Dry Skin Care Essentials

Whether dry skin is your normal skin type or the result of seasonal changes, there are several steps you can take to get it under control. Start building your beauty arsenal with an effective skin moisturizer.

    Your body is wrapped in a blanket of skin - about two square yards of it. We all want hydrated and healthy skin, but that blanket can become dry, flaky, and rough. Learn what causes dry skin and how using a skin moisturizer and other treatments will help.

Understanding Dry Skin

    The outer layers of your skin are put together in a type of brick-and-mortar system. Healthy skin cells are stacked with oils and other substances that keep skin moist. When those substances are lost, skin cells can crumble away, which leads to dry skin.

    Itching is the No. 1 symptom of dry skin, says Francesca Fusco, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and a spokeswoman for the Skin Cancer Foundation. Your skin may look dull, flaky, or ashy (if you have dark skin), which can progress to skin being scaly or cracked. In the worst-case scenario, skin becomes thick and leathery, Dr. Fusco says.

Conditions Causing Dry Skin

   Dry skin can affect anyone whose skin loses water or oil, particularly in climates with low humidity, or during winter months when low humidity and indoor heat affect the natural balance of healthy skin, Fusco says. However, some people are more prone to dry skin than others because of certain medical conditions:

• Keratosis pilaris. As many as 40 percent of people in the United States have an inherited dry skin condition called keratosis pilaris. More common in children and adolescents, the condition causes tiny red or flesh-colored bumps on the skin, particularly on their upper arms and thighs or on the cheeks in children. The bumps are dead skin cells and make skin feel rough, like sandpaper. Skin may also itch during the winter or in low humidity.
• Atopic dermatitis. Up to 20 percent of people around the world have atopic dermatitis, a common type of eczema in which itchy patches of skin form. When the skin is scratched, it may become red and swollen and could crack, weep fluid, or scale. This type of eczema often occurs in people who also have asthma or hay fever.
• Hormonal changes. When your body is going through hormonal changes, you may notice dry or flaky skin cropping up. It’s something that happens even in babies. Newborns commonly develop cradle cap - flaky, scaly skin on the scalp - as a result of being exposed to mother’s hormones in the uterus, Fusco says. Women may notice a change in their skin’s oil production when they begin (or stop) using hormonal contraceptives. And hormonal changes after menopause can also lead to dry skin, she says.
• Thyroid disease. One of the early symptoms of hypothyroidism (when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone) is dry skin.
• Diabetes or kidney disease. People with diabetes or kidney disease may notice dry, itchy skin on their legs due to poor circulation, Fusco says. It’s a result of the skin not getting the proper amount of blood flow.

From Dry Skin to Healthy Skin

    Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Apply a skin moisturizer to your body and face at least once a day, when the skin is still damp from the shower, Fusco says. In the summer, a thinner lotion will do the job, but in the winter when skin becomes drier, use a thicker cream or ointment.

   If over-the-counter moisturizers aren’t doing enough for your skin, your doctor can suggest a prescription-strength moisturizer. Products that contain lactic acid soften the top, hard layer of the skin, Fusco says. She recommends applying it at night so it can work while you sleep, and then buffing it off in the shower in the morning. The only downside: It can cause an allergic reaction in some people, leading to red, bumpy, itchy skin.

   Another prescription option is a barrier cream. Barrier creams penetrate a little deeper than standard moisturizers and contain humectants, which hold onto moisture better and longer.

For those with keratosis pilaris, moisturizing with creams that have urea or lactic acid helps the itch, but doesn’t necessarily smooth the skin. However, mild chemical peels or topical retinoids may soften the skin.

    People who have eczema may find relief with a skin moisturizer and can also use cold compresses on itchy skin. Over-the-counter or prescription corticosteroid creams may also be needed, but prolonged use can thin your skin, so carefully follow your doctor’s directions about using them. Your doctor may also prescribe oral corticosteroids, but they’re not intended for long-term use.

Other dry skin treatments include:

• Taking short, warm (instead of hot) showers
• Using a moisturizing body wash
• Placing a humidifier in your home to add moisture to the air

Fusco also advocates adding healthy oils into your diet through foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocados.

With the right tender, loving care (and a good skin moisturizer), you can restore a healthy luster to dry skin.