What Causes Dry Skin? Dry Skin Symptoms and Causes
Does dry skin itch or bother you? Sometimes it’s temporary or seasonal, but if it doesn’t go away despite a good skin care routine, it could be due to another underlying cause. Dryness can affect any part of the skin. It usually occurs on the hands, arms and legs.
In most cases, all you need to eliminate dry skin is a lifestyle change and moisturizing products. However, identifying the underlying cause can help you have moisturized and healthy skin for life.
Causes of Dry Skin
Our skin naturally sheds a certain amount of skin cells every day and replaces them with new ones. But you don't feel or see it. The outer layer of the skin contains a mixture of dead skin cells and natural oils that help it retain water. If this layer is damaged and moisture is released, or if the cell renewal process does not go well, your skin can become flaky. Aging, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to sunlight and harsh chemicals, various medications, and some diseases can also be to blame.
Which Vitamin Deficiency Causes Dry Skin?
We mentioned that one of the possible answers to the question of what causes dry skin is micronutrient deficiencies. If there is such a reason underlying dry skin, you can eat a diet rich in various vitamins or use supplements with a doctor's recommendation. Here are some of the vitamins that are important for healthy skin:
- Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is critical for your overall health, including the health of your skin. There is research that shows that taking vitamin D supplements when needed can significantly improve symptoms of skin disorders that cause dry, itchy skin, including eczema.
- Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Some studies suggest that taking collagen-based supplements may have a number of benefits, including increasing skin moisture.
- Vitamin C acts as a powerful, skin-protective antioxidant and is essential for collagen production, making it an important nutrient for skin health.
- Dietary supplements containing fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) can help increase skin moisture and improve the skin’s fatty acid barrier, which helps retain moisture.
- Dry skin is also a symptom of vitamin A deficiency.
Signs of Dry Skin
Symptoms that indicate dry skin can vary depending on your overall health, age, and underlying cause. However, signs of dry skin can manifest themselves in ways such as:
- Skin cracks (sometimes deep cracks that may bleed)
- Itching
- Peeling and flaking
- Redness
- Skin that feels hard or has a gray, ashy appearance
- Skin that feels tight, especially after spending time in water (bathing, showering, or swimming)
What to do to Prevent Dry Skin?
Everyone can experience dry skin at some point in their lives. If the underlying cause of your dry skin is seasonal changes or your daily habits, you can eliminate the problem by adopting a good care routine. Here are some habits you should adopt for healthy and glowing skin:
- Use a moisturizing product after spending time under water before your skin dries.
- Choose a cleansing product that will moisturize your skin without drying it out. At this point, we recommend Dove Deeply Nourishing Shower Gel. It combines Nutrium Moisture™ technology with gentle cleansers to help preserve your skin's natural moisture and give you soft skin.
- Consider using almond oil. This natural ingredient is used to treat dry skin conditions.
- If the skin on your face also tends to dry out, again choose care products that have moisturizing properties. When it comes to makeup, take advantage of makeup tips specific to dry skin.
