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Dry Skin and What You Can Do About It
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When Your Skin Is Dry
It can be uncomfortable
-- rough, itchy, and gray or ashy in color. It may feel tight, especially after
you shower, bathe, or swim. You may have unusual redness and lines and
cracks in the skin, sometimes deep enough that they bleed. Many things can
cause it, and what you can do it about it depends on what brought it on.
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Possible Cause: Your Age
You can have dry skin at
any age, but you’re more likely to if you’re in your 50s or older. This is
because the glands that make oil for your skin get smaller as you age and make
less. Older adults are also more likely to have medical conditions like diabetes
and kidney disease that can cause dry skin.
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Possible Cause: Atopic Dermatitis
This is the most common
kind of eczema. Dry, itchy skin is the most noticeable symptom, but you may
also have a rash inside your elbows, behind your knees, and on your face,
hands, and feet. It’s most often caused by an allergic reaction and usually can
be managed if you moisturize your skin and stay away from what triggered it --
detergent, perfume, sand, or cigarette smoke, for example.
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Possible Cause: Your Job
You’re more likely to
get dry skin and chronic skin conditions if you work with certain chemical and
biological materials, or with extreme temperatures. The kinds of jobs that may
affect your skin include food service, cosmetology, health care, agriculture,
cleaning, painting, mechanics, printing, and construction. You can use
protective gear, and try to be exposed to the materials as little as possible,
especially if you see symptoms of dry skin or atopic dermatitis.
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Possible Cause: Water
Soaking in the tub or
showering for long periods is a common cause of dry skin. And the hotter the
water, the worse it is. Pools and hot tubs that have a lot of chlorine in them
are bad, too, because the chemical dries out your skin. It’s a good idea to keep
the water on the cool side and your showers to a minimum -- you’ll have
healthier skin and a lower water bill.
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Possible Cause: Smoking
Along with all the other
health concerns around smoking, it also causes wrinkles and messes with
the blood flow to your outermost layers of skin. And it leads to coarse, dry
skin.
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Possible Cause: Your Soap
Many popular soaps and
shampoos clean your skin by removing oil. This can cause dry skin or make an
outbreak even worse. Your doctor or pharmacist can suggest special cleansers
that won’t dry out your skin.
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Possible Cause: The Weather
Winter tends to dry out
your skin more than other seasons because the humidity (moisture in the air) is
typically much lower. Heating systems also dry out the air, and that doesn’t
help, either. Take special care of your skin in this type of weather: Cover up,
moisturize often, and avoid things that trigger allergic reactions.
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Possible Cause: Fish Scale Disease
Known by scientists as
ichthyosis vulgaris, it’s an inherited condition that makes dead skin cells
bunch together in thick, dry scales. These usually show up on the skin in early
childhood and can be tough to manage, both physically and emotionally. There’s
no cure, but treatments can help control the symptoms.
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What You Can Do: Watch and Learn
Pinpointing the cause of
an outbreak is one of the best ways to manage your dry skin. If you have bad
dry skin fairly often, pay attention to what you do before it happens. You may
need to stop doing it for a few days and use a specialized moisturizer, or wear
gloves or other protection when you start again.
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What You Can Do: Moisturize
Oils, lotions, and
creams can smooth and soften your skin, making it less likely to crack -- and
they can ease pain and itchiness. If you have very dry skin, something with
lactic acid or urea may work best, because they can help your skin hold water.
But they can sting if you put them on very dry, cracked skin. Ask your doctor
what’s right for you.
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What You Can Do: Take Medication
If your skin is very
dry, your skin doctor (dermatologist) may prescribe an ointment or cream to put
on it, such as a corticosteroid or an immune modulator (this can help with your
body’s response to something you’re allergic to). Combined with a moisturizer,
these can relieve the itchiness, redness, and swelling. But keep in mind that
some of these can stop working if you use them too often.
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When to See a Doctor
You can usually manage
dry skin with lifestyle changes, home remedies, and over-the-counter soaps and
moisturizers. If these don’t seem to help, though, see your doctor, especially
if dryness and itching keep you from sleeping well, or you have open sores
or large areas of peeling skin.
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An Ounce of Prevention …
You can do a few things
to keep your skin moist and healthy: Put moisturizer on right after you bathe.
Use a humidifier when the air is dry. Wear natural fibers, such as cotton and
silk, because they allow your skin to breathe. (Wool, though natural, can sometimes
irritate your skin.) Use detergent that doesn't have dyes or perfumes, and
cover up when the air is dry to help your body keep moisture .
This tool does not provide medical advice.
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