Nearly everyone experiences dry skin at one time or another however, the winter months can be especially brutal to your skin. Knowing some of its causes can help in prevention and treatment. Most of my client complaints regarding dry skin do come in the winter, when low humidity and home heating take a toll on the stratum corneum, the paper-thin outer layer of the skin.
Winter Itch describes skin that has become so dry it is inflamed, cracked, as well as itchy and maybe even bleeding. It is usually found primarily on the legs, arms and hands where oil glands are not numerous. Hot, dry climates can also rob the skin of moisture and some air conditioning systems can aggravate it.
We have also found that people who travel frequently may be more prone to dry skin due to the low humidity on airplanes. I always advise my client who are frequent travelers to take their moisturizer on the plane and reapply it several times before reaching their destination.
Other causes of dry skin are improper cleansing and frequent wetting and drying. Avoid harsh sudsy cleansers and take shorter baths (under 10 minutes) in warm, not hot, water. Hot water will remove necessary oils needed to seal in natural moisture.
Age is commonly blamed for dry skin, but it doesn’t really play a role until about the age of 50. Wrinkles, which begin to make their appearance in the 30s are actually caused by sun damage, not aging dry skin. Dry skin may also be caused by certain medications and medical disorders as well as changes in hormone levels during pregnancy and menopause.
Finally, you may have dry skin simply because that’s the skin type you were born with. The skin’s ability to hold water varies from person to person. Using a non-occlusive water-soluble moisturizer or lotion several times per day instead of an oily, waxy moisturizer will yield you the best results for combating your winter itch.
Carol L. Donnelly is a Licensed Esthetician and Certified Medical Esthetics Specialist. Her practice Dermal Solutions Esthetic Center is located at 28073 Smyth Drive in Valencia.
Free, private consultations are available by appointment at 661-295-0027, you can email us at ifixskin@sbcglobal.net or visit www.dermalsolutions.com .