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dry skin conditions

Just like our body, features, and voice, a human’s skin is also different. No two people can have exactly the same skin; some have textured skin, some have naturally oily or naturally dry skin, and others regularly develop skin conditions like acne. Similarly, our skin reacts to different things differently, whether it's the climate, the skin care products you use, or the food you eat – because all of us are made different, and so is our skin. But the key here is to care for your skin the way it will help it the most.

You can never achieve someone's skin type; you cannot follow their skincare routine and hope your skin will turn out the same. But you can be vigilant of your skin and take care of it accordingly to ensure it stays healthy. Some skin conditions are very common, and we must take care of them in our daily routine – one such condition is dry skin.

Dry skin very casually sounds like a skin type; however, it is a skin condition that needs proper care; otherwise, it can become complicated and become something much worse. If you believe your skin is even slightly dry and you are not taking adequate care of it – then this article is for you. Today let's talk about dry skin, its type, and its consequences if you are not careful enough.

What is Dry Skin?

Our skin needs moisture and natural oils to make sure it remains supple and stretchy; however, when there isn't enough moisture or oils present in your skin, it dries out and becomes rough. This dryness leaves your skin flaky, itchy, and scaly.We call this condition dry skin. Dry skin is common in winters and dry weather, but the condition we are talking about is one that defines your skin, stays throughout, and becomes worse if not taken care of. In medical terms, dry skin is called xerosis or xeroderma.

What Causes Dry Skin?

Seasonal dry skin is ubiquitous, nothing out of the ordinary. It is completely normal for your skin to feel slightly dry in winters or falls. However, the dry skin condition is entirely different  and is caused by various reasons such as:

●      Scrubbing or Bathing

Ironically, our skin needs moisture to feel less dry, but too much water can actually make your skin drier. Taking long showers, spending more time underwater, and harshly scrubbing your skin all can lead to dry skin as it may remove your skin's natural oils.

●      Soaps and Detergents with Chemicals

Some soaps, face washes, or detergents we use are made of chemicals that rip off the skin's natural oils and sometimes make your skin dry up.

●      Aging

Older people are likely to have dry skin because as people age, their skin starts producing fewer oils, loses its ability to retain moisture, and becomes dry and saggy.

●      Medical Treatments

Some medications and treatment procedures can have an adverse effect on your skin. For example, people receiving chemotherapy for cancer or receiving dialysis often suffer from this issue because their skin becomes thick and dried.

●      Diseases

Some underlying health conditions also have a direct impact on your skin without you even realizing it causes dry skin; for example:

  • Diabetes: in diabetes, people have high blood sugar levels, which can cause itchy and dry skin,
  • Kidney disease: Kidney malfunction makes it difficult to remove toxins from the blood, which makes your skin dry
  • Anorexia: Anorexia limits the patient's food intake, which can deprive them of important nutrients or make them malnourished – posing a direct threat to their skin
  • HIV: HIV patients are likely to develop dry skin because the virus impacts the immune system, which loses the ability to fight the skin condition. Secondly, the medicine for HIV also has side effects.

The Horror of Dry Skin

We have all heard about dry skin, seen people suffering from it, and even experienced it a few times. However, when the dry skin condition exceeds its seasonal limit, it can become very harmful to not just your skin but to your overall health.

The common consequence – or in our words, the horror of dry skin is the way it makes your skin look. Dry skin impacts the face and hands most – these are the body parts exposed to the environment, and the condition makes your skin and face appear patchy and scaly. It cracks your skin, and you may notice peeling skin, which doesn't only look unpleasant but also hurts. Cracking skin with a rough texture is often itchy, stings, and burns on contact.

Moreover, this condition has a long-term negative impact on your skin as well. Having dry skin can make your skin loose as it flushes out moisture – this makes it wrinkly in saggy before age. This is why most people have wrinkly skin as they age, but some people develop it much earlier.

The consequences of dry skin mentioned above are quite commonly known to people. However, there are some uncommon consequences of dry skin that can be very severe and dangerous for anyone. If your dry skin condition gets prolonged, it will get much worse than just being itchy and scaly. It also starts bleeding. Your skin makes the first barrier against the environment; however, constant itching makes the skins lose elasticity and chips it off as well, which will result in blood coming out from those areas.

In some cases, your dry skin can be a sign of something much worse. Severe dry skin conditions lead to serious skin problems like atopic dermatitis or eczema. Both involve skin redness, cracking, and inflammation. This is caused by excessive dryness but leads to your skin drier day by day. Such skin conditions can completely ruin your skin permanently, leave scars, and may require you to get professional help to a higher level.

Take your Dry Skin Seriously!

Most people are unaware of the severity of dry skin and what horrors it can cause for your skin which is why we always recommend people to take their dry skin condition seriously. Use your moisturizer daily, and if your dry skin condition exceeds a season, take extra care of it. Moreover, if you see any serious signs or symptoms of the condition, consult a dermatologist asap! You can find a professional and experienced dermatologist here; book your appointment today!

SunCoast Skin Solutions Dermatology offices are located in Tampa / Hillsborough, St. Pete / Pinellas County, Brandon, Lutz, Winter Haven, Largo, Hudson, Leesburg, Riverview, Brooksville, Clearwater, Ocala, Palm Harbor, Daytona Beach, Sarasota, Punta Gorda, Seminole, Florida. Contact us at 1-844-786-3376 or click here.