What Your Dry Skin Is Telling You
posted by Dermatology | May 12, 2017
Dry skin, also called xerosis, isn’t a serious or life-threatening disease. However, it can still be unsightly and uncomfortable for many people, and some of the most serious skin conditions can cause disfigurement and poor body image.
Luckily, most dry skin is caused by factors that we have some control over. Dry skin can often tell you a lot about the body’s response to some of these factors.
A variety of factors can lead to dry skin, several of which relate to the environment around you or certain lifestyle habits. These include:
Dry skin can happen to anyone, though the risk is higher for people over the age of 40 or who live in dry, low-humidity climates.
Dry skin can come and go depending on seasons or other factors, but for some people, it’s a lifelong condition. Dry skin will show several telltale signs and symptoms:
In most cases, dry skin is harmless and usually just a sign of environmental or lifestyle factors you can work to improve. However, if you don’t take the proper care, dry skin could also be telling you that a couple worse conditions are approaching:
Treatment and prevention of dry skin go hand in hand. Keeping the skin moist and healthy is important for preventing prevent possible complications or discomfort. Some good habits include:
If you’re worried about your dry skin symptoms or can’t get treatment and prevention methods to work for you, speak to your dermatologist about your options.
“Fighting Back Against Dry Skin.” WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/beauty/dry-skin-13/dry-skin-causes?page=3
“Dry skin.” The Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-skin/home/ovc-20248889
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. You should always consult your doctor before making decisions about your health.