Dry Skin - What Causes It?

Your skin is one of the most important organs of your body both healthwise and cosmetically. Dry skin is a common skin ailment that causes dry, itchy patches and leads to skin flaking off. This is characterised by the lack of water in the epidermis and can affect men and women equally. There is no single cause for dry skin.

The top five causes of dry skin are:

1. Harsh soaps: Soap is a must to keep your skin clean, but the right soap can make a big difference in the quality of your skin. Many soaps tend to rid the skin of moisture and natural oils leaving the skin dry and flaky. This also applies to many shampoos. Ideally, pick a fragrance free soap and shampoo that moisturises your skin and avoid products that are alcohol based. Also, do not use excessive soap while bathing and ensure that the soap is properly removed.
2. Change in weather: Winter is the season for dry skin. Along with the temperature, humidity levels also drop in this season. This dehydrates the skin and leaves it dry. Increasing the temperature will not help in such cases as that will further dehydrate the skin. Instead, invest in a humidifier to increase the humidity levels indoors.
3. Dehydration: Your skin needs water both internally and externally to stay hydrated. To have soft, supple skin, you should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day. While this is easy in the summers when the heat makes you feel thirsty, it gets difficult in the monsoons and winters. Caffeinated drinks also soak up moisture and contribute to dehydration.
4. Exposure to hot water and steam: Keeping the above points in mind, it might seem that a long steamy shower is a solution to dry skin but in reality, this can worsen the condition. While steam and hot water provide temporary relief, they make it easier for the natural oils in our skin to dry out. Hence, it is best to have a shower with lukewarm water and keep it as short as possible.
5. Internal conditions: Internal factors such as genetics, medical conditions like thyroid and atopic dermatitis can also make your skin dry. Dry skin can also develop as a side effect to medication for high blood pressure, cholesterol, acne etc. Age also affects the quality of your skin. As you get older, your skin gets thinner and is more prone to drying up easily.