Every person knows that dry skin is a common problem that only gets worse in cold weather due to low humidity. Every person can suffer from it. When a person is suffering from dry skin, his or her fine lines will become more visible, the skin will feel rough and appear dull. If the state progresses, even fish net-like cracks may appear. The most common paces on the body where dry skin appears are the arms and legs. Dry skin is medically called xerosis or asteatosis.
Problems associated with dry skin
A person who suffers from dry skin will most likely suffer from itchiness as well. It is not uncommon for the itch to the severe and even causes problems with sleeping and other activities. People should avoid scratching the dry skin areas in order to avoid the skin becoming thick and rough. Dry and thick skin is known to crack which causes a lot of pain. Another reason why people should avoid scratching the skin is because it may lead to dermatitis when the skin becomes red. If there are yellow crusts or pus, then a person is also suffering from some bacterial infection. In that case a person would need a certain antibiotic therapy. People should seek medical help in case of extremely dry skin. If a person is suffering from hormone imbalances, he or she will most likely suffer from severe skin dryness as well.
The causes
In most cases of dry skin the cause is lack of water in the stratum corneum. If there is not enough water, it cannot function properly. One of the reasons why that may happen is if the protective oils are lost and the water cannot be contained. Excessive amounts of soapy water, exposure to harsh chemicals and aging are only some of the causes of decreased amounts of protective oils.
Treatment of dry skin
In order to treat the problem it is essential for the actual cause to be determined. People should avoid applying hot water to the skin because that will deplete the natural skin oils. However, a person should apply a moisturizer after water and that will benefit the skin. The oils in the moisturizer are very beneficial for the dry skin. People should also know that no more than one shower within a day should be had. The shower is better than a bath and it should not last longer than 10 minutes. A person should shower with warm and not hot water and use soap only when necessary. After the bath a person should pat and not dry the skin and then apply a moisturizer. A person can also use a topical steroid cream to treat the dry skin. Adding the humidifier to the central heating system helps a lot.
Your thoughts on this
Loading...