Dry skin

Dry skin makes the skin look and feel rough, itchy, flaky or scaly. It's a common condition that affects people of all ages. The medical term for dry skin is xerosis.

Dry skin has many causes. Examples include cold or dry weather, sun damage, harsh soaps, and too much bathing.

You can do a lot on your own to improve dry skin. Self-care steps include moisturizing, choosing products that are gentle on your skin and protecting your skin from the sun. You may need to try a number of products and skin care routines to find what works best for you.

Symptoms of dry skin can include:

• A feeling of skin tightness.
• Skin that feels and looks rough.
• Itchiness.
• Slight to severe flaking. This causes the ashy look that can affect dry brown and Black skin.
• Scaling or peeling.
• Fine lines.
• Cracks in the skin, including deep cracks that may bleed.
• Skin that ranges from reddish on white skin to grayish on brown and Black skin.
• A feeling of pain, stinging or burning on the skin.

When to see a doctor

Most cases of dry skin respond well to lifestyle changes and self-care. But make an appointment to see a healthcare professional if:

• Dry skin lasts despite self-care steps.
• Skin becomes inflamed or painful.
• Dry skin makes you so uncomfortable that you're losing sleep or are distracted from your daily routines.
• Open sores or infections develop from dry skin that has broken open.
• Large areas of scaly or peeling skin form.
• Dry, thick skin develops as a side effect of cancer treatment.

Dry skin happens because of water loss from the outer layer of skin. It might be caused by:

• Heat. Central heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all lower air humidity.
• Environment. Living in a climate that has low humidity raises the risk of developing dry skin.
• Too much bathing or scrubbing. Taking long, hot showers or baths or scrubbing your skin too much can dry the skin. Bathing more than once a day can remove the natural oils from your skin too.
• Harsh soaps and detergents. Many soaps, detergents and shampoos strip moisture from the skin because they are designed to remove oil.
• Other skin conditions. People with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis are more likely to have dry skin. Atopic dermatitis also is called eczema.
• Medical treatments. Some people develop dry, thick skin after receiving treatment for cancer, having dialysis or taking certain medicines.
• Aging. As people age, the skin thins and makes less of the oils needed for the skin to hold water.

Anyone can develop dry skin. But you're more likely to develop the condition if you:

• Are older than 40.
• Live in climates that have low humidity.
• Have a job that requires you to put your hands in water often or use harsh soaps. Examples include nursing, hairstyling and dishwashing.
• Use your hands to work with cement, clay or soil.
• Have certain medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, ichthyosis, diabetes or malnutrition.

Dry skin usually is harmless. But when it's not cared for, dry skin may lead to:

• Atopic dermatitis, also called eczema. If you're prone to developing atopic dermatitis, very dry skin may trigger the condition, causing a rash and cracking skin.
• Infections. Dry skin may crack, allowing bacteria to enter the body and cause an infection.

These health concerns are most likely to happen when the skin becomes so dry that it can't protect itself the way it typically does. For example, very dry skin can lead to deep cracks forming in the skin. Those cracks may open and bleed. That offers a way for bacteria to get into the body and cause an infection.

Try the following tips to help your skin hold in water.

Moisturize

Moisturizer seals in water to help keep the skin's protective barrier healthy. Use moisturizer throughout the day, especially on the hands. Before going outdoors, use a moisturizer that contains sunblock or a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days. Apply sunscreen generously and reapply every two hours. Use it more often if you're swimming or sweating.

Limit water exposure

Keep bath and shower time to 10 minutes or less. Use warm, not hot, water. Rinse and pat dry. Try to bathe or shower no more than once a day.

Use a gentle cleanser or allergen-free soap

Try a cleansing cream or shower gel instead of soap. Or use a moisturizing soap that doesn't have any fragrance or anything that can cause an allergic reaction. Those products are labeled noncomedogenic or hypoallergenic. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Apply a moisturizer while your skin is still damp.

Shave with care

Shaving can dry the skin. If you shave, use a lubricating agent before you start. Use a sharp blade, and rinse it with warm water after each stroke. When you're done, put moisturizer on your skin.

Cover as much skin as possible in cold or windy weather

Harsh weather can be especially drying to skin. Scarves, hats, and gloves or mittens help protect your skin when you're outdoors.

Wear gloves

Protect your hands when you're gardening, using harsh cleansers or doing other activities that can dry the skin.

Drink when you're thirsty.

Drink water or other noncaffeinated beverages each day to help keep all your body's tissues, including your skin, well hydrated.

To diagnose dry skin, your healthcare professional likely will look at your skin and ask about your medical history. You might talk about when your dry skin started, what makes it better or worse, what your bathing habits are, and how you care for your skin.

