Dry skin signs

Dry skin is one of the most common conditions known todoctors, and in most cases it is not that serious. The main problem with dryskin is that it is not that pleasant to look at and it may often be associatedwith plenty of discomfort.

Introduction

Another big problem commonly associated with dryskin is the formation of wrinkles and fine lines on the affected areas of theskin. There are also certain serious dry skin conditions which are sometimesassociated with disfiguring, but those occur only in rare cases. In most casesof dry skin, the contributing factors are of environmental nature and they canbe controlled. The most common environmental causes of dry skin includeexcessive bathing, low humidity levels, cold weather and hot weather. Mostcases of dry skin can be taken care of at home by using certain simpleremedies, but sometimes a person needs to pay a visit to a dermatologist inorder to evaluate the condition and obtain the proper treatment method.

Symptoms

In most cases of dry skin, the condition is only a temporarything, but for some people it is a permanent cause for concern. The areas ofthe body which are affected by this medical condition most commonly includelower portions of the legs and the arms. The symptoms may vary largelydepending on certain factors such as the cause of the condition, the amount oftime a person spends outdoors, the locale, the health status, and finally, theage of a person.

The most common symptoms of dry skin may or may not includedeep fissures that may bleed, redness, cracks, fine lines, peeling, scaling,flaking, very intense itchiness, skin that looks and feels rough, skin thatappears dehydrated and shrunken and a general feeling of tightness of the skinwhich is especially felt after swimming, bathing or showering. If a personexperiences large areas of peeling or scaling skin, infections or open soresfrom scratching, itching and dryness which interfere with one’s sleepingpatterns, and several other severe symptoms, he or she needs to seek immediate medicalattention.

Diagnosis and tests

One needs to pay a visit to a dermatologist in order todetermine the best possible treatment method. The doctor usually asks acertain amount of questions in order to determine the cause of the condition,define all the present symptoms and sometimes even run a few tests tofind the best solution for the problem.