There are three main types of skin: oily, normal and dry. In this article, I want to consider the causes of dry skin of the body and face in adults and young children.
Terminology
At the very beginning, it must be said that dry skin has its own medical name. So, doctors call this problem "xerosis." In this case, the causes of this condition are most often external, you can cope with them with the help of cosmetics and medications. A more serious condition of the patient, which is also accompanied by dry skin, is ichthyosis. In this case, dry skin disfigures the patient and causes him not only physical, but also emotional suffering.
Symptomatology
If a person is tormented by dry skin of the body, the reasons for this can be very diverse. However, first of all I want to talk about those symptoms that manifest along with this problem.
- Dry skin is often accompanied by a feeling of tightening. This can be especially pronounced after taking a bath.
- Dry skin looks dehydrated, wrinkled.
- You can also observe roughness, and not smoothness of the skin.
- People with this problem are often worried about itching. He can be pretty strong.
- Dry skin almost always peels off. Peeling can be very different: from almost imperceptible to very strong.
- Dry skin may crack. Often such cracks bleed, hurt.
- Well, another symptom is redness of the skin in limited areas of the body.
When to see a doctor?
It is worth saying that most often with the above symptoms you can cope on your own. However, in some cases it is still better to seek the help of a doctor. This must be done in the following cases:
- When the condition does not improve, despite all the measures taken.
- When dry skin turns red.
- If itching and dryness of the skin prevent a person from living normally.
- It should be seen by a doctor if wounds and sores appear after combing dry skin.
- Well, you need to ask a dermatologist for help if the skin is peeling on quite vast areas of the body.
Further - about why this problem appears.
Climate
Now we need to consider exactly the causes of dry skin of the body. First of all, I want to say that one of the main reasons is the climatic conditions. So, this type of skin is more characteristic of people who live in cold regions with low humidity. In the middle lane, people begin to suffer from dry skin most often in the winter season.
Heating, air conditioning
What other causes of dry skin of the body and face? So, the most ordinary heating or air conditioning of the premises contributes to the development of this problem. Fireplaces, air conditioning, central heating, convectors - all this very dry the air, respectively, and the skin. To avoid the problem, you need to moisten the room where the equipment works. It is worth remembering that the ideal humidity is in the range of 55-65%.
Hot bath
What else are the causes of dry skin and hair? So, people who like to take a very hot bath or shower are often exposed to this phenomenon. For those who like to splash in water for a long time, a partial destruction of the lipid barrier of the skin occurs. This causes dryness. It is also worth mentioning that it is best to avoid too chlorinated pools.
Soap
We further consider the causes of dry skin of the body. So, a harsh soap, as well as certain shower gels, can cause a similar condition. Indeed, in their composition they have the so-called surfactants - surface-active substances that destroy the upper lipid layer of the skin. This causes a feeling of dryness.
The sun
What else could be the causes of dry skin of the body and face? So, the ordinary sun also negatively affects the skin. More specifically, its UV rays. They are able to penetrate the upper layer of the skin - the epidermis, affecting the dermis itself. With too frequent and prolonged exposure to the sun, a person can even be destroyed by these rays elastin and collagen, which leads to the emergence of such a problem as solar elastosis (which, of course, is accompanied by severe dry skin).
Certain diseases
If a person is tormented by dry skin of the body, the reasons for this may lie in certain diseases. What could it be?
- Atopic dermatitis. This is one type of eczema that affects dry and sensitive skin.
- Psoriasis This is a serious skin disease. In this case, scales form on the skin, coarsened areas appear. Also one of the accompanying symptoms is severe itching.
- Hypothyroidism or other thyroid disease. In this case, the activity of the sebaceous and sweat glands in the body decreases, which causes severe dryness of the skin.
- Follicular keratosis. In this case, the patient has many small pimples that look like acne. They give the skin a rough appearance of sandpaper. This disease is also accompanied by severe dryness of the skin.
- Xreotic eczema. This disease causes not only dry skin, but also its cracks. At the same time, the skin becomes inflamed, itches very much, itches and hurts.
- Ichthyosis. With this disease, growths form on the skin of a person, similar to scales. Their color can vary from white to brown. In this case, the skin becomes very dry, cracking. Cracks in the feet and hands are the most painful.
Genetic predisposition
Doctors say that dry skin can be inherited. If a person has such problems, one must ask if senior relatives have suffered from such diseases.
Avitaminosis
What are the causes of dry skin in the winter? So, this may be the most common vitamin deficiency. Indeed, in the autumn-winter period, a person receives much less useful trace elements. Because of this, the whole organism as a whole and the skin separately suffer. Deficiency of such fat-soluble groups of vitamins as A, B and E. can lead to such problems.
