What is Dry Skin ?

If you are suffering from dry skin, you know the itch, the scratching and then the pain of having raw skin is uncomfortable. You know that it is something that has happened for a reason, but for most, that reason is not understood. Why do you have dry skin? What is happening to the skin anyway? When you can understand what dry skin actually is, you can actually learn how to prevent it and how to get through a dry skin spell, too.

What Is It?

Dry skin is just what it sounds like. For some reason, the moisture that is in your skin is no longer there. For most people, the body produces a number of different natural oils that keep the skin moist and soft. It does this only so that your skin is soft but so that it is less likely to be injured or to dry out. But, for some reason, your skin has reduced the amount of oils that it is producing. Or, you are washing away those oils so often that your skin is left feeling dry, itchy and even painful.

There are several ways that this can happen, of course. Most commonly, it is how you are taking care of your skin. Exposure to the weather elements can cause damage to the skin, first of all. For example, during the winter many get dry skin because of the wind, cold air and the lowered temperatures have caused your body to lose those natural oils.

If the air in your home is dry, this too can cause your skin to become dry. Air pulls moisture from any place it can and if your skin is moister than the air around it, the moisture is naturally pulled out. Another common reason for dry skin is bathing is water that is very hot and doing so often. This too can cause your skin to lose those natural oils that are helping to keep the skin moist.

All of these conditions can be prevented. For some, medical conditions are to blame for their dry skin. When that is the case, it is even more important to seek out the help of your doctor. Often, there is help for your condition whether it be just applying lotions or taking better care of your skin in the first place.

Do I Have Dry Skin?

Dry skin is a condition in which the skin has lost an all important ingredient in its health. That is its moisture. The skin naturally produces a number of different natural oils that are used to keep the skin hydrated and looking beautiful. There are other reasons for this, of course, like keeping the skin healthy and avoiding injury. Yet, most people will experience times when their skin is less than perfect. For some, dry skin will be the problem.

How Do You Know If You Have Dry Skin?

If you have had dry skin in the past, you probably know what to expect. If you haven’t or you are not sure that what you are experiencing is dry skin, here are a few symptoms to look for.

• Dry skin has a feeling to it that is quite unique. Your skin will feel taut, as if it is being pulled tight. This is usually evident after you have showered or been swimming.

• Your skin can also look like it is dry. Here, it may look less plump and soft. It is likely to look shrunken and dehydrated.

• Most people that have dry skin will tell you that the biggest problem with it is having itchy skin. Sometimes, it can be so bad that the itch is worse than dealing with the dry skin.

• You may see some fine lines or even cracks in the skin, as evidence of just how dry this is. This is common in the feet and in the hands.

• You may seek the skin scaling off. Flaking of the skin is a common sign. Here, your skin’s outer later is peeling or flaking off. Although it is not painful, it can worsen into a condition that is very much so painful.

• Your skin in the area may also be red. A chapped looking red is a sign of severe dry skin.

• If you have scratched at your dry skin, chances are good that you will also have a number of sores in the area. This can be common but is also a very bad thing as these open sores can easily lead to infections.

Understanding what dry skin looks and feels like can help you to avoid having to experience it. Take the time necessary to get the help you need for this condition either with the help of your doctor for severe cases or with the help of your over the counter moisturizers.

What's Causing Your Dry Skin?

Dry skin happens to be very uncomfortable. It also happens to be something that you can avoid by just paying attention to how you are caring for your skin. The causes of dry skin range widely but there are some considerations for this condition that happen more often than not. You may have just bathed in water that was too hot too often or you may have a medical condition that is causing your skin to become too dry. In any case, understanding what is causing your dry skin will help you to prevent it from happening over and over again.

Common Dry Skin Causes

The causes for dry skin range in severity too. While you may be just a bit uncomfortable with the itchy skin, for others it is painful. Here are some of the causes that you may have been exposed to.

• Low humidity. When you are exposed to warm air indoors and then venture out into the cold outdoor air, your skin reacts to this humidity level. Because it is used to the warmer temperatures, when you are outdoors it easily can dry out causing your skin to flake and even hurt at times.

• Too Much Washing. If you wash your skin too often or you are using a very hot temperature of water, your skin loses its important natural oils which results again in dry skin.

