DRY SKIN CARE

Main reasons of dry skin are dehydration and limited natural oils of the skin. Increased frequency of the dry skin is noted in older women. If you have dry and rough-looking skin, you could have reduced production from sweat and oil glands, which can result in less natural oily lubrication of the skin. Dry skin could be also a result of decreased cell renewal.

In most cases the dry skin is uncomfortable and not attractive – rough, red and itchy with cracks and fissures in the skin.

Women of several professions, who are forced to work long under sun, also could have dry skin. After intensive and/or long unprotected sun exposure skin appears dry and flaky – sometimes you can observe more visible fine lines and/or wrinkles on open areas of the skin compared with protected parts of the skin.

Some external factors also can cause dry skin including often washing (over-washing) with harsh soaps, intensive use (overuse) of sanitizers and cleaning agents (with concentrated chemical agents), intensive scrubbing, long cold weather (cold temperature) and dry climate with low humidity.

Most frequent places of the dry skin in women are lower legs, arms (hands), flanks (sides of the abdomen), forearms, and thighs. But many women also suffer from full face dry skin and need very special attention.

In some cases dry skin is genetically determined but in most cases dry skin comes with aging, as natural skin oils diminish.

Dry skin could be also a side effect of several medication used during asthma or thyroid disease.

In all cases proper regular daily skin care could be a solution for women with dry skin.
Dry skin care means not only application of several products on the dry skin but also it means proper skin hygiene, taking care of the air in the house and/or office and careful selection of clothes.

DRY SKIN SYMPTOMS

Women with dry skin usually have very specific feelings including skin tightness, roughness or shrunken appearance.

Most common symptoms of dry skin include the following:
•    Flaking and/or scaling and/or peeling;
•    Fine lines and/or wrinkles and/or cracks;
•    Irritation and/or redness and/or red patches;
•    Deep fissures that could bleed;
•    Itching without any visible causes (sometimes pretty intensive).

DRY SKIN CARE RECOMMENDATIONS

Keep your dry skin moisturized
Women with dry skin need good, rich moisturizer. Dry skin moisturizers should have ingredients that could be helpful for dry skin – Ceramides, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid, Lanolin, Mineral oil, and Petrolatum.
Mentioned ingredients help the skin hold water and soothe dry skin, draw water to the skin and keep it and help skin hold on to water absorbed during bathing.

As hands are used every day for several activities (professional and household), moisturize your hands every time you wash them so that evaporating water doesn’t draw even more moisture from your dry skin.

Always apply sunscreen before living your house.
One of the main causes behind dry skin is sun exposure and sun damages which trigger skin lines, wrinkles, roughness and cracks. Skin sun damages can be prevented. Areas of the skin which are exposed to the sun during the day should be always protected. Best recommended sunscreens for dry skin should be properly selected – with SPF of 30 or more that says “broad spectrum”.
During different seasons (sunny or cloudy, cold or hot, summer or winter) it is recommended to use adequate sunscreens.

Avoid long hot bath or shower
As hot water strips oils from the skin faster than warm water, try limit the duration of your bath or shower up to once a day and not longer than 7-10 minutes. Keep water as cool as possible. During/after bath or shower it is recommended to moisturize the skin while it is still moist – apply a moisturizer within 3-5 minutes of washing to lock moisture in. Apply a thick moisturizer to slightly damp skin within minutes of bathing to trap in moisture.

Avoid harsh skin cleansers
Harsh skin cleansers can trigger dry skin. Better select most gentle cleansers (unscented or soap-free or mild soap cleansers) or shower gel with moisturizer for your bath time. Avoid skin cleansing products with alcohol, deodorant effect or antibacterial additives which can be harsh on dry skin.

Insure gentle skin exfoliation
Exfoliation is an important step in dry skin care but when you exfoliate, don’t scrub too much or too hard, because dry skin can be easily irritated or could become thicken.

Take care of dry skin during winter
In most countries winter period (cold and dry weather) could be the period of problems for dry skin. Usually cold and dry air is a common cause of dry, irritated skin. Heating of the apartment could be considered as a positive (warm) factor for the skin but heating also removes moisture from the air, which can make dry skin even more parched.

It is recommended to keep at least your bedroom air not dry (check with hygrometer). The easiest solution could be programmed humidifier in the bedroom.

Unwanted hair should be removed carefully
Unwanted hair could be a big esthetic problem for many women. If you have in addition also a dry skin, it could be a double problem. In most cases the removal of unwanted hair means also scraping off natural skin oils which can irritate the dry skin.

It is recommended to remove all unwanted hair during or after bathing – during the period of most soft and pliable hair. Hair removal methods should be selected carefully and should be used with special skin gels or creams.

LIFESTYLE ADVISES for WOMEN with DRY SKIN

Besides local skin care of the dry skin, some types of lifestyle also could help “fighting” dry skin – making your skin smooth and supple.

1.    Every day drink plenty of pure water (about 1.5–2.0 liter per day).
2.    Always avoid direct ultraviolet radiation because heat from sun usually dries out areas of unprotected skin and depletes the skin’s supply of natural lubricating oils. At the same time, sun’s ultraviolet radiation could cause skin burning and long-term changes in the skin’s structure.
3.    Check your home air humidity especially during winter. Home humidifier can help to keep your skin enough hydrated.
4.    Always choose natural cloths from natural fibers (preferably cotton).  It is well known that wool and synthetic tissues could trigger irritation or allergic itching or unpleasant scratching.
5.    Nutritionists recommend eating plenty of omega-3 foods – Halibut, Herring, Mackerel, Oysters, Salmon, Sardines, Trout, and Tuna (fresh). Fatty acids can help fortify the skin’s natural oil-retaining barriers.
6.    Never forget your daily routine skin care procedures (especially before going to bed).