Dry skin, also known as Xerosis, occurs when the skin can’t produce or store enough natural oils. Heredity, skin diseases, dehydration, seasonal variations, and underlying health conditions may cause extreme skin dryness. However, signs of dry skin may vary based on your skin type, age, gender, sun exposure, or generalized health conditions.
Let’s have a look at various that tell you may have dry skin.
5 Signs of Dry Skin
Dehydrated Skin
Dehydrated skin occurs when your body loses more water than it takes. The skin becomes scaly and itchy with cracked lines.
Thus, replenishing your water intake is a prerequisite for treating dehydrated skin. Drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water a day can rejuvenate your skin. Fiber-rich foods, raw vegetables, and fruits may also help to meet the demands of your body and skin.
Moreover, skincare products having soothing agents can increase your skin’s natural moisture. American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends that the products having glycerol, urea, or lactic acid can soothe dry skin.
Itchy Skin
The skin has a natural tendency to renew itself by shedding dead skin cells. Sometimes, skin shedding increases which can be a sign of extremely dry skin. Constant itching or redness are the other common outcomes of dry skin.
The problem is more prominent and severe in harsh cold winters when the skin faces extreme dryness both from the outside and inside of the body.
Avoiding hot showers and regularly cleansing and moisturizing your skin may help prevent the problem.
Rough Texture
Losing skin’s natural moisture makes it rough and flaking in appearance due to the shrinking of skin cells. Sometimes, the skin has deep cracks that cause the skin to bleed, even on minor cuts.
Exfoliating the skin with a mild scrub and keeping it well moisturized may help to nourish it. Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells while moisturization restores its required hydration.
Frequent Skin Infections
Skin dryness often results in frequent skin infections due to cracking of the skin epidermis. This allows the bacteria to more easily penetrate the skin making it more prone to skin lesions and chronic skin diseases. The more obvious signs of skin infections are swelling, yellow crusts, and persistent skin wounds, causing pus formation.
Wrinkles and Aging
Dry skin is more vulnerable to wrinkles and aging but less likely to develop skin lesions and acne than oily skin. Losing a lot of skin moisture may increase the risk of skin damage.
You can prevent extreme skin dryness by increasing your water intake and eating a healthy, balanced diet. Multivitamins can also help hydrate the skin. Research shows that oral supplements can increase skin elasticity and hydration.
These are some signs and symptoms of dry skin. Mild skin dryness can be resolved at home by taking good care of skin hygiene and regularly moisturizing it. However, extreme dryness needs proper consultation and treatment.