Risk groups
Having examined the dry skin of the body (causes and peeling), it is also worth mentioning about those people who are primarily at risk:
- Fans of a hot shower or bath.
- Residents of countries with a cold climate.
- Aged people.
About children
I would also like to consider the causes of dry skin in a child. Why is it often possible to observe such a condition in a baby? If we talk about newborn crumbs, then dry body in the first weeks of their life is a normal condition. The thing is that in the womb, the baby is constantly in the liquid, which moisturizes his skin. After birth, the baby’s habitat changes dramatically, so the first few days in children it is very dry. It must be lubricated with baby oil. After some time, the baby's skin adapts. What are other causes of dry skin of the body and face in a child?
- Too dry and hot air in the room. Parents should remember that the temperature in the room where the baby is staying should be 18-22 ° C, humidity - at least 55%.
- Wrong bathing. Some parents still bathe children in potassium permanganate. And it dries the skin of a child very much. Also, too hard or hot water negatively affects the condition of the skin.
- Care products. The kid needs to choose the right body care products. So, soap or shower gel should be pH neutral. Shampoos and foams should not have too bright and persistent odors. This means that they contain fragrances that can cause an allergic reaction. It is important to say that we must correctly approach the choice of washing powder.
- If the baby has very dry skin of the legs, the child should walk barefoot as much as possible (at home, but not on the street) or in the most open shoes.
- In order for the baby's skin to breathe and not to dry out, all the clothes of the child (including shoes) should be made of natural materials.
In all other cases, excessive dryness of the skin, which does not disappear after the application of certain products, may indicate that the baby is sick. In this case, you must definitely consult a doctor and conduct certain examinations.
Complications of Xerosis
If the skin is not helped on time, xerosis can develop into a more serious disease. So, the main complications doctors include:
- Atopic dermatitis.
- Folliculitis (when the hair follicle becomes inflamed).
- Subcutaneous tissue infection.
Prevention
We further consider the topic: "Dry skin of the body: causes and treatment." So, in order not to resort to various medications, it is enough to simply follow preventive measures. What then needs to be done?
- Moisturizing . If a person has dry skin by nature, it must be moisturized. For this, it is good to use cosmetic creams, which are based on collagen, lecithin, propolis, hyaluronic acid, as well as a complex of vitamins and minerals. However, here we must remember that too frequent use of moisturizing creams can lead to the fact that the skin alone can hardly retain moisture.
- Respectful attitude. People who have dry skin should not use too aggressive scrubs. After taking a bath or shower, you should always lubricate the body with a fat cream. And choosing a cream for the winter, you need to take one that contains avocado or shea butter.
- Food . Dry skin should not only be moisturized, but also nourished with beneficial substances. So, you will need masks, which include cedar oil or jojoba oil.
- Exfoliation . Necessarily dead skin areas must be removed from the body. To do this, it is best to choose products based on oil or cream.
- Selection of clothes and shoes. In order to avoid drying out of the skin, all clothing should be made of natural materials (especially underwear). The same applies to shoes.
Treatment
What to do if a person is tormented by dry skin of the body? Treatment in this case may consist in the use of cosmetic and medication. However, traditional medicine also helps to cope with this problem.
- Knees and elbows. If a person dries these areas of the skin, ordinary lemon will help to cope with the problem. So, for this you need to take two cotton pads, squeeze lemon juice on them. Then for 10 minutes all this must be applied to dry skin. This should be done no more than 3-4 times a week until the problem goes away. After a maximum of 15 days, you can see the result. In addition, the elbows and knees will get a well-groomed appearance.
- Feet and heels. If a person has very “dry” legs, there are various ways to deal with the problem. However, the following set of procedures will be most successful. So, daily feet should be soared in warm water with the addition of sea salt. After that, the legs should be washed under running water, while exfoliating dead skin. Use soap for washing is not necessary. After the procedure, the legs should be greased with a fat cream. It also fights sunflower, olive or linseed oil with the problem of dry skin of the feet.
- Hands . To combat dry skin of the hands, you can use a cream made at home. To do this, you need pork and lamb. You need to take the ingredients in equal proportions, then - melt in a water bath. Cool the mixture and refrigerate. Lubricate it with hands once a day before bedtime.
- The face . To cope with dry skin, a decoction of flaxseed will help. To do this, one teaspoon of seeds should be placed in a glass of cool clean water. All this is put on fire, brought to a boil. After this, the medicine is removed from the fire, cooled. They need to lubricate their face twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.
- Body . To fight against dry skin of the body you need to take the "right" bath. To do this, you need to add a mixture of decoction of chamomile pharmacy and flaxseed (100 ml each) to warm water. In such a bath, lie down for 10 minutes (but no more than 15). Such procedures should be done a couple of times a week. The effect will be visible as soon as possible.