• Soap. Some soaps are too harsh for the skin. They will draw out and wash away those natural oils which will leave your skin dry and cracking. Using only mild soaps can be helpful in avoiding dry skin.

• Vitamin A. If you don’t get enough Vitamin A in your diet, you too may experience dry skin. Adding more will reduce the occurrence and severity of your dry skin.

• An illness. There are several illnesses that can bring on dry skin. Usually this is due to the medications that you may be taking for the illness that you have.

• Sunlight. Sunlight actually can draw out the moisture in your skin, too, leaving it dry. To avoid this problem, seek out a moisturizer that provides sun blocking benefits to you, too.

The cause of your dry skin may be something different, too. The fact is that there are many causes to this common condition. The good news is that most of the time all that is needed is prevention from these conditions or a few moisturizers to give you the relief you deserve.

Preventing Dry Skin

How can you actually prevent this year’s dry skin attack? If you are like many other people, the fall and winter months are the worst for dealing with dry, itchy skin. Unfortunately, it is something that you must consider dealing with ahead of time if you will be able to actual prevent those rough spots. Although complete normal and often very common, dry skin is still something that is bothersome and can even be painful. There are several good ways that you can find prevention, though.

Methods To Prevention

Consider these methods to preventing your dry skin from happening in the first place. Or, use them to treat the dry skin you’ve been experiencing.

1. When the weather is bad, make sure that you wear protective clothing to keep the snap of the cold wind out. If you don’t do this, exposed skin is the first place that you will find dry skin located. That includes your face and your hands, to common areas for dry skin to appear.

2. Avoid taking showers. If you have dry skin continuously, this is a great way to stop it. Showers, especially those that are of hot water, are detrimental to skin care. You are sure to find yourself relaxing better in a bath anyway. Showers actually strip the natural oils from your skin that can prevent dry skin.

3. Use milder soaps on your skin. Look for bar soap and hand soap that is mild. There are several brands that are available to you that don’t contain such harsh chemicals and abrasives that can rip away the natural oils in your skin.

4. Use lotions and moisturizers. If you know that your skin is going to be dry, use moisturizers to fight it before it happens. You can also tackle your problems more effectively if you treat dry skin sooner rather than later when it is painful.

5. Use bath oils. Another way to get a treatment for your dry skin is to add bath oils to your bath water. These add in the oils that may be depleted because of the weather or other condition that is causing your dry skin.

Use these methods to fight off your dry skin. You don’t have to worry about how bad it will be this year when you have a few tricks to fighting and preventing dry skin available to you now.

Treating Dry Skin

There are several effective ways that you can treat your dry skin. Of course, prevention is the best medicine as it provides you with the highest quality relief and the fastest possible relief from the itching and burn of dry skin. For each person, it will take a few minutes to time to determine what is causing your dry skin and then to find the appropriate way to avoid that problem from happening. But, when you can’t or you already have dry skin, use these treatment options to help you to find the relief that you need.

The Very Dry

If you have very dry hands or very dry feet, you can get relief by using petroleum jelly on them. Just before you go to bed at night, use just a slight amount of petroleum jelly on your hands, getting into all areas. Then, slip on a very light pair of cotton gloves or socks while you sleep. This will give the skin enough time to absorb the jelly without making a mess. You can do this as often as you would like to. You can also use this same method to treat nails that are overly dry or brittle.

The Scratch

One of the worst things that you can do for dry skin is to scratch it. Of course, it itches pretty badly as it is. To avoid doing this, dry to use treatments that not only help to relieve the dry skin but also to help stop the itching. You can do this with moisturizers. They are often one of the best methods for relieving all symptoms of dry skin quickly. Apply them several times per day if necessary.

You can also try to take a bath that mixes warm water with one cup of oatmeal in it. To do this, place about a cup of oatmeal in a cotton cloth and cook it as you normally would. Ad this to the bathtub and use it as a sponge to help relieve the dry skin and the itch. There are also a number of products on the market that can provide this same help to you.

There are medications on the market that can help with stopping both the itch and the dry skin. These are available as over the counter products. Look for over the counter 1% hydrocortisone cream on the effected areas. If they are very bad, contact your doctor who will likely give you another prescription strength product to take.

You can treat the dry skin that is driving you mad. Take some time to find the best possible solution for your skin.

---