Dry skin occurs when the skin is unable to retain an adequate amount of moisture. This might occur as a consequence of taking a lot of showers, using soaps that are too harsh, becoming older, or having certain medical issues. Also, winter’s cold, dry air might be a contributing factor for people who live in colder areas.
If you live in a cold area during the winter months, you may have irritated, raw, red, and rough skin. This is because dry air results from chilly winter air, which may be found both indoors and outside. The epidermis, the topmost layer of skin, tends to reflect the degree of humidity present in its surroundings by the amount of water it contains. You are lucky since you can do many straightforward and low-cost things to alleviate dry skin and keep any other skin types healthy.
Most people will, at some time in their lives, have to deal with dry skin, which is true even if they live in a section of the globe where harsh winter air is not an issue now or ever. Regardless of where they live, anyone who struggles with dry skin may benefit from the following advice for maintaining healthy and smooth skin.
What Are the Types of Dry Skin?
Types of dry skin include:
- Contact dermatitis: An allergen or irritant causes contact dermatitis. Your skin may be dry, itchy, red, and rashy. Cosmetics, detergents, pharmaceuticals, and nickel jewelry are examples.
- Eczema: Eczema causes red, dry, lumpy, and itchy skin. Cracking skin increases infection risk in severe cases. Stress, allergies, and irritants increase this common skin problem.
- Seborrheic dermatitis: Dandruff and cradle cap may cause scalp dryness. Seborrheic dermatitis may also create dry, flaky spots on your face, chest, and arm, leg, and groin creases. It sometimes affects your navel (belly button). This dermatitis happens when your body responds to skin yeast.
How to Treat Your Dry Skin?
Oatmeal Baths
It is widely believed that using oatmeal for sensitive skin may help soothe and calm the area.
Colloidal oatmeal’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities make it ideal for treating skin inflammation. This cure will do the trick if you are looking for itch relief. Moisturize your skin to reinforce the protective barrier you just created with the oatmeal bath.
An at-home oatmeal bath is easy to prepare. Blend the oats into a powder in a food processor, then add the powder to a bowl of hot water and mix. If you do not feel like making your own oatmeal soak, you may always choose one of the numerous pre-packaged options out there.
Gloves
The hands are often the body part that comes into the most direct touch with environmental irritants. Dish soap and laundry detergent are both examples of these.
When your hands are going to be in the water, make it a routine to put on some gloves. When the weather drops, and you have to work outdoors in the cold, your hands are subjected to significant stress.
Dry, irritated skin may be alleviated to some degree by donning a pair of insulated gloves while doing duties around the home or going outdoors in freezing weather.
Coconut Oil
The emollient qualities of coconut oil is a reliable source. Emollients can penetrate deep into the skin and fill the voids between the cells, leaving the skin soft and supple. In this way, coconut oil’s naturally occurring saturated fatty acids help moisturize and smooth the skin.
Coconut oil is safe enough to use daily on even the most delicate skin. The corners of your lips and the space immediately beneath your eyes are two such places. Coconut oil also has the benefit of not requiring any additional additives. We may use coconut regularly since it is very mild.
Petroleum Jelly
Products containing petroleum jelly may aid in the healing of the skin in elderly people. Petroleum jelly, which also goes by the name mineral oil, provides a barrier of protection for the skin. It causes the moisture below to get trapped.
This assists in the healing of dry, inflamed regions of skin.
Antioxidants and Omega-3s
If your skin is dry, it indicates that it is being subjected to factors destroying skin cells at a rate greater than your body’s ability to heal them. There are some meals that might help your skin give the appearance of being healthy.
Consuming foods that are high in antioxidants may help your body produce healthy cells and reduce the amount of damage caused by pollutants. The following are some examples of foods that help to healthy skin:
- blueberries
- tomatoes
- carrots
- beans
- peas
- lentils
Avoid Allergens and Irritants
It is possible that the garments you have been wearing or the things you have been exposing your skin to are to blame for the sudden outbreak of dry skin.
You may irritate your skin and cause it to feel dry by doing things like sitting next to a fireplace, spending time in water that has been treated with chemicals or chlorine, or simply wearing clothes made of wool. Examine the conditions that you subject your skin to regularly and make an effort to treat it tenderly.
Shower Temperature
Altering how you normally shower might sometimes be all that is required to alleviate dry skin. Even though most individuals like taking hot showers, doing so too often may cause the skin to become irritated and even damaged.
In addition, there are soaps that, despite their claims to the contrary, may dry out the skin and even damage it worse. They are known to provoke allergic responses and cause the skin to become more delicate due to the harsh chemicals they contain.
Take quick showers with water that is warm, not hot, and aim to reduce stress. Also, try to choose soaps that do not have any added fragrances and are better for your skin than regular soaps.
Use a Humidifier
It is possible to lessen the dryness that is brought on by heating systems in the house by using a humidifier in the space. According to the Harvard Medical School, even though gas and electric heat remove moisture from the air, using a humidifier with a setting of sixty percent is sufficient to counteract this impact.
Dry Skin Prevention
Maintaining good skin is a very essential goal. The skin on your body serves as the body’s first line of protection against pathogens, including germs and viruses. Itching may damage the skin’s barrier, making it more susceptible to infection. Even if your skin is not giving you any trouble, it is still a good idea to include a high-quality moisturizer as part of your regular routine.
In point of fact, one of the most effective methods for preventing dry skin breakouts is to ensure that a healthy skin barrier is always maintained. Another vital piece of advice for skin care is to make use of moisturizing sunscreen on a daily basis in order to protect the skin from damage and dryness.
If you are going to be exposed to high temperatures or situations that irritate the skin, you should be sure to wear clothes made of cotton that have a loose fit and will wick perspiration away from the skin.
It is important to keep in mind that dehydrated skin might be a sign of a more severe ailment. If you have tried over-the-counter treatments that have not helped, you may need to visit a dermatologist to obtain a treatment prescribed specifically for dry skin.
