Dry skin
Dry skin is a violation of water and lipid metabolism, which leads to a change in the functioning of sebaceous and sweat glands on human skin. Dry skin, as a rule, is accompanied by peeling, dull pigmentation, a feeling of tightness. All this causes a lot of discomfort, such skin requires special care.
The content of the article:
Why does the skin need water?
Causes of dry skin
Symptoms of dry skin
Diagnosis of dry skin of the body
Treatment of dry skin of the body
Hygroscopic humecants
Film-forming humecants
Prevention of dry skin of the body and methods of moisturizing
Dry skin
Why does the skin need water?
Thanks to moisture, the elasticity of the skin, its elasticity and the process of nutrition of skin cells are ensured. The level of hydration depends on the condition of the upper layer of the skin, the amount of sebum secreted. These two factors are responsible for moisture exchange. Fat and a moderate stratum corneum form a lipid film on the skin, this film does not allow moisture to leave the skin, and the environment strongly affects the condition of the inner skin. The absence or weakening of the lipid film, due to age or external aggressive environmental factors, leads to excessive evaporation of moisture, and hence to dryness of the skin. It also negatively affects blood microcirculation and skin ventilation. Due to the lack of the necessary amount of moisture, the skin becomes dry and flabby.
Causes of dry skin
In modern medicine and cosmetology , it is customary to distinguish two types of dry skin:
acquired dryness of the skin;
conditioned by the constitution of the body.
Acquired dry skin becomes so due to the aggressive influence of external factors. Excessive ultraviolet radiation, hypothermia, high ambient temperature, constant exposure to wind and low humidity can lead to dry skin. Also, dry skin can manifest itself as a result of various therapeutic procedures, too aggressive peeling, skin rejuvenation by dermabrasion.
Acquired dryness of the skin is possible due to the use of azelaic acid, retinoids or other drugs containing alcohol.
There is another classification of dry skin of the body:
good skin tone;
low skin tone.
A good tone of dry skin is, as a rule, elastic and smooth matte skin. This is observed on the skin, which has no wrinkles, but sensitivity to external stimuli is very high. With a good tone of dry skin, regular cosmetic care is required. It usually manifests itself in young people.
Low skin tone is characterized by its thinness, especially noticeable around the mouth and eyes. As a rule, low tone of dry skin is manifested in people of age. Also, the most common cause of dry skin is old age. After 40 years, various hormonal changes begin to occur in the body.
Insufficient water intake over time may play an important role in the acquisition of dry skin. In order to maintain the normal state of skin moisture, according to all leading doctors and cosmetologists of the world, a person needs to drink up to 2 liters of clean water per day. A sufficient amount of water allows you to restore the balance of skin moisture, which evaporates during the day, which has a positive effect on the general condition of the human body.
Bad habits, such as alcohol consumption and smoking, leave their mark on all human organs, also greatly affect the condition of the skin. Toxins and other substances pollute the microvessels and complicate the circulation of moisture in the skin.
All causes of dry skin of the body can be divided into internal and external.
Internal reasons include:
The skin can become dry with hormonal failures (hypothyroidism, menopause, diabetes mellitus, pregnancy);
Due to partial dehydration of the body, which occurs with impaired drinking, digestive disorders, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.;
A sharp metabolic disorder in the body;
In chronic renal failure;
In diseases of the central nervous system;
Due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
In autoimmune diseases;
With iron deficiency anemia;
In the process of natural skin aging;
With chronic hypovitaminosis, in particular with a lack of vitamins A and E;
With a long course of treatment with antibiotics and certain medications;
Due to the lack of nutrient intake and with grueling diets;
With excessive use of coffee and strong tea;
Due to bad habits (smoking, alcohol);
Regular stress.
External causes, in turn, include the following:
Prolonged stay in a dry climate;
Strong and long exposure to the sun;
Exposure to household or industrial chemicals;
Improper skin care: abuse of alkaline soap, alcohol lotions, household chemicals, aggressive cosmetics, frequent pinning;
Work with the earth, etc. without protective gloves;
Work at elevated temperatures (hot shops).
