Dry skin is inevitable—whatever your skin type, you’ll periodically find yourself breaking into sudden dry patchiness on various parts of your body. While you probably instantly veer towards your moisturiser at this sight, there’s more to it than meets the eyes. Dry, patchy, flaky skin has a variety of causes with specific treatments for each body part and type of patch. Dr Chiranjiv Chhabra, director and consultant dermatologist at Skin Alive, Delhi, gives us the complete lowdown.
CAUSES OF DRY SKIN
What is dry skin and what are the different kinds?
Dry skin is a very common skin problem and it often gets worse during the winters when environmental humidity is low. It results when there is not enough water in the stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of the skin, for it to function properly. It can occur at all ages and in people with or without other skin problems. Normally fine lines in dry skin become more visible and the skin feels rough and appears dull and flaky. While it occurs most commonly on the arms and legs, it can also affect the trunk of the body. Facial skin and its condition differs from person to person but there are four main skin types—normal, dry, oily and combination.
Why does your skin get dry?
Common causes of dry skin include:
- The ageing process
- Insufficient intake of water
- Smoking and alcohol
- Sun exposure and pollution (which strip skin of essential moisture)
- Some illnesses and long term medication
- Hormone imbalances such as under-activity of the thyroid gland
- Extreme weather conditions—summer and winter both contribute to dehydration
- An incorrect skincare regimen or wrong choice of skincare products
- Use of too much soap and water for bathing
How does dry skin react in hot and cold temperatures?
Cold temperatures often mean low humidity, which dries out skin. Bitterly cold winds can also strip moisture from exposed skin. Throughout the winter months, many people find their skin to be rough, red, tightened, cracked or peeling because of dryness. Even when it doesn’t feel hot, the sun’s rays can damage the skin. In warmer climates, increased heat and humidity can cause the skin to sweat, leaving it more prone to breakouts, especially if the skin is oily. The heat can also lead to other skin problems. Among them is heat rash, which happens when sweat ducts get closed off, trapping the moisture under the skin and leading to a rash made up of blisters or bumps.
Do certain parts of your body get drier than the rest?
The skin on our face, head, armpits, hands and feet differs slightly to the skin on the rest of our bodies.
Hands: During winter, the humidity in the outside air plunges. Inside, things are even drier, thanks to indoor heating. If you’re washing your hands frequently to avoid catching a cold or the flu, you could sap whatever natural oils are left in your skin. That can leave your hands so dehydrated that they crack, peel, and bleed.
Feet: Your feet probably spend much of the winter stuffed into heavy boots or fending off cold, dry air outside and overheated air inside. The result: dry, cracked heels and itchy, peeling skin. But when you know how to properly clean, moisturise, exfoliate and protect your feet, they’ll stay comfy—and beautiful—all season long.
PREVENTING DRY SKIN
What kind of products should you use to combat dry skin?
For face, mild cleansers like Cetaphil or the Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser or Essential Cleansing Solution are recommended. After bathing or showering, quickly and gently pat the skin partially dry with a towel (do not rub). Within three minutes of getting out of the water, apply a moisturiser.
There are basically two types of moisturisers; facial moisturisers and body moisturisers. Most facial moisturisers on the market relate largely to makeup and cosmetic concerns. These products are different than body moisturisers in that they are very carefully designed to avoid causing allergic reactions (hypoallergenic) and flares of acne on the face (non-comedogenic). There are several excellent facial moisturisers that may also contain effective sunscreen chemicals that can be used in this setting. There are four basic classes of body moisturisers: ointments, oils, creams and lotions (in decreasing order of moisturising power).
Ointment moisturisers have the greatest ability to trap moisture in the skin, but they have the greasy consistency and feel of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. People often shy away from using them because of the greasy feel, but this can be minimised by applying a small amount and rubbing it into the skin well.
Oil moisturisers are less greasy but still effective. Examples of oils that can be applied directly to the skin include baby oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, and bath oil. Bath oils used in the bath water make the tub too slippery and should not be used. It is preferable to apply bath oils after getting out of the tub or shower, just as you would other moisturisers, directly to damp skin immediately after a light towelling off to partially dry the skin.
Cream moisturisers are usually white and disappear when rubbed into the skin without leaving a greasy feel. As a result, they tend to be more popular than ointments. Examples of effective cream moisturisers include Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Vaseline Cream, Efaderm Charmis Cream, Evion Cream, Nivea and Neutrogena Hand Cream (especially helpful for dry, chapped hands).
Lotion moisturisers are suspensions of oily chemicals in alcohol and water. Lotion moisturisers are generally the least greasy and the most pleasant to use and therefore are quite popular. However, because of their alcohol content, they can be somewhat drying when used repeatedly compared to ointments and creams. The bottom line is that if the moisturiser you choose does not feel at least a bit greasy you may not be getting as strong a moisturiser as you may need.
What preventive measures should be taken if you have dry skin?
- Reduce the intake of tea and coffee. Opt for lemonade, lassi or buttermilk instead.
- When going out in the sun, always drink two glasses of water and then move out.
- Never go out in the sun without protection. Always wear a sunblock and carry an umbrella for protection.
- Avoid spicy, fried and salty foods.
- Choose the right skincare products in consultation with your skin doctor.
- Avoid long soaks in the tub, don’t let the water get too hot and use a mild soap to help soothe your skin.
TREATING DRY SKIN
Does dry skin on the face and body require different treatment?
Skin may cover our entire body, but its thickness varies, padding parts of the body more prone to wear and tear with thick skin and placing thinner skin on the parts of the body that take less of a beating. The skin on the face is thinner than the skin on the body, with the exception of the chest, and deserves a bit more tender loving care.
Areas with more appendage concentration (like the face) heal more quickly and are more tolerant of injury than sites with fewer appendages, like the neck and chest. A standard gentle cleanser will keep skin on the body in good shape, whereas one may want more power with the more visible skin on the face. After moistening the face with lukewarm water, work a cleanser all over the face using your fingers. The trick is finding a moisturiser that works for the skin type on each face. There are heavier types of moisturisers that are hard to work into the face, that are used for people with very dry skin. Usually pasty, thick and harder to work into your skin, these white creams are best used for skin surfaces that are particularly dry, like elbows, knees, and hands.
Are there any dermat treatments one can sign up for to tackle dry skin?
- Skin Circulation Therapy with oxygen: This treatment helps to treat dry, dehydrated skin and improves complexion, clarity and glow.
- Serum Electroporation Hydrating Therapy: This treatment helps in deep hydration, skin toning and firming.
- Dermalogica Ion Active Facial with Hyaluronic Acid
- Juvederm Hyaluronic Fillers for skin hydration and moisturising