Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Dry skin is a very common skin condition characterized by a lack of the appropriate amount of water in the most superficial layer of the skin, the epidermis. While dry skin tends to affect males and females equally, older individuals are typically much more prone to dry skin. The skin in elderly individuals tends to have diminished amounts of natural skin oils and lubricants. Areas such as the arms, hands, and particularly lower legs tend to be more affected by dry skin. Environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, have a profound effect on the amount of water retained within the skin. For example, cold, dry air when heated by a furnace will produce dry skin by evaporating moisture on the skin. Frequent hand-washing and sanitizing causes evaporation and dryness. Dry skin may also be a side effect of some medications as well as a byproduct of certain skin diseases.
The epidermis is normally composed of fat (lipid) and protein. The lipid portion of the epidermis along with specific epidermal proteins (for example, filaggrin) help prevent skin dehydration. When there are deficient proteins and/or lipids, the skin moisture evaporates more easily. As skin becomes dry, it also may become more sensitive and prone to rashes and skin breakdown. The medical term for dry skin is xerosis. Simple prevention and treatment measures are very effective in the treatment of dry skin. Basic dry skin prevention steps include avoidance of harsh soaps and chemical cleansers. Treatment generally requires more frequent and regular applications of bland emollients and moisturizers. Untreated, dry skin may result in complications, including, eczematous dermatitis, secondary bacterial infections, cellulitis, and skin discoloration. Fortunately, dry skin is usually mild and can be easily remedied.
What Causes Dry Skin ?
There is a multitude of factors that cause dry skin in various body parts. In most cases, these factors mirror a person’s impoverished health habits. Care should be taken to discipline one’s own life in order to avoid such problems.
A. Poor hygiene – Poor hygiene can easily result in dry skin problems.
B. Chain smoking or regular consumption of alcohol – Regular consumption of tobacco or alcohol may aggravate dry skin problems in various body parts.
C. Lacks of defense against extreme sunlight – Several people ignore the treatment their skin receives from extreme sunlight and powerful winds. These can also lead to dry skin on legs, arms and thighs.
D. Medical conditions – Poor health may also trigger dry skin problems in some cases. Diseases such as dermatitis, allergies and eczema are known to trigger.
It is okay to try a little harder in order to get rid of dirt, dust and germs. However, you should be very careful with the soap you are using in such cases. Here are the most useful tips on washing the dry skin on legs:
1. Say “no” to all sorts of abrasive scrubs. Some people use these scrubs in order to put an immediate end to dry skin on legs. This practice can lead to an aggravated stage of skin dryness in leg areas. Remember to pat the skin on your legs softly with a clean cloth and soapy water.
2. Avoid excessively steamy baths if possible. The protective layer of your skin on legs is destroyed when exposed to excessive steamy baths. Get rid of the dirt with a lukewarm shower but do not damage the natural moisturizing component of your skin on legs.
3. Your skin depends upon certain natural oils to maintain its glow, health and life. Harmful chemicals in some soap can knock out germs as well as important natural oils from your skin. Stick to beauty soaps as long as possible. Germicidal soaps should be used only when there is no other option.
Is it possible to prevent dry skin?
To prevent skin from drying out, it may be helpful to humidify the indoor environment especially during the drier, winter months. Sometimes decreasing bathing frequency and avoiding strong soaps, and decreasing exposure to detergents also may help improve dry skin. Harsh cleansers can strip away the natural oils and sebum from the skin. Limiting exposure to irritants such as solvents and wool clothing can prevent the dry skin condition from worsening.
1. Avoid strong soaps and detergents.
2. Use indoor room humidifiers.
3. Limit exposure to irritants such as solvents.
4. Avoid wool clothing.
5. Use cotton and natural fiber clothing.
6. Move to a super-humid environment like New Orleans, Houston, Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Manila.
Top products for dry skin include mild cleansers and rich moisturizers. Non-scented, mild cleansers or soap-free products include Dove, Cetaphil, and Purpose soap. Thick, greasy, moisturizers include Aquaphor, Vaseline, Crisco, and SBR Lipocream.