Symptoms of dry skin
Usually, dry skin of the body is a seasonal phenomenon, but if you do not react in time and take measures to eliminate this disease, then it can go to a chronic stage. The general symptoms of dry skin differ significantly from the patient’s lifestyle, as well as climatic conditions. But we can highlight some of the main ones:
After water treatments, there is a feeling of tightness of the skin;
Externally, the skin becomes wrinkled and dehydrated;
The skin looks rough;
Complaints of severe itching;
Peeling of the skin of varying severity;
Cracks appear on the skin, which sometimes bleed and cause pain;
Redness on various areas of the skin.
In which cases should I seek medical help immediately:
Despite home measures to eliminate symptoms, the patient’s condition does not improve;
Dry skin is very reddened;
Itching prevents normal sleep;
Formation of ulcers and wounds due to combing;
Severe peeling of the skin on large areas.
Diagnosis of dry skin of the body
Dry skin can manifest itself in some more serious skin diseases. And it is possible to identify them only when conducting a full diagnosis and passing some tests.
Follicular curatosis, which causes small acne-like pimples on a person’s arms, legs and buttocks. A large number of these formations on the skin give it a very rough and dry appearance like sandpaper. Often pimples are flesh-colored, but with inflammation they will be red;
With ichthyosis, skin cells peel off profusely, forming very thick scales that look more like fish scales. Polyhedral small scales are white or even brown in color. This disease can cause very deep and painful cracks on the body;
Xerotic eczema also causes numerous cracks on the skin and its dryness. The skin with this disease is constantly inflamed and bleeding. This is accompanied by severe itching;
Psoriasis is also manifested by dryness and peeling of the skin on the body. It often manifests itself in a more complex form when an infection joins the inflamed areas.
Treatment of dry skin of the body
To combat dry skin of the body, in addition to general recommendations for humidifying the air and the body, special means are also used — hydrants (humecants) they differ from each other and have a different mechanism of action. There are two types of humecants: film-forming and hygroscopic.
Hygroscopic humecants
Hygroscopic humecants affect skin cells. These substances include: pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, hyaluronic acid, collagen and lactic acid. The molecules of these substances are very related to the skin. Hygroscopic humecants bind water molecules together and securely hold them in the layers of the skin. These are the most essential substances in the treatment of dry skin of the body. They also restore the level of moisturizing factor in the epidermis. The most powerful hygroscopic substance is hyaluronic acid, which is extracted from the skin of sharks and cock crests. Just one gram of this substance can turn a liter of water into a gel. Therefore, cosmetics, which include hyaluronic acid, are very effective. Collagen also plays an important role in the treatment of dry skin. This substance fills the intercellular space of the skin, it is able to hold a huge amount of water, which exceeds its weight by 30 times.
Film-forming humecants
The film-forming humecants include glycerin, fats, wax and mineral oils. They form a protective film on the surface of the skin and thus prevent excessive evaporation of moisture. Glycerin can be called the strongest of the film-forming humecants, but it not only retains moisture well, but also stimulates the process of creating young skin cells. A large number of new cells maintain the water balance in all layers of the human skin.
Also, the hexatomic alcohol sorbitol has special properties, which not only perfectly moisturizes the skin, but also forms a film that prevents the evaporation of moisture.
Another popular remedy for dry skin is linoleic acid, which, in addition to creating a waterproof film, regulates the permeability of the epidermis.
If you find symptoms of dry skin of the body, contact a dermatologist, because the cause of this disease may be more complex and dangerous diseases.
Prevention of dry skin of the body and methods of moisturizing
When the first signs of dry skin appear, further development of this disease should be prevented. To do this, it is enough to adhere to some rules:
The skin, which is dry by nature, must be moisturized with cosmetic creams that contain lecithin, collagen and propolis. Creams containing hyaluronic acid and other vitamins and minerals will also help. But moisturizers should not be abused, since with frequent use the skin will completely lose the ability to retain moisture on its own;
People with a predisposition to dry skin of the body should treat it more carefully and not use aggressive scrubs. After water procedures, you should lubricate the body with a greasy cream;
Dry skin, in addition to moisturizing, must be nourished with useful substances. And remove the exfoliated skin from the body;
Also, the correct selection of clothes and shoes is no less important, shoes are best worn only made of natural materials, and clothes should not contain a large amount of synthetics, especially underwear;
Use humidifiers in the house, and in the car it is better to set the climate control to 85% humidity.
