What Causes Dry Skin and How to Treat It
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 11:56 pm
Dry skin develops when your skin loses water too quickly and becomes dehydrated. Age, medical history, the season and bathing habits may lead to dry skin. Treatments may depend on the cause. Dry skin is an uncomfortable condition marked by scaling, itching, and cracking. It can occur for a variety of reasons. You might have natural re-drying of the skin. But even if your skin tends to be oily, you can develop dry skin from time to time. Dry skin can affect any part of your body. It commonly affects hands, arms, and legs. In many cases, lifestyle changes and over-the-counter moisturizers may be all you need to treat it. If those treatments aren’t enough, you should contact your doctor.
Frequent hand-washing and using hand sanitiser can also cause your hands to become dry. It can be helpful to apply moisturizer after each time you wash your hands. While some may assume that you’ll only get acne when your skin is oily, that’s not the case. Dry skin can also cause acne, as blemishes sometimes occur when there is general damage to the skin. To combat both dry skin and acne breakouts, consider continuing your skincare as usual but also applying a moisturizer that’s targeted for acne-prone skin twice a day. Also avoid any chemicals, such as rubbing alcohol, as it can dry your skin out even more.
Your doctor’s recommended treatment plan will depend on the cause of your dry skin. In some cases, they may refer you to a skin specialist or dermatologist. Along with lifestyle remedies, they may recommend over-the-counter or prescription ointments, creams, or lotions to treat your symptoms. If you experience occasional dry skin, you can likely prevent and treat it using simple lifestyle changes and over-the-counter moisturizers. If you develop severe dry skin, make an appointment with your doctor. If left untreated, dermatitis can get worse. Early treatment will help you to feel comfortable sooner. It will also lower your risk of complications, such as open wounds from scratching and skin infections.
Frequent hand-washing and using hand sanitiser can also cause your hands to become dry. It can be helpful to apply moisturizer after each time you wash your hands. While some may assume that you’ll only get acne when your skin is oily, that’s not the case. Dry skin can also cause acne, as blemishes sometimes occur when there is general damage to the skin. To combat both dry skin and acne breakouts, consider continuing your skincare as usual but also applying a moisturizer that’s targeted for acne-prone skin twice a day. Also avoid any chemicals, such as rubbing alcohol, as it can dry your skin out even more.
Your doctor’s recommended treatment plan will depend on the cause of your dry skin. In some cases, they may refer you to a skin specialist or dermatologist. Along with lifestyle remedies, they may recommend over-the-counter or prescription ointments, creams, or lotions to treat your symptoms. If you experience occasional dry skin, you can likely prevent and treat it using simple lifestyle changes and over-the-counter moisturizers. If you develop severe dry skin, make an appointment with your doctor. If left untreated, dermatitis can get worse. Early treatment will help you to feel comfortable sooner. It will also lower your risk of complications, such as open wounds from scratching and skin infections.