Your healthcare professional may suggest that you have tests to see if your dry skin is being caused by a medical condition. Sometimes dry skin is a symptom of another skin condition, such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis.

Dry skin often responds well to self-care, such as using moisturizers and avoiding long, hot showers and baths.

If you have very dry skin, your healthcare professional likely will suggest a moisturizing product designed to meet your needs. If you have a serious skin disease, treatment may include a prescription cream or lotion.

If dry skin becomes itchy, your healthcare professional may suggest a prescription cream with hydrocortisone in it. Be sure to talk with your healthcare professional before you try a cream or lotion that you can buy without a prescription to ease itching. Some products may have ingredients that make dry skin worse.

The following measures can help keep your skin moist and healthy.

Gently wash your face at least twice a day

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser twice a day and after sweating. Use a cleanser that doesn't foam and doesn't have alcohol in it. Cleansers with stearic acid or linoleic acid can help repair the skin. Stearic acid is found in shea butter. Linoleic acid is found in argan oil, safflower oil and others. If you have sensitive skin, wash with a cleanser in the evening and just rinse with water at other times.

After you wash your face, while your skin is still damp, apply any medicine you're using on your face. Wait a few minutes or as directed on the medicine package, and then put on moisturizer.

Moisturize

Put moisturizer on your skin several times a day. Be sure to put more on whenever your skin feels dry. After hand-washing or bathing, put on moisturizer while your skin is still damp.

Talk with your healthcare professional about the products that are right for your skin. You may need to try several products before you find the ones that work best for you.

Look for products that have healing ingredients such as:

• Ceramides.
• Cocoa butter.
• Fatty acids.
• Glycerol, also called glycerin.
• Shea butter.
• Urea.

Look for products labeled hypoallergenic. This means they are less likely than other products to cause an allergic reaction.

If you tend to get acne, look for products labeled noncomedogenic or oil-free. Or check to see whether the product is designed not to clog pores. This makes it less likely that the moisturizer will cause your skin to break out.

Don't use products that have sodium lauryl sulfate because it can irritate the skin and make dryness worse.

If you have mature skin, you might prevent scaly, flaky skin by using products that contain antioxidants or alpha hydroxy acid.

If skin that's not on your face is very dry, you might try a thicker moisturizer (Eucerin, Cetaphil, others) or an oil, such as baby oil. Oil stays on the skin longer than lotion. Oil also helps keep water within the skin's surface. Another choice is a petrolatum-based product (Vaseline, Aquaphor, others).

Use warm water and limit bath time

Long showers or baths and hot water remove skin's natural oils. Limit bathing to no more than once a day and no longer than 5 to 10 minutes. Use warm water, not hot water.

Choose a gentle soap

When you wash your hands, use a moisturizing soap that is labeled hypoallergenic. After you wash, put on a moisturizer while your hands are still damp.

In the shower or bath, try a cleansing cream or shower gel instead of soap. Then use soap only in areas where it's needed, such as the armpits and groin. Don't use loofahs or pumice stones. Rinse your skin thoroughly and pat dry.

Use a humidifier

Dry indoor air can dry out skin and make itching and flaking worse. Using a humidifier in your home adds moisture to the air.

Choose fabrics that are easy on the skin

Natural fibers, such as cotton, allow your skin to breathe. Wool, although natural, sometimes irritates even healthy skin.

For laundry, use detergents without dyes or perfumes. These products usually have the word "free" in their names.

Ease itchiness

If dry skin causes itchiness, put a clean, cool, damp cloth on the skin. If itching continues or gets worse, your healthcare professional may suggest a prescription cream with hydrocortisone in it. Be sure to talk with your healthcare professional before you try a cream or lotion that you can buy without a prescription to reduce itching. Some products may have ingredients that make dry skin worse.

If self-care steps don't relieve dry skin or if symptoms get worse, make an appointment to see a healthcare professional.

You're likely to start by seeing your primary healthcare professional. Sometimes, you may be referred to a specialist in skin conditions, called a dermatologist.

Here's information to help you get ready for your appointment..

What you can do

Make a list of questions before your appointment. This can help you make the most of your time with your healthcare professional. For dry skin, some basic questions to ask include:

• What's the most likely cause of my dry skin?
• Do I need tests?
• Is it likely the condition will go away on its own?
• What skin care routines do you recommend?

Be sure to ask any other questions you may have.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask you questions, such as:

• How long have you had dry skin?
• Do you have other symptoms?
• Are your symptoms constant or do they come and go?
• What, if anything, makes your skin better?
• What, if anything, makes your skin worse?
• What medicines are you taking?
• How often do you bathe or shower? Do you use hot water? What soaps and shampoos do you use?
• Do you use moisturizing creams? If so, which ones, and how often do you use them?