediately to get it diagnosed and see which treatment or drug is best for your condition.

If you’re experiencing extremely dry skin with complications, don’t wait for weeks trying remedies, rather consult a doctor immediately. This includes conditions and symptoms like:

  • Sudden onset of dry skin condition
  • Dry skin with conditions like:
    • Cracking of skin
    • Swelling
    • Redness
    • Bleeding from the skin
    • Oozing of any liquid from the skin
  • Sudden itching or irritation of the skin
  • Developing dry skin while you’re suffering from any other medical condition like:
    • Blood disorders
    • Diabetes
    • Eczema
    • Psoriasis
    • Any other related disorder

If unsure, consult a doctor then too to prevent any complication or to delay a diagnosis of some potentially damaging disease.